Comeback Black!

Team Black cheated.

I say that but it made no difference. The scoreboard read 23-17 at the end of the game but according to the book it was only 22-17. We took an extra run in the ninth. So it goes.

But who could tell, because we hammered home seven (or eight) runs in the top of the open inning, amidst a flurry of runners rounding and rounding the bases.

We came back in the game twice. We started slow and spotted Team Green an 8-2 lead after four innings. Then we plated the max ten runs in the next two innings, the biggest blow a knock to deep right center off of Alan's bat to clear the jammed bases. That gave us the initial tie at 12-12. Green responded with three in the bottom of the sixth, and even though we tied it again with three in the seventh, Green poured in five in the eighth to take their last lead at 17-15.

The top of our order was up, and the top of the order was hot - Brian, Dan, and Greg were all 4-5. They set the table and after a Mike SF, there were three more hits, and after a second out, three more with two outs. The seven (or eight) runs were too much for the Greenies to overcome, and even though they got a couple of baserunners on, Greg started throwing knuckle balls for strikes and they were unable to get a single run. A couple of popups later it was over.

Cap'n Dave led the way with a perfect 5-5 day. In addition to the three at the top, Steve R and Alan also had four hits. Alan led the team with five RBIs. Besides his two extra base hits, Brian also had two doubles.

Defensive highlight of the game was another wayward runner thrown out from the outfield - this time it was Brian in left to SS Russo to Mike at 3B in the first inning. Later, Johnny and the outfielders were playing the bottom two hitters in the order at the cones. Each one came up in the third inning and put it over his head - and he managed to get back and catch them both! Sandy made a great stop on a ball hit by Green's big lefty, knocking it down and then outracing him to the bag. Chuck had a couple of snags in the sixth at the mound on balls ticketed up the middle to green lands.

We are on a roll - four in a row around all the rainouts. There's good chemistry - we are doing it without the big bats of Mary and Kenji. But don't say it too loud, we know who put together these teams. Shhh!

Howlin' Wolf

The Wolf in all of us was finally unleashed today, as we devoured the hapless Hornets today 20-16. It was only that close because we started to repeat past behavior - after taking a 19-7 lead through 5 1/2 innings, we only scored one more run. We let the Hornets back in the game with a six run eighth to close to 20-16, and then failed to get a run in the top of the open ninth. The Hornets had the top of their lineup up, and were all set up to do what they do to us. But after a couple of batters got on base, Chris coaxed a couple of popups and an easy grounder and it was over, a sweet 20-16 win to double our win total for the YEAR in two weeks. And we climbed out of the cellar in the standings.

A true team win, there were plenty of heroics. JP played a great game at rover. He caught a smash in what was an act of self preservation. He turned numerous grounders into outs and ranged far to his left to catch a popup in shallow right.

Dave may have tied or set a record and certainly a career high with three putouts at catcher. Two of them were foul ball popups that not many 65+ year-olds would snag. And we had a stellar Jimmy to Marc (I think?) to Dave putout on the speedy Rich Brown.

Wilbur made a diving stop and toss to first to get an out - but we are used to that.

Howlin' Wolf

The hitting was hot and spread around. All but two of the Pack had THREE or more hits.

Ladd had four of them, and six RBIs from the leadoff spot, including a two run blast to deep left field.

Marc led the way with five hits, including a triple - he was huffing and puffing all the way to third.

Reymundo joined Ladd with four hits and Jim, Paul, Chris, Dave, Heffe and Wilbur each had three. Dave had a right center gapper for a double, and Heffe rounded out the extra base hits with a line painting oppo line drive to left that scored Dave all the way from first.

If we can just put it together every week like we have the last two games, we can be contenders in this league. Look out Little Red Riding Hood:

Hey There Little Red Riding Hood

Oh Johnny! Oh Johnny! Oh Johnny Oh!

When I was a kid, there was a sing song I thought was called Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny! I thought that was 90% of the lyrics of it. the other part being Oh!. As in:

Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny,
Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!
Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny,
Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!

My Parents' Best Friends' daughter Ellen (who was two years older than me and I had a tremendous crush on) used to tease me by changing Johnny to Jeffrey.

Oh Jeffrey, Oh Jeffrey,
Oh Jeffrey, Oh Jeffrey, Oh!
Oh Jeffrey, Oh Jeffrey,
Oh Jeffrey, Oh Jeffrey, Oh!

I was so embarrassed and crushed at this that I would usually run out of the room, but I was secretly flattered as an eight year old should be.

*see PS note for a good laugh

And then when I had toddlers, one of the games we would play was Johnny Whoops. This would involve putting a child on my knee and jumping my leg up and down over and over, all the while chanting Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, and then when she least expected it, call out "Whoops" while lowering my leg quickly so my daughter would slide down on my leg (not hurting her) and she would start laughing as she slipped down. And then call out "Again!"

This may seem like useless nostalgia but in fact it has a reason. Our Left Fielder Johnny G has on occasion complained about not getting enough press, so now, Johnny, You Are Covered.

Note: The Johnny Whoops has nothing to do with any potential shortcomings in left field like the one where you nearly made an almost impossible catch while blinded by the sun, but it got the best of you that once at the last second.

No it's more about the catch in the same blinding sun and the gun to second to get the last two outs of the game. Except it wasn't, because Team Green claimed Charlie U tagged up so he had to be tagged on the throw.

And the one in the sixth where you started a 7 (LF Johnny) to 6 (SS David) to 5 (3B Rousso) to 2 (C Sandy) Art Miner home run robbery with a strike to David.

Bravo! And of course you were 3-3 and the only out you made was a sac fly. 

Enough?

There were many other stories in this game. We took a 5-1 lead in the first without making an out. But Team Green came back to catch us at 11 in the fourth. In the fifth and sixth we took command again with a pair of five run innings but the Greens scratched back to tie us in the top of the eighth. Then they gifted us five runs in the bottom of the eighth with some bad defense before clutch hits by Dan, David and Mike at the top of the order. That really put them away and Johnny made sure in the ninth. It was over at 28-23.

Team BS had another fabulous relay out, the first out in the second. This one went from 8 (LC Sloat) to 6 (David) to 1 (P Chuck) to 2 (C Sandy) to throw out another potential home run hitter. There were three things the outs at home had in common. The initial throws were each fired on target with speed to the next cutoff. The relays were turned quickly. The last throws were dug out by Sandy from the dirt on one and a low throw on the other. Bravo!

In the fifth, Chuck earned his new nickname (Roomba) (for the bazillionth time). This was on a one hop smash off the bat of Greg Wilson, the hardest hitting lefty in the league, that he stuck into his glove making it into a relatively easy out. Sandy in right and Sloat in LC made great catches for the other two outs in that inning.

But for comic relief Sloat takes the cake (as usual?). He made the toughest catch of the day in the first, going deep into left center to chase a blast down. Quite remarkable. And then to celebrate, he kept jogging deeper into the outfield, rejoicing. And forgetting the speedy Miner was on second tagging up and just kept running all the way home without a throw.

Mike led the hitting barrage with five RBIs on a 5-5 day (one double). Dan, pressed into the leadoff position because Brian's note somehow didn't get to coach Dave, had a monster day. Two doubles, a triple and four RBIs while going 4-5.

A leadoff hitter gets four RBIs because once again, the bottom of the lineup stuffed the bases all game. Helen was 3-3 with a walk. Sandy was 3-4, her only out breaking a streak of eight straight hits going back to October. Jerry was 3-4, Chuck had a couple of knocks including the hit that put us up for good, and rookie Greg started his Creaker career with a two run triple (after strategically whiffing on a high pitch to bring in the outfield), and also had two hits.

Everyone in the lineup had at least two hits, in fact. Mike had five, Dan four, Sloat was 4-4, the other Rousso joined Dave R and Johnny G and Helen and Jerry with three. Four players drove in a fifth run in an inning, Sloat in the first, David in the sixth, Mike in the eighth, and Heffe in the fifth with two outs.

Clutch hitting throughout even though some were gifts.

So we cemented our spot in first place in a league that doesn't keep standings! Keep it up!

p.s. I found Oh Johnny Oh by the Andrews Sisters from 1939. I think Johnny G was born around then. In fact there are lyrics! Enjoy:

Oh Johnny! Oh Johnny! Oh!

You're not handsome, it's true
But when I look at you
I just, Oh, Johnny!
Oh, Johnny! Oh!

p.s..s. I think we have another new nickname: Johnny Whoops. Or maybe just Oh Johnny. Team vote?

Bottoms Up!

If you look at the stats, you may notice that at the top are Marty and myself, the two August 2nd birthday boys. Now in my case it may be a fluke; Marty is a legit power and average hitter. But the point is that today we sat out with various ailments, threw down the gauntlet and challenged the team to win one for the Leos!

And the Black Shirts responded with a game that was not completely perfect, but was nonetheless a complete game - clutch hitting, clutch pitching, and some very good defense.

Have a game David in the three hole! Five for five, two doubles, a triple, and SEVEN RBIs. And behind him Mike with four for five, two doubles and six RBIs.

But look closer - there were base runners all over the place for those guys. And look at who they were: Brian (2-4, BB) and Dan (4-5), of course, batting one and two, but beyond that Sandy and Chuck were 8-8 between them in the last two spots in the order. Bottoms up! Bottoms on! Bottoms score! And when Steve S wasn't battering himself in the base path to first he was right there in front of them: Three of our four five run innings were started by Steve or Sandy and Brian came up with two or three runners on and no outs.

Now that's a formula for success.

In the mean time there were some very, uh, entertaining plays. Steve S getting out of the box and running into the ball took some real talent. Steve is always entertaining. And on the other end, in the fourth, Johnny G, blinded by the bright sun in left, stuck his glove hand out to where he thought the ball was, turned his head away, and plunk! right there in the pocket. Just like his coaches taught him!

And finally the old 10 (Dave R in right) to 11 (Helen at rover) to 2 (Sandy catching) to 5 (Mike at 3B) putout to get the last out in the second inning. It was almost an afterthought that Team Four scored two on the hit.

David also caught a blast to left center in the sun, also in the second. Steve R made a sliding catch in the same position in the third. Jerry stood tall to snare a line drive to first that no one else in the team could possibly reach to end that inning. On a grounder in the fifth, the throw to get a force at second was off line and Helen alertly came off the bag and managed to tag the runner. In the sixth, David (SS) and Sandy at first made back to back plays with Sandy stretched out to get the close throw. And finally, Helen made a fine play to nail the speedy Doug Hearth in the eighth to keep Team Four from a big comeback inning with the Heart(h) of their lineup up.

We jumped out to a lead, (10-5 after two), withstood their comeback (12-12 after five), and then shut them down (one run in the 6th, 7th, and 8th) while pouring it on with five run innings in the sixth and eighth. Now that's the formula of victory, 22-16!

Bottoms up!

The Bar is Higher!

The Steves, Kenji, Johnny G, and Alan - that's some serious pop and defensive prowess. Team Black Shirts showed up Tuesday with those major pieces missing, just 11 players with no rest in sight.

Granted Team Four was also missing a boatload of players (they had but 10), but Team BS put on a clinic of every player stepping up to fill the void. We came out on top 20-7 and Team Four Flip Flopped twice, so we scored those 20 runs in only seven innings.

It started with Marty Parenti, who threw a nine inning gem. He had as many Ks as the Warrior core has Rings. I don't think I have ever been on a slow pitch softball field when four strikeouts were recorded by my pitcher, or any pitcher. Team Four did not score after the third inning. And along the way, Marty fielded two smashes up the middle from behind the screen to turn hot shots into easy outs. Not to mention he had a two run double mixed in with his three hits and is leading the team with an .867 batting average so far this season.

There was actually a contest for defensive player of the game. At the hot corner, Mike Saindon grabbed hard hit ball after hard hit ball, and turned them all into outs and twice getting double plays out of them.

That's because he had the other defensive wizard playing rover, Helen Kostoff, who has made the pivot into an artform and whose arm has just gotten stronger and more accurate over time (probably from her obsession as a senior disk golf champion). Between the three of them and the others, the infield was extremely crisp in this game.

The outfielders were no slouches either. Brian Black, in particular, caught one ball that was directly in that impossible morning sun in left field.

On offense, Dan May was a perfect 5-5 with two doubles, and Brian was 4-5 but scored all five times he was up. Talk about table setters at the top of the lineup! David Peterson was right behind them and had four hits, and led the team with four RBIs. Coach Dave Rose was also perfect at 4-4 and a walk. Heffe, Marty, Jerry, and Sandy all had a trio of hits, and everyone in the lineup had at least two.

All in all a nearly perfect game on a beautiful day. The missing players will be welcomed back, but beware that the bar has been set higher! And I am not talking schnapps! 

Power Outage

There was a power outage Monday night in Lafayette. It affected about 2000 customers, but only lasted about two hours. PG&E told us that it would last about four hours so we went out to dinner and happily came back to the lights already on. Then the lights went out again, but just for an hour or so. We crossed our fingers and toes that there was no third time.

Likewise there was a power outage last Saturday in Orinda, followed by another one Sunday morning, and each also lasted about two hours. Unfortunately, they only affected one customer, and their name was the Coneheads, and the outage area was just one dugout on the field. Seven runs Saturday afternoon and four Sunday morning. Not going to do it. After scoring 51 runs in the first two games of the tournament, we just went cold on a hot day and the day after.

The Coneheads have won many of these deals, so we know what it tastes like. We started the season thinking this would be our farewell tour. And then we scored 52 runs in the opening night doubleheader, and started out 5-0. We came down a notch the rest of the season, but managed to get in on the four way tie for first (three seed) with the three other serious contenders - old rivals the Old Scouts and Cal Broncos, and the new Bushwood youngsters.

At one point it looked like our prospects were grim for the playoffs. Charlie got hurt, Gene was going to be in Hawaii, Randy of course couldn't be on two teams, Raul and Derek were supposedly playing in other tournaments.

But reinforcements were on the way. Nic came back from a 15 year absence. Derek and Raul decided to stick with us. And then Raul brought the new secret weapon, Freddi, who started blasting shots all over the fields.

We were strong. The Broncos did us a favor by losing what was really the only upset of the tournament to Old Spice, and so we made mincemeat of St. Mo's and the Spice, 28-5 and 23-6 on the poor Orinda Sports Fields. It was time to get up to the Wilder fields and continue the journey.

And then - silence. No one can explain how all the sudden a team can go flat like that. Were we tired from all the running around in the first games? I doubt it, that should just give us momentum. Was a bad call or two really enough to knock us down and then out? I don't think so. It is one of the mysteries of this game, why does everything fall into place like it did for the Old Scouts in the championship game, and why do you sometimes fall hard off the pedestal like we did (and Cal Bronco did even harder). There is no explaining it. Which is why we keep coming back to play one more time.

There was poetic justice with Chauncey being named Mr. Conehead. He has been there throughout what may or may not be our swan song. And while he doesn't fit all the criteria (yes there is an official list of qualities), he certainly fills these:

Mr. Conehead Criteria
-Been on the team a while
-Comes to play everyday on both sides (O&D)
-An inspiration to his teammates
-Fox Hole qualities
-Displays great sportsmanship

-Had major impact on teams success

Too many games on the weekend to go into highlights but being the last of the season, here are some season highlights:

Pope, another MVP season, led the team in nearly every offensive category. And on a personal note, with his double in the playoffs he finally passed me in career doubles, the last category in which I led the team.

Hazel, ironically, while being the the outgoing Mr. Conehead, had a career year, hitting .688 and leading the team in triples and near the top in every category. And playing wherever I put him on defense well.

Bruce, coming back after a hiatus to take care of his family, never missing a beat and solidifying our lineup in the middle and the defense up the middle.

Ol' G, coming back from surgery with a solid season, and giving me enough shit to at least somewhat balance how much I give out.

Derek, Nic, Lefty, and Chopper, showing up when we needed them most and performing at a high level.

Raul, giving us the strong shortstop on offense and defense we have needed since the retirement of Conehead Hall of Famer Chuck.

Darren and Gene, solid in the outfield and in the batter's box, and despite Covid battles, making most of the games.

Larry good as ever on the mound.

Charlie and David, along with Raul and Darren showing that 'over the hill Creakers' can still compete with the 40 years olds.

Chauncey, see above.

Randy, who I know secretly really wishes he could come over from the Old Scouts, even if they have won four of the last five of these tournaments. Watching him make the diving stop and getting the force out for the last out in the top of the seventh and then getting the double that nearly clinched the walkoff Old Scout win was really fun.

and finally, Freddi - what a start to a Conehead career! He single handedly gave us high hopes for the playoffs, even though ultimately it wasn't enough.

So the Last Hurrah Last Hurrah has come to an end. There was some sentiment (maybe even a groundswell) to just do it again next year. It's a long way off, but we could just call it LH Reprise. I'm ok with that. We'll see what next spring brings.

Oh and special thanks to Don Braden for showing up to the first games and proving that once a Conehead, it is for life (although I blame him for the power outage since we stopped hitting when he left).

Wait til next year?

Milestones:

8/13 Game 1:

Derek        20 gw (#5)

Haze         30 bb (#16)

Haze         30 2b (#23)

8/13 Game 2:

None

8/13 Game 3:

None

8/14:

Haze        150 g (#19)

I Blame The Warriors

On June 13th, the Warriors hosted the Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on their way to winning it all in Game 6 in Boston. Many members of Bushwood, the new upstart team in our league had tickets to the game and they just couldn't field a team. We took the forfeit.

I'm not saying we would have lost the game. We were riding high from our hot start the week before when we scored 52 runs in sweeping the opening night doubleheader. But if we had lost that game, we would have ended up fourth and safely residing in the Wilder fields for the duration of whatever playoff run we have in us this year, hopefully a long one.

And instead of tanking the game this week, we went out and walked off a very nice win over Old Spice, 14-13, and all but guaranteed ourselves a third place finish (very slight possibility for second or first) and the first two games at Orinda Sports Fields. So it goes.

I did my part, going o-fer including a double play. I don't know what is wrong with you guys.

Gene must have been bitter, missing the last couple of games with Covid and knowing he would miss the playoffs. So he excelled - he led the team going 3-3 and tying Bruce for the team lead with three RBIs, including a couple of knocks with two outs.

After taking a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the first on a single-double-triple-single sequence by Darren, Raul, Bruce and Ol' G, the Coneheads coasted as we are wont to do and let Old Spice scratch back to tie it at four through four innings. Dangerous territory as they put up six in the top of the fifth.

But that just woke up the sleepy Heads. Larry and Nic set us up with second and third with no outs, and after a sac fly and a groundout, we tallied seven more runs with two outs. It included three two out two run hits by Hazel (a double), Gene (single), and a bomb beyond dead center by Chauncey to finish the scoring. It gave us a precarious one run lead headed into the sixth.

Old Spice didn't give up but could only manage two in the sixth to take back a one run lead. The clock was running out - there were only three minutes left so the bottom half would be the last gasp. Larry and Nic again started the penultimate rally, and with two on and no outs and the top of the lineup up, you could feel it was over. Darren drew a walk to load the bases, Raul hit a laser single right in front of the left center fielder to tie it (there was no need to risk Nic getting thrown out at home with no outs, so he stopped at third), and Bruce settled it with a blast to center.

So I failed you. I mentioned it in dribs and drabs to some of you that we really wanted to lose the game, but the adrenaline took over and we played it like the Coneheads we are. As I said, if we had lost the game, we would have fallen to fourth place and had all the playoffs at Wilder. Now we will have to play at least two at in the bad dirt of OSF, and get to hear that lovely voice of Ump Lazio once again. Hopefully on the opposite field. Game on.

Milestones:

Bruce        10 gw (#14)

Bruce        20 3b (#21)

St. Mo 's Needs Mo' Prayers

St. Mo's was nineteen runs ahead of anyone in the league in runs scored going into last week. Derek came riding in on his white horse and fed them his assortment of fluff balls and corner strikes and the defense took care of the rest as the Coneheads won 9-4.

Right next to him was Freddi, our new youth movement, who promptly hit a three run home run his first time up. I have never seen someone deliberately put backspin on the ball like that and even though it was a line drive, it rose and rose until the left fielder just froze. Then he added a solo shot in his second at bat. His third time up, the left fielder was so deep that he slashed a line drive and the guy had no chance to hold him to one base.

I'm not gonna say he carried us but four of our nine RBIs? Our only extra bas hits? Welcome Freddi!

And welcome back Nick! He made a nice running catch in center field. Other defensive help for Derek included two DPs started by Raul, one was 6U-3 and one the traditional 6-4-3 with Ol' G as the pivot. G also made a nice snare of a line drive, and David deflected a hot corner hot shot to Raul who alertly fired to G for a force out in the sixth. And then to top it off D got a backward K to end the sixth.

Milestones:

Bruce        350 ab (#23)

Freddi       #1 and #2 hr, Pope watch out, only 152 more to catch you!

The Score Was 23-NINE, Don

I don't know why the other teams are always taking away runs from us, even while they are destroying us. The score was 23-NINE, Don. Jeez.

I won't bore anyone with much of a write-up for such a blow out. Just mention one on the hill and one on defense and offense:

Mark Narciso pitched excellently in his four innings. White is fearsome and hit well, but we gave them about six or eight extra outs in Mark's four innings while they were building their 13-2 lead. In that time, Mark struck out three of White's best hitters, including inducing a swing and miss from one.

And Tony Gorgone - what a specimen of a softball and a team player. Tony contacted me Sunday and asked if he could sit this one out as his legs were acting up. At that point it looked like we would have eleven or at most twelve players including him. I said we night need him, and he said ok as long as he could play third base or catcher where he wouldn't have to move much. I said sure. He made a fine stop of a smash off Joe Peterson's bat with the bases loaded and got the force out at home. Then it turned out that the best defensive alignment would include moving him to second base, and I asked him to do it. He did it willingly and it did tighten up our infield. Team player.

In the mean time, he went 3-4. He hit a bases loaded bases clearing single (only because he was hobbling) over the right fielder's head. Later he nearly duplicated that with a towering smash down the left field line but it was just foul. I want to be Tony when I grow up, if I ever do.

There Aught-a Be a Law

Monday night, the Coneheads made perhaps the best case argument that there ought to be two divisions in the Orinda Senior softball league as we shut out the hapless Usual Suspects, 30-aught. And it wasn't that close as guys were batting from the opposite side of the plate and playing out of position by the fourth inning.

And then we unleashed Chopper (on the hill) on the suspect Suspects in the seventh inning, and he tried his best to give up the shutout, but in the end the opposing pitcher got so frustrated waiting for a decent pitch to hit, that he lunged for ball four and grounded out weakly to end the game.

Really the game was over when Pope got the third single in a row to start the game and it was 1-0. But then we poured on another 15 runs in the first inning, and the rout was on. Pope hit his first of his two home runs in his second time up in the inning. Hew totaled six RBIs for the game. It was one of those Pope games - he led the teams with five hits. 

Raul, Chopper, G, and Gene had four hits, and a bunch had three. Lefty had a nice line drive to left hitting righty for the prize of best hit from the opposite side.

Really, it was all great high jinx but next week we find out how we measure up - The Old Scouts are coming to town, and Scout Coach Steve wouldn't let us share Randy on his birthday Monday. What is he thinking? Bring your Monday best.

Milestones:

7/11:

Pope          1200 ab (#5)

7/18:

Pope          850 rbi (#1)

Heffe         1800 ab (#2)

Heffe         500 g (#3)

Gene         700 h (#7)

Hazel        450 ab (#20)

Hazel        10 3b (#22)

Randy       30 2b (#22)

Randy       300 ab (#24)

Green Wins! Green Wins!

April 26th. That was the last time Emerald Green sampled the taste of Victory Beer after a game. That's right, 0 for May, 0 for June and 0 for July until today.

Today's battle against Scarlet was a tale of three games - we won the first three innings 11-3, Scarlet roared back and took the middle innings 12-3 to take a lead, but then we took momentum, and the game back with a five run eighth and won that last third 11-4 for a final score of 25-19.

It was a complete team win. We hit .702 as a team, with everyone getting at least one hit We had but three extra base hits, but with that many dingers, we didn't need the power. We had many lucky bloopers and a few Scarlet wrapped gifts, but that evened out between both teams, and the difference was the late runs to win the game.

Greg Wilson and Ray Gerungan were 5-5, Angie Rizzato, Lamont Thompson and Mark Narciso each had four knocks, and Tim Orr, Darren Bobrosky, Tony Gorgone, and Paul Lisi each had three. Thompson and Narciso each had booming doubles. LT's was probably the hit of the day, as it provided two important insurance runs in the ninth. The measure of how balanced the lineup was, was that no one had more than three RBIs, and 10 of the 13 batters brought in two or three runs.

On defense there was one outstanding inning, the second. Kevin Fisher made a great running shoestring catch for one out. The first baseman robbed Clay Kallum on a hard liner rising and moving to his left. And for the final out Narciso, got two strikes on the hitter, and then made a brutal pitch tailing away, and all the hitter could manage was a weak one hopper back to the mound. Later in the game we turned a double play - Gorgone stopped a hard smash at third, and started a round the horn DP with Rover Rizzato the pivot man.

Ah, if only we played this way in the middle of the season. Oh well - there are the playoffs coming up, and everyone has a chance in that 'season',

There Was No Joy in Greenland

 Sometimes you don't have to think of the story - it just writes itself.

Team Green was having another of those days. In the first and the third we scored five runs each, and in the eighth down seven, we came within the tying run on second to make it a one run game going into the open ninth. That's right, sixteen runs in three innings and one in the other five.

We held the top of the Royal lineup to just two runs and it was all set up for someone to be a walkoff hero. And lo and behold, after four of the first five hitters got on, it was 19-18, bases loaded, one out, Darren Bobrosky was on third with the tying run, and Angie Rizzato was on second with the game winner. And up strode to the plate, Casey...er Greg Wilson. This is just what you wanted - a fly ball ties it, a deep fly, which is Greg's specialty, probably wins it, as does a routine single.

I don't know what Bill Eppinga threw him, but next thing we know, Greg pops up, then there's a ground out, and game over.

Now I broke the rule about singling out Greg for the missed opportunity, and let me set the record straight - I have been fortunate to play with Greg the last two years and he is one of the best, if not the best power and overall hitters in Creakerdom. Everyone fears him. And way more often than not, he comes through. Coming into this game he was hitting .767 with nine doubles, four home runs, and 31 RBIs (Lamont Thompson was second on the team with 22). He leads the team in ABs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage. And he is a gentle giant of a man to boot. So I don't know what kind of magic Billy was throwing up there, but it worked and Royal walked away with the 19-18 win,

On offense it was a tale of two teams - the top seven were 24-33. Rizzato was 5-5, and Tim Orr, Bobrosky, and (LT) Thompson had four hits. David Partridge and LT had the big 2 RBI hits ending the five run first and third innings respectively, and LT drove in the fifth and sixth runs with a double in the six run eighth.

In an unbelievable turn of events, Green turned double plays twice on Gerry Dasey - I don't think he has hit into two double plays in his whole life. and we turned a third DP in the late innings to keep it close.

We may not be the top teams in the league, but these are two teams very close in talent, and our games have shown this. The last two games have been decided by one run, total. I am hoping we meet in the playoffs.

Walk Off the Walk-Ons

The season is half over. The Coneheads were cruising through the first half, not having to face any of the tough teams through four games (although * for Bushwood who forfeited due to the Warriors game five win).

What to do when you are facing yet another weak team while you are on a roll.

Of course, lay an egg, and then have every 50-50 chance go the other way. Like Chauncey's deep gapper running through the fence for a 400 foot ground rule double and their similar ball staying in play for a homer.

Like the fact that the damn soccer people actually managed to remove all the goals from the field of play except one that was tethered to the fence beyond first base, and an errant through lodged up there and took away a force play situation and probably cost us a run or two.

Or the Walk-Ons playing a shmiddler in no man's land in shallow center and about three of us hitting it right to him while trying to hit it anywhere else.

Well life's a bitch and what did we do? We played through the adversity and came out on top with a three run top of the seventh and held on in the home half to walk off the Walk-Ons, 10-7.

The defensive (and entertainment) star of the game was the man on the mound, Doc Sarver. He must have made about eight putouts and assists on pop outs and comebackers he induced, which belies his great pitching, and even covered first on a grounder to first that the baseman tossed low when he was about two feet away and should have stepped on the bag himself.

Pope requested that I only spend about five lines of this post on Chauncey's smash that was the bomb of the game. And then shut it down. He should have known I am way too wordy for that but I appreciate the sentiment. As it was Chauncey got robbed and had to settle for a ground rule double as stated above - it cost him an easy home run trot and cost the team two runs in a tight game.

The other offensive heroics of note included Haze, who was 2-2 including a triple to right. And the capper was Bruce hitting a seventh inning low liner that eluded first the second baseman and then the two right side outfielders and was hit so hard it rolled all the way to the fence (without going under). The two run round tripper proved to be the game winner as Larry walked off the Walk-Ons in the bottom of the seventh.

Next week we are off for the Fourth and then the real season begins with a game against Cal Bronco.

Milestones:

Ol'G         400 r (#9)

Bruce       150 r (#21)

Chauncey 50 rbi (#32)

Who Are The True Gangsters?

I don't want to get ahead of myself here with analogies. The Coneheads, despite another Heady win, 24-7 over Johnny's Gang, haven't really beaten any of the tougher teams in the league, or won anything.

Yet I remember another Bay Area team that started out 18-2 in the fall and ended up winning it all after a couple years off, why when was it, just last Thursday, Dub Nation!

So while we haven't been tested yet, I will take a 4-0 start any time, especially with the way we are pounding the opposition.

Welcome back Chopper! Merely a 4-4 night with the only Conehead yarder and tied with Bruce with four RBIs. And the Chop Swing was in fine form - on one he twisted himself into a pretzel like Popeye in the cartoons and then unleashed the power like he just downed a can of spinach.

He wasn't alone with four hits. Chauncey and Bruce were also perfect 4-4s, the former with two doubles and the latter with a two and a three bagger. Pope also had four hits - and three were extra base knocks. By the way, in case anyone notices, Pope will be sitting on the bench the rest of the season - his last double brought him within one of me on the career list. It's the last and only category I lead this team in and even though you all know how unimportant I think stats are, I just won't have him catching me. Greg - talk to me about always stopping at first or always making it to third - and no getting thrown out trying for a triple.

Randy added to the barrage with the mini-cycle, a single, double and a triple and G matched his three hits. Everyone scored at least once, and everyone had at least one RBI except Charlie, and that was just because they did not want to pitch to him and he walked his last three times up.

Some of it was Johnny's Gang only having three outfielders, and some of it was that they were, well, Johnny's Gang, but most of our hits were drives, and not too many were Coneheads hits.

Bruce and Greg made some nice running catches, but the two best defensive plays did not result in outs. David made a great stop on a smash to third but unfortunately couldn't get a good throw off. Heffe made a great back handed pickup in the dirt but the umpire ruled the runner beat the throw.

Speaking of which -  the ump was so bad that he ended up being possibly the best entertainment in the lopsided game. I can't even go into all the bad calls - but the best line of the night was when he told me, after mixing up the scores in our innings with theirs (right after the JG coach and I agreed on the score right in front of him, I think it was 13-6 at that point), he told me "I'm good at math". In the double header the first week, that ump missed seven calls but they were equally against both teams. If we were not blowing JG out Monday night, it might have been a different headline in this game.

It's just too much fun winning laughers so let's just run the table. OK?

Milestones (I forgot I did this!):

Game 1:
Pope         150 hr (#1)
Pope         160 2b (#2)

Larry        1550 ab (#3)

Larry        900 h (#3)

Ol' G        500 rbi (#6)

Game 2:

Chauncey  50 h (#35)

Game 4:

Heffe        650 rbi (#3)

Pope         800 h (#4)

Bruce       40 2b (#19)

Bruce       100 g (#22)

Chauncey 10 2b (#31)

Chauncey 100 ab (#33)

Dr. StrangeGreenGlove: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Tie

The good news: The losing streak is over (five games) Yay!

The bad news: there is no winning streak, as we blew a 12-4 lead and tied Royal 12-12.

So I guess I should be happy and learn to love the tie.

Why is it the team that comes back from a large deficit to tie a game rejoices and the team that blows a lead feels like they were sledge hammered to death?

But a tie is a tie. We started off really well, with a five spot in the top of the first (Oh that was it, the Curse of the First!)

All singles, line drives here and there, a balanced attack - just what you want. Royal scored in each of the first five innings but when we put up four more in the top of the fourth, it was looking good at 12-4. Big hits included a triple to right by Tony Gorgone, doubles by Phil Tucker (2 RBIs) and Greg Wilson in the fourth.

But then the magic of Bill Eppinga shut us down in the next three frames. We only managed to get two runners in scoring position in the last three innings. In the mean time, Royal was creeping, and creeping back, but we were still looking pretty good at 12-7 or 8 going into the agreed upon last inning, the seventh.

We then gave it away, spotting Royal five outs (including one egregious error by yours truly) and a free pass, thus giving up the lead. We were lucky to get away with a tie as the bases were left loaded by the Royalty.

Our hitting wasn't too bad - Tim Orr, Kevin Fisher, Mike Nagy, and David Partridge all had three hits, Wilson had two doubles. and five others had a couple of hits. Just not enough in the late innings.

There was no joy in Greenville, to blatantly mix cliched metaphors.

Conehead (Double Barrel) Barrage

I didn't know what to expect going into the season opening night for the Coneheads in the Orinda league.

It's the Last Hurrah of Last Hurrahs. Many of our players played last year in the original Last Hurrah in Walnut Creek, but 'Ol G was coming back from shoulder surgery, we were breaking in a new shortstop (welcome Raul) and the league itself had been on hiatus for two years. And let's face it, a lot of us are on the far side of the minimum age to qualify for the league, 40 y.o. Our kids are pushing 40 in some cases.

And we had the usual set of no-shows, and the Randy-playing-on two teams issue.

But here we are, we have outlasted all the good teams in the league except the Old Scout and Cal Bronco - the early reports say it looks to be a three way race as it has been for the last decade or so.

Each team this season will have one doubleheader night, and we drew the first night of the season. Cool. We had the Sandbaggers as our first opponent. They had been in our league many moons ago, before Orinda officially made it an over 40 league. And now the Sandbaggers had all turned 40, and so they are back.

Well, the Coneheads are like a fine wine, we age well apparently, but the Sandbaggers did not. Of course it would have helped if they had a full team at game time - they played the whole game with only three outfielders and no catcher, and had to hit first just to hope that an eighth player showed up (who did in the nick of time).

The first barrage started quickly after we shut them out in the first. After a Randy leadoff single, Pope hit the first of three home runs on the night - he hit bombs to all fields all night - and it might have been over then and there. Later in the inning Haze hit a bases loaded triple to go up 6-0. The Sandbaggers did get a few hits and put up four in the fourth to close to 6-5, but we answered with our first Conehead inning of the night, sending up twelve batters and plating eight. The big blow was a two run triple by Darren.

After that we added on and basically shut them down. The final score was 20-8, but could have been much worse as the Sandbag centerfielder made diving catch after diving catch to rob several of our hitters.

Pope had three two run hits overall - a single, double and the home run. Raul was involved in two great defensive plays. Hazel tossed a fly ball to him and he threw a strike to Chauncey at the plate to deny a run. In the eighth, Raul took a grounder himself to the bag at second, and fired to first for another DP.

In the nightcap it was more of the same for the first five innings. We scored five in the third and fourth, and by the end of the fifth, we had built a comfortable 15-4 lead. Raul had two of his three triples in the game in those middle innings. Note that Larry kept all the opposing hitters off balance all night and had but one walk to blemish his pitching.

And then came the sixth. The Warthogs didn't know what hit them but their snouts were plenty burnt.

The first seven hitters all scored two runs. And Chauncey - he led the inning off and was the only one to go three for three in the frame. It was mostly a barrage of singles - bam bam bam. But there were the  two homers by Pope, Raul's (third) triple, and doubles by Gene, Charlie and Chauncey. Altogether twenty hits. Sadly there is no mercy rule in Orinda, and we showed none. In the end they stood in shock on the downside of a 32-4 score. The Hogs did manage a solo home run in the seventh but it hardly mattered.

I will let you look at the stats but of note on the night as a whole:

Pope, 9-10, 3 HRs, 12 RBIs

Bruce, also 9-10 (Welcome, back)

Ol' G, 8-9 (Ditto)

Hazel, 8-10, 2 triples, 11 RBIs

Darren, 7-9

Raul, 7-10, 3 triples

etc.

It was reminiscent of Conehead days gone by and a great sign to start the season. Conehead rally indeed. SEVENTEEN runs.

And so, when we got to the dugout, Bruce, who never misses a beat, looks at me and says, so when was the last time we did that? And looked me straight in the eye as if I had the answer at my fingertips! When I looked back in doubt, he says, "well you have all the data." And I have to admit he is right about that, and now I have a research project.

The first thing I found is that nothing in our Walnut Creek season last year came close. Next, in the last Orinda season, 2019, amazingly, our biggest win was 29-8 in the first game of the playoffs that year against, you guessed it, the Warthogs. Followed by a 26-8 drubbing in those same playoffs. I am surprised they showed up last night. But no 17 run inning, 10 was the largest.

In June 2019 in WC, Big Feet had a 17 run inning against us. But that hardly counts.

On July 31, 2017, we beat the Usual Suspects 32-13, but our largest inning was a 15 run 7th.

June 26th that year, Coneheads 34-Reds 6, so that's the last time we scored more than 32. But again, 15 runs was the biggest inning.

July 30th, 2016 WC also against Big Feet, we had a 16 run inning.

But the last time we scored 17+ runs in a single inning was (drumroll...) August 10th, 2015, when we opened the game against Buddha and the Cal Broncos with a 19 run first inning. We needed it too because they closed to 23-17 before we put them away 26-17. We only played four innings in that game before time and/or light ran out. Not sure which. They got payback a week later when they knocked us out of the playoffs.

So there you have it, the recent history of the Conehead mega-innings. Hope to see more in the near future!

Down Green Downed by Orange 15-9

 Gary Booth pretty much summed up our game on Field 1 today, but I had a few things to add.

Not to whine (much), but Green was down to nine almost healthy bodies and two hobbled to start the game. So first of all I want to thank and give credit for Mark Narciso and Phil Tucker for gutting it out and playing today, even though normally they would have taken a week off to heal. And of course the true Gamer Darren Bobrosky - his nose miraculously stayed in place after he was smacked in the face by the line drive from Marty Parenti and he returned after stanching the wound.

Also to Greg Wilson for playing lefty shortstop because we really had no other option - he handled every grounder hit his way.

And to Chris Nielsen - After the first four innings, he shut down the extremely loaded Orange lineup, and gave us an actual chance to grab the victory, if only our bats had come alive as well as our defense. A large part of which were three of his patented stabbing plays up the middle which were probably going to end up in center field. One ended in a double play.

We did have a few hitting highlights - Wilson had another monster game - Steve Sloat is still chasing his bomb to Concord in the fifth. He fell a double short of the cycle after he chased Sloat back on a triple later in the game. Tim Orr and Bobrosky showed why they are 1-2 in the lineup with three hits each.

Hopefully some of our injured will return with our two weeks off, and the other AWOL players will come back. We had a hell of a run when we were complete.

Let It Shine Bright Green, 24-19 over Scarlett

In a game that featured a tremendous roaring comeback by the snake bit Scarlett team, the Green Machine pushed through for a 24-19 win.

The Lantern was lit for 5 1/2 innings as Mark Narciso held off the powerful Scarlett lineup to three runs in the first. We weren't hitting on all cylinders ourselves, yet had built a comfortable 14-3 lead. Highlights included two run doubles by Greg Wilson in the first, and by Tony Gorgone and Chris Nielsen in the fifth. Wilson also had two booming home runs - a solo shot in the fourth and a three run job in the sixth.

We couldn't hold off the Red Menace forever, and they plated six in their half of the sixth. We answered with our only five spot of the day in the next frame, but had a complete meltdown defensively in the bottom of the seventh, and their balls were finding holes besides the ones we were giving away. They knotted the game at 19.

Then a remarkable thing happened - we reverted to our solid defensive form and held Scarlett scoreless for the last two innings. In the mean time, Matt Meredith put us up with a massive home run to left center, and a few batters later, Darren Bobrosky sent a laser even further in the same direction for a two run shot.

In the top of the ninth we played small ball and added two for the final score of 24-19. In the bottom half, Meredith provided one of the defensive highlights when he ranged far to cover second for a force out on a smash up the middle to Val Hornstein. \

Other defensive highlights included a one hop scorcher to Phil Tucker up the middle in the third that was part great glove work and part self-preservation. Later with the game close, Chris Nielsen made one of his patented spears of a grounder seemingly headed to right center field and turned it into a routine 1-3 putout.

Our offense was kind of feast or famine, but Wilson had one of his best days, as he largely carried us. He had the two HRs, including one that seemingly was destined for Concord to the east, the double and a single for six RBIs. Hornstein had another 4-4 day, and has yet to make an out this season (although this was only his second game). Narciso and Gorgone also had 4-4 days but each had a grounder that turned into a generous scorekeeper's hit. But each had multiple clutch hits. Nielsen had three hits good for three RBIs, Kevin Fisher joined him with three knocks, and the bottom three in the order (David Partridge, Meredith and the Coach) had only three ABs but had two hits each.

I have to tip my hat to Scarlett - they are having a tough time of it, but they do not give up. I hope they can get a win - just not against us!

The Lantern Shines Bright, Green 22 - Royal 16

The Green Lantern took Royal out of the land of the undefeated with a convincing 22-16 win on Heather Farm One today.

As usual Green trailed early, going out with a double play and then a groundout in the top of the first, and giving up the curse of the first five in the home half.

So be it, seemingly that's our MO this season. We trailed 6-1 after two, and then our bats woke up. We scored 4, 5, 5, and 5 in the third through the sixth. At one point, seventeen out of eighteen batters reached safely; in the fourth we scored five without making an out. There weren't a lot of long balls either, yet we had multiple extra base hits, with a total of seven doubles and a triple.

But once again it was our defense and pitching that carried us to victory. Stellar plays were made all over the place. Mike Nagy snagged a line drive shot to his left at third base. Likewise Chris Nielsen (who also got one batter on a strikeout) at the mound in the fifth. And he stormed in on a dribbler with the bases loaded in the sixth and scooped and threw home in one motion, the only place he could get an out.

We threw out two runners (actually I believe it was the same runner twice) at home for the third out - in the second it was David Partridge (LC) to Phil Tucker (R) to Matt Meredith (C), and then it was Kevin Fisher (RC) to Lamont Thompson (R) to Partridge (who scooped the one hop throw) in the fourth to prevent the fifth run scoring that inning.

Tim Orr and Fisher made an assortment of running catches in the middle outfield. And speaking of scooping, Heffe scooped not one not two but three low throws at 1B. One of them came on a game ending double play from Rover Tucker to first.

But the play of the game was in the eighth. After we had taken a commanding 20-10 lead, Green's offense slowed down and Royal's strong lineup mounted a comeback. It was 22-16 when one of their hitters stroked one of those frustrating pop flies into no man's land in shallow left center. Rover Tony Gorgone twisted and turned and kept after it until he turned at the last second and snatched the ball out of the sky. I don't think any of us is going to see a better play this season. It shut down the Royalty in the eighth and they couldn't score in the ninth after that either.

Oh, and by the way Green hit .704 as a team. Fisher was 4-4, Nagy 3-3 + a walk, Heffe 3-3, Mark Narciso and Greg Wilson 3-3 + a SF. Others with three hits included Orr, Darren Bobrosky, Angie Rizzato, and Paul Lisi. Meredith pounded one over Yaz' head down the left field line for our only triple.

For the record, we hate byes! because we are on a hot roll , and next week it is our turn to sit out.

The Lantern Glows!

The Lantern is Lit, Green 19 - Scarlet 8

Sometimes you play a nearly perfect game. Today Green did as close as a bunch of old men can come to doing that. We made but one error and it was in the first or second inning, on our way to routing Scarlet O'Hara ("Frankly Frank, I don't give a damn") by a score of 19-8.

Scarlet's lineup is intimidating. We managed to get out of the first and score four of our own before they came up with five in the top of the second. But after that, Mark Narciso and Chris Nielsen and our defense allowed but one run in innings 3-8. We scored our only five spot in the fourth to go up 11-6 and never looked back. Scarlet finally broke through in the ninth for two runs, but Nielsen had shut them out against him until then in four straight innings.

The defense was tremendous and unrelenting. We made all the routine plays and then a few turned in spectacular ones as well. Lamont Thompson caught a line drive on the first play of the game at first base. When he moved to rover in the fifth, he came in on a ball in no man's land between the mound and second and snared a soft liner. In the next inning playing catcher, he hustled out toward third base to catch a popup that is usually a back breaker when it drops. Very few Creakers make that play.

Matt Meredith is a revelation at 2B. He leapt high in the seventh (OK in Creakerland 'leap' is a relative term) to snag a shot ticketed to right center field. On another tough grounder with a runner on second in the fourth, after catching a one hopper, he moved toward him to freeze him on the bag, and then fired to first for the out on the batter. Textbook. He made two of the outs that inning. Mike Nagy at third made his usual couple of plays on hard hit grounders trying to get to left field, including getting the speedy Lee Namanny for the third out with runners on in the third to keep Scarlet scoreless in that frame. Darren Bobosky made a great running catch in the sixth in deep left center. And Nielsen shut out the heart of Scarlet on four pitches in the eighth.

Let's face it, Scarlet turned even redder many times in the game as they gave us gift after gift when we were hitting. But we made the most of them. Bobrosky, Greg Wilson and Nielsen were each 4-4. Darren scored four times, and Wilson drove in a single run in every at bat to lead the team with four. How's that shift working for our opponents?

We hit .630 as a team, and everyone with one unnotable exception (not mentioning any names) had at least one knock. Tim Orr, Tony Gorgone, Angelo Rizzuto, Nagy, Nielsen and Meredith had long balls and although none were home runs, all but Orr's leadoff double in the first produced runs.

The Green Lantern is Lit!

Comeback of the Year (So Far), Green 15 - White 13

Once in a very long while, you play in a game that is just the perfect feel good game. Sometimes it is just because you simply dominated the other team, and pummeled them to death. You all feel pretty good about yourselves.

But the games you really take pride in are the ones where you come back against all odds and walk away with the opposition stunned, and smiles all around on your team. I mean really all Creakers are just happy to be enjoying the sunshine and playing a boys' game but the sun is brighter (and the refreshments taste better) after a win.

Today, Green spotted the tough White lineup a ten nothing lead after two innings. Every ball they hit was between us or we botched it, and every ball we hit was a line drive right at someone or one of their very good outfielders was making a great running catch.

We could have been as down in spirit as the score indicated. Indeed, our manager tends to dwell on the negative too much. But we have the ultimate cheerleader in Mike Nagy. He never lets us get down and no matter how dire the situation is, he always thinks we can come back. He led the cheers as we chipped away at the lead, even though we did not catch up until the ninth inning.

And come back we did. We held that fearsome White lineup to three more runs the rest of the game - that's seven innings. Our pitching kicked in (Chris Nielsen is the best closer around). Our fielding came around. And we chipped away with two in the third, four in the fourth, one in the sixth, three in the seventh, and suddenly we went into the open inning just down three runs at 13-10.

Coach Heffe led off the winning rally with a hit. Tim Orr and Darren Bobrosky followed suit, and it was bases loaded, no one out and the heart of the order up. But then two groundouts left us at 13-11, and we hung by a thread with two outs. Lamont Thompson strode up and hit a line shot into the outfield, and on a bobble Greg Wilson scored all the way from first and we were tied. And LT, a speedster in his youth I hear, against all odds rumbled to second base to get in scoring position as the lead run. He would have been fined if he was out, but that guy has the best instincts, and not only was the throw dropped but I think he actually beat it. Paul Lisi and Kevin Fisher came up with two more clutch two out hits, and we took a precarious 15-13 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

The first batter hit a screaming AND knuckling line drive toward right center but second baseman Tony Gorgone said no way and snagged it. The first out is huge when protecting a lead in the last inning, and that just made the White hitters tighter. After a hit, the next batter hit a blooper into shallow center - early in the game that would have fallen in - but center fielder Orr was just as determined and dove and caught it. Two outs. The runner on first took off on contact and I am sure if Tim hadn't had to dive he would have ended the game right there on a double play but couldn't make a throw from the ground. No problem, as the next batter made a routine out, and it was a win in the Green corner 15-13.

Other defensive gems were a running catch near the foul line and in the sun by left fielder Bobrosky in the fourth, and a slick runner gunned out at home play from Orr to shortstop Angie Rizzato to David Partridge in the fifth. Third baseman Nagy turned a bases loaded popup in a tricky wind in foul territory into an out in the sixth. That set up a Matt Meredith (2B) to Wilson (Rover) to Heffe double play to end the inning with no runs, and it was a momentum changer.

In the seventh, Nielsen went to his knees to snag a shot up the middle, and got the out with a throw from the ground. In the eighth Green turned an unlikely SS (Rizzato) to 3B (Nagy) to second double play to end the inning.

As you can see defense wins games.

Our hitters took a while to come around, but we hit when it counted. Wilson had a hustle double among his three hits. LT duplicated that hustle as noted already and had two hits and a Sac fly. Meredith had a clutch two run two out double in the third.

But it was pitching and defense that was the difference in this game - and the Nagy Never Say Die Attitude.

As James Brown famously sang (sing along Mike)-

Whoa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now

I feel good, I knew that I would, now

So good, so good, I got you

Momma Told Me Don't Be Green With Envy, Orange 30-Green 17

My momma told me if I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

So I will be brief (for me).

Orange outplayed Green in all facets of the game Tuesday, and came out on top 30-17, We gave up five in the top of the first (what happened to the Curse?) and five more in the third but actually kept it close for a few innings - we trailed only 12-10 after four innings.

However, the relentless Orange Crush kept after us and scored five in the sixth, seventh and eighth to turn Green into Vomit. We had a few defensive lapses, but really I tip my hat to their hitting.

Lamont Thompson drove in six runs on three hits including two doubles. Val Hornstein was a doubles machine - three of his four hits were doubles as he ran aggressively. Greg Wilson had an opposite field triple and double to beat the extreme shift Orange put on him. And then made the loudest out of the game when he sent one nearly to the trees in right center - right where the outfielder was playing. It was that kind of day for the Mean Green.

David Partridge also had three hits and Matt Meredith drove in four and each had a triple. Matt also made a couple of fine plays at second base.

Well, the cliche after a game like this is "It's early in the season". Right Mom?

Practice Schmactice...

My dad modified the well known cliche, saying, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you win!"

And I created a corollary, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's just a hell of a lot more fun to win!"

And so, Team Green put a win in our pocket for this practice season today, 17-13 over Royal.

We did it some very significant individual and team contributions in ways that really count.

Great defense:

• In the first, Angie started a SS to Phil at Rover to LT at first, who scooped a low throw. The top of the Royal lineup is excellent, and this play set the tone for the game.
• In the second, David made a great running catch in LF. Angie stabbed a one hop hot shot in the 5-6 hole and snapped a perfect throw to first. And to finish the trifecta in the inning, Mike grabbed a grounder on the third base line before it could go foul and heffe corralled his low throw.
• In the fourth, with the potential fifth run on third, Darren caught the second out and threw a perfect one hopper to LT at home to nail the runner. By the way, I have never seen a Creaker who plays the left sun fields at Heather Farm better than Darren. 
• David made another nice catch running in playing right field later in the game.
• Matt had a stellar game at 2B, he made a number of plays including a hot shot to his abdomen in the last inning that he turned into an out.

And as I think will become the norm this season, excellent pitching by Mark and Chris, which is part of great defense. Royal's top of the order got four in the ninth, but before that we held a potent lineup to nine runs in eight innings.

Phil was the hitting star with two triples in his three ABs.

Two significant notes on the offense. The ability to "add on" is extremely important in softball with the high scoring games we see. When Royal scored seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings, we responded with four in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth. That gave us a dominating 14-7 lead, and we cruised onward.

Second was that the fifth inning rally came with two outs and no one on. Mike had opened with a single and then LT sent a laser shot to right center that the fielder caught after a bobble. Mike went for second and was nailed out. But then, Paul, Mark, Greg, Tony, Chris and David put together consecutive two out singles to plate four runs. That's huge.

Four times we strung together four, five, or six straight hits to generate run scoring rallies. That's huge.

Phil had the two triples, Darren had a perfect 4-4 day, and LT, Greg and Phil led the way with three RBIs each. Everyone had at least one hit.

It's how you win!

The Frozen Tundra of Danville

In a game played barely over freezing at game time, The WolfPack's pitching and defense dominated the Crows in a must win game to make the playoffs, winning by 10-2.

JP was spot on for the most part for his innings, allowing just one run. But then Chris came in, and he dominated the Crows for six innings of shutout ball, really seven as they scored a measly single run in the open ninth. He had four, count them one, two, three, four Ks looking. He was living at 11 feet plus, but not over 12 and hitting front, back, and every corner of the plate.

He had some help on defense. There were outstanding plays by Wilbur at second base on a liner, and Marc on a great stretch at second to get a force on a shot up the middle to Les to nail the speedy Crow Anthony. Johnny G caught a slashed liner at third and Paul made a great running catch in right field in the eighth.

The big hits were in the third and the sixth. In the third, there was a close play at second where our umpire, who was screened from the play, called our runner out going to second base. But LT the Crow rover played the honesty card and gave up the out because he was off the bag. After much confusion our runner was ruled safe and when we subsequently loaded the bases, Kevin hit a bases clearing double and it went from 3-1 to 6-1. A big lead on a day when everyone was basically freezing and the wind was blowing in hard from left.

In the sixth, we needed to add on as the score had stagnated for three innings. After a hard luck double play by Selwyn (he hit a hard grounder right to the second base bag), we punched out five straight hits by Ladd, Kevin, Les, Marc and Johnny G. The last one was a twisting triple that eluded the right fielder, and even though we couldn't get him home, it gave us a 10-1 lead which on this day was dominant.

Even though we tried to end the game in the rules mandated time limit, Don Clay insisted on playing all nine, but the Crows were barely able to get one more run, and we walked off with the 10-2 win.

This victory was essentially an elimination game for us. But with this one in our pocket, it opens a bunch of scenarios for the end of the season, many of which land us in the playoffs. We are 3-2 in our last five games and each of the losses are by one run to the two teams tied for first.

You just never know what will happen when the temperature drops to nearly freezing. The Scared Crows freeze and the Wolves Howl!

Comic Relief

You're up 12-1 against a team that plays like the Keystone Kops and hasn't won a game all season. So what to do to entertain the troops...oh that's it, trot your overweight, out of shape, out of breath self out to right field. In your first inning (the fifth) they don't figure it out and hit the ball elsewhere. There is a reason Vintage is in the cellar.

In my second inning (the sixth) they still don't figure it out. In the seventh we trot out JP, who, sorry John, has knees so bad off that he makes me look like a speed skater. They still don't figure it out, instead hitting a routine grounder to 1B Johnny G, and making catcher Dave look like Buster Posey on a pop up.

But in the eighth, the Vintage big lefties were coming up. They had been hitting to left all day, both of them, but now they sensed blood. Boom! Deep fly! High Fly! I ran, and ran (slowly), and looked up, and there was nothing but a very bright yellow ball, and it was not the one with stitches, which completely disappeared. You have to give me credit, I got there, but I had no idea where the ball was at that point and threw up my glove hoping for a miracle. There was a miracle - it didn't hit me in the head and knock me out as it passed within a foot of my head and my glove.

Then the lefty with real power came up and hit a couple to foul territory to torture me, including one all the way to the concrete border of the field - because, really, well, why give me the advantage of not being all tuckered out from chasing them down. And then he put the next one over my head, again directly in the sun.

Somehow after that we managed to get out of the inning without giving up our entire eighteen run lead. So I punished poor Kevin and strongly suggested (begged) him to change places, with him taking the sun in right field and me moving to right center. And guess what - Vintage figured that one out and hit four balls in my direction in the last inning. Two were hits in front of me, but two were in the air and I had to make running catches - I'm sure Selwyn or Ladd would have made them look routine, but at least I got them, including the last out. I'm sure everyone had some good laughs watching me flail about, and I am here but to entertain.

And as I sit here slapping the keys on my laptop which sits on my coffee table as I sit on the couch, visualize this - I probably will sleep on the couch, because my legs are jello, and I can't really feel them. I only hope they return to me tomorrow.

Believe it or not there was a game before my flip flop angst. Granted Vintage is pretty hapless but we played good defense and had lots of timely hitting. In the first, with two outs, Marc, Billy, Johnny G, Paul and John L all had two out run scoring hits. In the second, Steve gapped the middle for a triple and not to be outdone, Dave gapped the right side and came all the way around for a homer, our only of the game.

In the third, after three hits and a walk Billy hit a twisting inside out liner to right that eluded the fielder and rolled nearly to Alamo, and Billy hobbled to first, and then to second, and then to third before finally succumbing to exhaustion. Johhny G brought home his pinch runner with a single for our fifth run of that inning. That gave us our 12-1 lead aforementioned. 

In our last ups, we had the nearly perfect inning. We needed to plate nine batters to get everyone three at bats, and that is exactly what we did, with eight of nine hitting safely, and the fifth run scoring on Frank's blast over the left fielder. 

On defense Johnny G threw a laser to second to get a force out on a 'single' in front of him in RF. On an errant throw from second, yours truly scooped and stuck a tough throw on the turf, before I made a fool of myself on the outfield. Ladd and Paul made some good catches on the left side of the outfield. Marc and JP kept the Vintage hitters off-balance through the first seven innings, and Billy threw well and just suffered from some, ahem, marginal defense to close the game.

Marc, Billy and Johnny G were 3-3 and Marc led the way with four RBIs.

Overall we did what we expected to do. Sadly the Crows won their game and it will take a miracle to get us into the playoffs. But only one miracle happened in right field today, so perhaps there are more  still to come.

Relax And Have Fun

I know - Vintage hasn't won a single game. Even though in the Year Everyone Improved, they also are better, basically they are the only team that can't compete in the Danville Winter League.

Nonetheless, the Wolfpack routed them 18-8, and it wasn't that close, as we relaxed in the ninth after we were up 18-4, and gave up four gift runs. It's easy to say, but we played relaxed and with confidence. It would be good if we played this way against the better teams, as we seem to press too much in those games.

Lots of players had great hitting games - Selwyn (solo home run), Paul D, and Marc were all 4-5 and rapped line drives all over the field. Heffe was 2-2 with two walks, and John L, Paul L, Steve and JP all had multi-hit games.

But the game belonged to Ladd. He was merely 4-4 plus a walk, with two home runs and five RBIs. And his three run gapper that rolled forever in the third inning put us ahead 5-3 for the game winning RBI and we never looked back.

That was necessary to put us ahead because we had had a defensive meltdown in the bottom of the second when we gave away three or four outs. But the Vintage could only capitalize on our gifts by plating a mere two runs out of the rally. And so we trailed only 3-2 going into the third.

After that, we played one of the most solid defensive games we've had in a while. There were several highlight reel plays: Dave made a spectacular catch in the first on a smashed line drive to right that appeared to still be rising when he snatched it out of the air. Heffe ranged far (for an old guy) into foul territory beyond first to snag a pop fly in the third. In the fifth Paul D grabbed a hot line drive up the middle at rover, and the other Paul (L) ranged far to catch a fly with the sun in his eyes in left. And then the pitchers got into the action. In the sixth, pitcher Chris stuck his glove out from behind the screen to spear a crushed line drive. Not to be outdone, a couple innings later JP did the same - the ball dropped out of his glove however, but he still calmly got the ball to first in plenty of time to get the out.

Overall one of our better all around games. granted, the weak opponent. But now is the test - we trail the last playoff spot by a half a game to the Crows, who we play in the coming week. We are only two games out of second place. Now would be a good time to get on a run, and build momentum for the stretch drive. One at a time, but this is one that we want!