Coneheads Snort Snorts

The demise of the Coneheads proved to be premature as we took care of business against the Snorts Monday night, 11-6. It was the kind of win that we needed, journeyman like. We didn't exactly tear it up with Conehead innings, given that we were nearly full strength, but we got the key rally when we needed it.

It came in the fifth, in a tight 3-2 game. We loaded the bases on hits by Lefty, Chopper,and Chuck. Johnny hit a Johnny rocket above the SS, but the guy made a great play. It was probably the hardest hit ball of the game. Miraculously, Chop chop did not get doubled off of second.Then Haze and Larry hit run scoring singles, and Bruce hit a sac fly. Randy topped it off with a triple, our only one of the game, and the final two runs were in for an 8-2 lead.

We let the Snorts creep back in as they scored the next three runs, but in the bottom of the sixth we put together a nice two out three run rally that extended until Sting hit a run scoring single and time had run out on the Snorts.

On defense, D had a good third inning, as he scooped one low throw, and was on the receiving end of a Sting to Johnny to first double play. In the fifth, the Snorts dared to test Bruce's arm and he fired a bullet to third to get the last out. They had plated three and were climbing back into the game, so that was a huge out.

Randy and Sting batted one-two and led the way with three hits each, Sting with two doubles. Bruce, arriving late and batting last, was two for two with a Sac and three RBIs, and seemed to come up and come through at all the right times. Larry was 2-2 with a walk, and Chopper and Lefty and Haze joined him with two hits. Chopper had the distinction to get the first K in Conehead history by hitting a ball into the pitcher's net with 2 1/2 strikes on him. It was the first K of his Conehead career, at least in Orinda or fall ball.

It was a must win win, and who knows, maybe we will turn the season around after our 0-2 start. Stranger things have happened.

Milestones:
Sting        100 2b (#6)
Sting        550 h (#9)
D             350 rbi (#13)
Lefty       500 ab (#18)

One, Two, 13-11

Fall Ball started today, and the new Dead Ball Creaker era was on.

In a tight seesaw battle, Team One overcame Two's late lead to prevail 13-11.

Team One only scored in three innings, four in the first, five in the fourth and four in the ninth. But by holding Team Two to seven innings to zero or one run, it became enough.

We jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first. Three straight two out RBI hits, by Bill Warren (a Creaker newcomer who was added to our roster last night - well HELLO BILL!), Skip Spragens, and Art Oller. Skip's was the highlight, a two run triple.

Team Two crept back to 5-4 after three, and then we sent eight hitters up without making an out in the top of the fourth. Consecutive hits by James 'Chewy' Little, Charlie Pastor, Warren, Spragens, Oller, Frank Coppa, Bob Shipway, and Ed Fieszli produced five runs. Bill's was the biggest, a booming two run double in the gap.

Two answered in the fifth, catching us at 10-10, and then adding single runs in each of the next two innings while holding us to nada. After a scoreless eighth we came up in the ninth needing two to tie, three to get the lead or hopefully more. Paul Lisi started the rally with his third hit, and then with one out, Pastor singled, Warren walked and Spragens got his second huge hit of the day, this time a two run double to tie it. With the lead runs on second and third Oller did what he needed to do, get a fly ball deep enough to get at least one in. But the normally reliable center fielder dropped it and that enabled us to get insurance run RBI hits from Coppa and Shipway.

Soragens led the way with the 'mini' cycle (single double and triple) good for four RBIs. Joining him with three hits were Lisi, Pastor, and Warren.

On defense Chewy made several good plays at SS including a grounder, step on second and throw to first at a key time (right after our five run  fourth when they tried to answer). Pitcher Chip Sharpe got one backward K. Coppa made a nice catch on a popup behind the plate, always a challenge. And Warren made a good play o a foul pop up at 1B.

Overall we played good defense and had timely hitting, a good formula for a win in the new low compression ball age. and a great way to go into a bye week, 1-0!

The Jaws of Defeat

How does the saying go? Snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory? That is what the Coneheads did last week to a T.

We marched along with a four run first, added on with three in the third, added a couple more in the fifth and sixth, and even though we should have put them away in the seventh with the heart of our order up, we were feeling pretty confortable with a 10-5 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, and the bottom of the Reeelaax order coming up. But as I always say, if the bottom of the order hits, you win. Their bottom loaded the bases with no outs, and the top and middle finished us off with six runs to walk off with an 11-10 win.

We had some highlights. It was great to see Sting back, and he played really well at 2B in G's absence. He laid out to get a force out on a throw from third that nearly pulled him off the bag, and corralled a pop up in the shallow outfield. Johnny made several hard plays at SS, as did Knight at third. Their glove work looked professional. Gene and Bruce made tough catches in the outfield, and Chopper scooped an errant throw in the third.

On offense it was good to have Johnny back. He mashed a couple of balls to left, one in the gap and one over the left fielder's head. They were both doubles and one was a two out two run hit. He led us with three RBIs.

Bruce slashed a couple of hits, good for a triple and a double, driving in two in the first to get us a lead. Pope got his daily serving of a double and a single. Joining those guys with two hits were Chuck, Knight and Haze.

We just didn't hit enough as a team to get that Conehead inning, and therefore let Reeelaax think they were still in it. Five runs means nothing in softball. And ultimately they were in and we were out.

Milestones:
Sting        450 r (#8)
Johnny     10 2b (#30)
Johnny     50 rbi (#31)

We Need a Hero

I really tried to think of a theme for this post that doesn't involve making me the hero, as Tom so eloquently put it. Let's face it, how can there be a hero in a 16-0 loss to the former arch rival Sons of Pitches?

But I can think out of the box, so here goes: I kept myself out of the lineup for various reasons, one of which was to shorten it so everyone could get more at bats. And we couldn't score a single run. Now I am not saying I would have made a sixteen run difference, but these are the facts: No Heffe, no runs. It won't happen again.

There really were no offensive fireworks to speak of. Brian (batting second and getting two ABs), was 2-2. Woohoo! That's all she wrote.

Bo did have an exceptional game in left field, and he singlehandedly kept SOP to two runs in the first. Coop made a couple of fine catches as well. Derek showed a quick glove on one scorcher at the hot corner.

I'm not worried about our offense - we just have too many good hitters to repeat this. SOP just owns us right now (we used to beat them as much as they beat us). But watching them send it must have been about eight balls over the fence by guys up and down the lineup shows that we are in the right division this season. This game will be Exhibit A if they try to bump us up.

It turns out we didn't clinch the division when Pleasanton Auto lost to the Brew Bros last week. It just eliminated them. MARA technically can catch us, so the magic number is still one. They would have to beat the Brews Bros, us and Pleasanton Auto, and we would have to lose twice. It is likely that we will clinch the division tomorrow, while we are scattered about. Lift a glass.

Milestones:
None, quelle surprise!

Kapsch Leaves No Dot

Tonight Kapsch/Transdyn achieved a team milestone of sorts. We tied a former opponent for the most game played against in our long history, at least in the last twenty years I have been on the team. Before that there were just a few years in Concord, so I am pretty sure it covers the entire history. Twenty seven games against the Blue Dots.

(Trivia question for the veterans on the team, what team did we tie? Answer below.)

And, thanks to tonight's 14-2 win, our record is now 19-8 over them, we have had ownage over them the last few years. Not surprisingly, that is the most wins over one team.

The game was pretty much decided in the first inning. The Dots got two runners on with no outs, and then Tom induced a hard grounder to B, and he and Hama got the ball from SS to second to first in no time, and it was a double play. The next guy lined out to Paul, and the threat ended.

We proceeded to bat around in the bottom half. Hama and Tom each had two run singles, and we scored seven times. The rout was on.

In two other innings, great plays kept the Dots scoreless. In the fifth, another B to Hama to Bert DP was possible because B and Hama showed tremendously quick hands getting their throws off. In the sixth, I think with the bases loaded and two outs, B playing in shallow left, gunned out a guy trying to get to second base.

Paul also made several plays, keeping his glove down on hot shots and coming up clean with the ball and firing to first. The infield tonight was like a clinic.

Tom must have been dealing some nasty stuff too, allowing only two runs in a softball game is pretty rare. And one of them, while not unearned resulted in the comedy highlight of the game. A ball that looked like it was clubbed way over the fence in left center died and fell short of the warning track. In fact only a few feet behind Cage in left center field. He had the best seat in the house and even though he had a glove, did not go for the souvenir. So Bo, who was not far away himself, assuming Cage would get it, also looked on with great interest. Then he realized Nick was not moving and made a last ditch panicky run to get it, but it fell in and rolled between them. By the time they retrieved it, the batter had a triple and ultimately scored one of the Blue Dot runs. But given the score, it was regarded as light entertainment, and we wished we had highlights to watch after the game.

We didn't have the long ball (Cage did have two doubles) but just got enough add ons that the Dots never were in the game after the 7-0 first.

We scored three in the fifth on consecutive hits by Cage, Bert, Hama, Paul and Tom. In the fourth, Bo had a clutch two out two run double to the fence to plate Heffe's CR and Monty, who had started the two out rally with hits.

Overall Bo, B, Cage, and Heffe had three knocks, most of the others two. Tom led the team with three RBIs.

The magic number is now one. Let's hope it can come with a win over Sons of Pitches next week!

Milestones:
Hama       200 rbi (#13)
Bo            10 2b (#31)

Trivia answer: Simpson Hangers

MVP!

MVP! MVP! MVP!

The crowd roared as they cheered the hero. No one could remember Pleasanton fans erupting like this. The team wanted to carry me off the field but, being so humble, I told them it wasn't necessary, and, after all, it is a team game. The great ones are always humble.

Yes, I was the only one who didn't make an out tonight as Kapsch beat the Blue Dots 14-2. Three for three. The opposition was dumbfounded, trying where to play me. But I snuck every ball between them, and the rest is history.

And on defense? In my one inning, I made every play, with two putouts, and that is just one short of the world record for putouts in an inning. How many putouts did Albert or Derek make in their innings?

Brian threw the first one right at my gut, and I had to make a tremendous play to avoid getting crossed up. It's the hardest play for a first baseman. But I hung on. On the second Hama was playing too deep in right field, and I had to stretch all my 5'7" frame, bad leg and all to get the out.

The rest of the team did manage to score 13 runs other than the one I scored, and we held them to two. But the fans knew what was what.

A Kiss is Just a Kiss

Twenty plus years of Transdyn-Kapsch softball, and one tie. Then two this year. Sometimes they feel like a loss, a missed opportunity, but this one felt like a win.

Because, we were down 8-3 after the first inning, and 10-3 after two. We chipped away on a solo by Bert, before bursting out with five in the six to come within one, and tying it in the seventh. The salient point though is that we held Pleasanton Auto to zero, that is none, nada, zilch, runs after the second inning. Five straight zeroes on the scoreboard, including saving the tie in the bottom of the seventh.

This is a testament to Tom's pitching and our defense which woke up after some trouble in the first. JT had himself a game in right center; a fine running catch on a twisting fly over his head in the first to even keep PA from scoring more, and then the play of the game in the fifth. With one out and runners on first and second, he came in on a sinking line drive and dove and caught it. The runner on second had hesitated at first, then decided no way and was almost to third when JT nailed it. JT had the presence of mind to come up throwing, and the runner tripped over his feet turning to go back to second, and he was toast. End of inning.

Pauly had a great game over at the hot corner, making great plays in the third and the sixth to turn back rallies. And I think we had one or two other double plays, one going B to Hama to me at first. No one gets the ball out of their glove faster than Brian.

If you look at the box score, it looks like yet another game Bert carried us on offense. Two doubles and a home run, three RBIs. But everyone contributed. Hama and Bo also had three hits, and the team worked six walks, some of which were critical to rallies. For instance Tom took four balls with the bases loaded in the first notching an RBI. Pauly loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth that kicked off our five run inning. I have a teammate elsewhere whose mantra is "A walk's a hit". Everyone wants to get that great hit, but a true team player will take four bad ones instead of swinging at a bad pitch, and turn it over to the next guy.

The tie ruins our hopes of going 10-0, but keeps us undefeated. Magic number is two to clinch the division with four games left.

Milestones:
Bert        200 rbi (#12)
Tom       100 rbi (#21)
and Bert passing Cage for #1 in HR with 39
He passed the Load earlier this year to move into second.