It's...Underdog!!!

(Make sure you play this while reading the following...)

Transdyn started the season 1-3. Missing our starting left fielder the whole season, nominally the most consistent hitter in all rec league softball. Two outfielders injured in the first game, not to be seen again as of yet, so we have been playing with three of our five regular outfielders out.

Number three hitter, one of the most feared hitters in Pleasanton, coaching his kids, and missing all the 6:30 games. In a season that due to the limited number of teams five of twelve games are at 6:30.

New power hitter from last year - in LA for three weeks for work training. Rams busy entertaining. Chopper gets a promotion and is acting the part of dedicated worker. Hama - well the mail must be delivered? Super sub Zach from last year, don't have his phone number, didn't email him in time.

Only nine guys could show and oh by the way our newest new blood with the speed of youth, Mark, has a bad hammy so we take the field with three outfielders, average age 48 or so.

And yours truly the Coach, is late because I got stuck at work, and technically we started the game with eight players (for a few batters).

So the table was set. Playing the first place Ringers, who started off the season so hot, 5-0. We have crawled back into the race with a couple of wins, but this one was a must have. Win it, and we are one out barely half way through the season. Lose it, and we're three games plus tiebreaker guaranteed, which might as well be four games out with five left.

Play it again: Underdog!

And they scored four in the first. But they also started with nine players, and we answered on a couple of walks and a smash triple by Cage and a gapper double by Tom, who might as well face the fact that he is a permanent fixture for this season at least.

4-3, not bad, even 6-3 not too bad after they added on in the second. And then both teams got cold. We were colder and going into the bottom of the fifth we were down 8-4.

And then a remarkable thing happened. Play it again! We loaded the bases with none out (starting with Sir Guy, my motto: bottom of the order hits, we win). and it was off to the races when we turned over the order. A big play was when Cage hit a grounder toward the hole with bases loaded and the third baseman took it and ran to third and tried to gun down the old guy running home. I ran 'inside' and he nailed me in the back, and that let the inning extend. Mario's next hit was thrown around and we ended up taking a 10-8 lead and using up most of the remaining time.

Then the Ringers 'discovered' their 'new bat', a pink thing that if it isn't juiced, sure hits like a shaved bat. They ended up with the bases loaded and their power hitter up and he golfed one over the fence for a 12-10 lead. They should have added more, Sir Guy and our defense did a good job keeping it there. Pauly had a tremendous game at the hot corner - he must have had a third of our outs.

In the end old age and treachery took over. Monty started with one of our ten walks (patience). After a fly out Jas did the same. But when a ground out ensued, it was looking grim - still two down and two outs. Cage extended it with a single; Monty scored and Jason went in to run at second as the tying run.

Mighty Mario stepped in and looked around, and saw the Hole. They were playing him to pull as he usually does, but we know he can hit to all fields. And he hit a perfect rope to the LC gap, and with two outs, Jas and Cage took off at full speed...tie game and then the walkoff! The Ringers made a desperation throw, and it was actually closer than it seemed it would be, but the joy was in Transville that night!

Play it again: Underdog!

Milestones:

Mario        200 rbi (#10) (how appropriate)
Jas            100 g (#13)