Who would have thought that Kirkland beer from Costco could be so good. This has become the JFT team beer, which Joseph picks up at Costco for us. After a game like tonight's, winning by one run, 12-11, against a dangerous opponent, it tasted especially good.
Corona Crushers has improved this year by adding a great fielding (he robbed G of an extra base hit down the line), good hitting third baseman, and one or two other decent hitters to a lineup that, although shorter in talent than us, always gives us trouble. If memory serves, the first and only time they beat us was in 2010, and it eliminated us from the playoffs. In 2008, they tied us to put an asterisk in our first of two undefeated seasons. Last year they did not win a single game, but two of our victories over them were by scores of 11-7 and 4-3. So tonight's game being a tight one was no surprise.
They started in the first with a solid rally to go up 6-0. Where we go from there depends on your perspective: One of our teammates said he overheard them feeling pretty good about their chances at that point. At the same time, one of our fans in the stands turned to our newest fan and said "Oh they always start slow."
So we tied it up in the bottom of the first. It was a classic JFT rally: a walk, four straight singles, playing it conservative on the bases, and then G, first pitch swinging, hits it over the outfield for a bases clearing triple. Later Gene brings him home for the tying run.
We won the next two innings to take a precarious 12-9 lead. The biggest blow was Big D's patented laser shot that rocketed past the right fielder to plate 2 runs to re-tie the game at 8, temporarily. Add to that clutch 2 out RBI hits by Chuck, Reg and Greg in the 3rd.
After that our defense took over. It was a good thing, because we didn't score again. There was the line drive G almost made a leaping grab on, but Gene hustled in from the outfield to fire to second to get a force out. We turned three double plays altogether, a 6-4-3, 4-6-3 and to end the game dramatically with the tying run on base, a hard grounder to Greg up the middle, step on second and fire to first. He does that better than anyone in senior softball.
Trivia question. Who was involved tonight in what has to be a record 5 double plays in one game? Hint: Winner gets a new monocle. And I get a fat lip. And if questioned, I will have to give up the name of the player that thought of this.
We passed Corona in the standings by virtue of the tiebreaker win. No matter what else happened tonight, we are probably looking up at only Pinky's 40 and Advanced Construction in the early season.
I have to say, I was not sure I was at the right field tonight; Chopper walked twice. Has that ever happened? Who was that inhabiting his body?
And special "we were rained out of our annual preseason practice this year, and I am sure we would have practiced the rundown play" award to the whole team for our best Keystone Kops moment to this point in the season for our botched rundown.
More later.
Corona Crushers has improved this year by adding a great fielding (he robbed G of an extra base hit down the line), good hitting third baseman, and one or two other decent hitters to a lineup that, although shorter in talent than us, always gives us trouble. If memory serves, the first and only time they beat us was in 2010, and it eliminated us from the playoffs. In 2008, they tied us to put an asterisk in our first of two undefeated seasons. Last year they did not win a single game, but two of our victories over them were by scores of 11-7 and 4-3. So tonight's game being a tight one was no surprise.
They started in the first with a solid rally to go up 6-0. Where we go from there depends on your perspective: One of our teammates said he overheard them feeling pretty good about their chances at that point. At the same time, one of our fans in the stands turned to our newest fan and said "Oh they always start slow."
So we tied it up in the bottom of the first. It was a classic JFT rally: a walk, four straight singles, playing it conservative on the bases, and then G, first pitch swinging, hits it over the outfield for a bases clearing triple. Later Gene brings him home for the tying run.
We won the next two innings to take a precarious 12-9 lead. The biggest blow was Big D's patented laser shot that rocketed past the right fielder to plate 2 runs to re-tie the game at 8, temporarily. Add to that clutch 2 out RBI hits by Chuck, Reg and Greg in the 3rd.
After that our defense took over. It was a good thing, because we didn't score again. There was the line drive G almost made a leaping grab on, but Gene hustled in from the outfield to fire to second to get a force out. We turned three double plays altogether, a 6-4-3, 4-6-3 and to end the game dramatically with the tying run on base, a hard grounder to Greg up the middle, step on second and fire to first. He does that better than anyone in senior softball.
Trivia question. Who was involved tonight in what has to be a record 5 double plays in one game? Hint: Winner gets a new monocle. And I get a fat lip. And if questioned, I will have to give up the name of the player that thought of this.
We passed Corona in the standings by virtue of the tiebreaker win. No matter what else happened tonight, we are probably looking up at only Pinky's 40 and Advanced Construction in the early season.
I have to say, I was not sure I was at the right field tonight; Chopper walked twice. Has that ever happened? Who was that inhabiting his body?
And special "we were rained out of our annual preseason practice this year, and I am sure we would have practiced the rundown play" award to the whole team for our best Keystone Kops moment to this point in the season for our botched rundown.
More later.
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