Just in time for the Orinda Summer league to start, the Coneheads have started hitting and catching the ball. We won Sunday night in Walnut Creek over Notg 13-2, and Monday night we thumped St. Mo's 18-7 against a team that has had our number at times.
Sunday produced a quintet of heroes in a rout. Two were expected and three had a surprise angle if not outcome.
Ol' G (#1) finally brought his new cleaned up shoulders to start his softball season in June - I heard in Vegas they were betting on whether Gary Middleton or Madison Bumgarner would return to the field first - and G won by two days.
Well, G seems to have taken his time off perfecting the bloop hit, and he dropped three of them on the unsuspecting Notg outfielders, as the scouting report said slashed line drives to center-center right (by Monday's game in Orinda he had straightened this 'flaw' out, and hit several line drive hits).
Second on the list was Lefty (#2), who made sure he saw every second of the Warriors pre-game coverage before showing up late in the first inning. But once he jumped in the batter's box, he hit like one of those guys who could jump out of bed and get a hit. At the time we thought the score was 3-2 after Notg had answered our three with two in the bottom of the first (it turned out to be a rumor and it was 3-1). Craig came up with two outs and two on and proceeded to bring in a run with a line drive to right. Knight and Pope followed with singles and we were in business. But that was not the end of his night.
In the second we had a three ring circus of defensive gems. First the first baseman snagged a high hot line drive over his head. There were rumors he actually got off the ground.
Which was too bad because then his old legs got caught in the quicksand and he couldn't quite tag out the runner on first, who had taken off thinking it was a hit, but turned back and dove for the bag.
That just set it up for Lefty. He was catching to ease into the defense because he had arrived late. The opposition had a female in the lineup - it looked like she could hit line drives over the infield, but in this case she fouled one back into Lefty's glove. He caught it, it popped out, and for what seemed like a while, he thought about letting it go so the woman could have a second chance. Then instinct took over and he grabbed it. No date for you Craig. The final out came when Chopper (#3) made a great throw from right field to third base to nail a runner, trying to flaunt conventional baseball wisdom - never make the third out at third.
But Lefty's real contributions came on two or three great running catches when he returned to his traditional position in right center. Rally killers, all.
Chauncey (#4) had only one hit, but he made it count. He came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the third, and promptly unloaded them with a blast over the right center fielder's head. It turned a 7-2 game into 11-2 and it was over at that point.
Pope (#5) had yet another great game, going 3-3 with a double and a solo HR and three RBIs, but we are so accustomed to his performances he only got fourth billing here. Sorry Greg!
Keep tuned for Monday night's Orinda opener recap.
Sunday Milestones:
5/6
Chuck 650 ab (#1)
Haze 450 ab (#5)
Johnny 50 g (#19)
5/20
Gene 150 g (#7)
6/3
Pope 20 2b (#11)
Gene 400 ab (#8)
Sunday produced a quintet of heroes in a rout. Two were expected and three had a surprise angle if not outcome.
Ol' G (#1) finally brought his new cleaned up shoulders to start his softball season in June - I heard in Vegas they were betting on whether Gary Middleton or Madison Bumgarner would return to the field first - and G won by two days.
Well, G seems to have taken his time off perfecting the bloop hit, and he dropped three of them on the unsuspecting Notg outfielders, as the scouting report said slashed line drives to center-center right (by Monday's game in Orinda he had straightened this 'flaw' out, and hit several line drive hits).
Second on the list was Lefty (#2), who made sure he saw every second of the Warriors pre-game coverage before showing up late in the first inning. But once he jumped in the batter's box, he hit like one of those guys who could jump out of bed and get a hit. At the time we thought the score was 3-2 after Notg had answered our three with two in the bottom of the first (it turned out to be a rumor and it was 3-1). Craig came up with two outs and two on and proceeded to bring in a run with a line drive to right. Knight and Pope followed with singles and we were in business. But that was not the end of his night.
In the second we had a three ring circus of defensive gems. First the first baseman snagged a high hot line drive over his head. There were rumors he actually got off the ground.
Which was too bad because then his old legs got caught in the quicksand and he couldn't quite tag out the runner on first, who had taken off thinking it was a hit, but turned back and dove for the bag.
That just set it up for Lefty. He was catching to ease into the defense because he had arrived late. The opposition had a female in the lineup - it looked like she could hit line drives over the infield, but in this case she fouled one back into Lefty's glove. He caught it, it popped out, and for what seemed like a while, he thought about letting it go so the woman could have a second chance. Then instinct took over and he grabbed it. No date for you Craig. The final out came when Chopper (#3) made a great throw from right field to third base to nail a runner, trying to flaunt conventional baseball wisdom - never make the third out at third.
But Lefty's real contributions came on two or three great running catches when he returned to his traditional position in right center. Rally killers, all.
Chauncey (#4) had only one hit, but he made it count. He came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the third, and promptly unloaded them with a blast over the right center fielder's head. It turned a 7-2 game into 11-2 and it was over at that point.
Pope (#5) had yet another great game, going 3-3 with a double and a solo HR and three RBIs, but we are so accustomed to his performances he only got fourth billing here. Sorry Greg!
Keep tuned for Monday night's Orinda opener recap.
Sunday Milestones:
5/6
Chuck 650 ab (#1)
Haze 450 ab (#5)
Johnny 50 g (#19)
5/20
Gene 150 g (#7)
6/3
Pope 20 2b (#11)
Gene 400 ab (#8)
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