Black Shirts Continue Streaking, 20-18 over Blue

For the fifth consecutive game, Team Black Shirts was tied or was within a single run of the opponent in the eighth inning or later. Whether by shear luck or by talent, Team BS has been able to close out games, and emerged victorious once again Tuesday over Team Blue, 20-18.

Harking back to the controversial end of the first game between these two clubs in October, Wilbur Williams volunteered to umpire the first batter. On the first pitch, he immediately gave pitcher Greg Mathers a warning to get behind the screen after releasing the ball. Both benches emptied, and a brawl ensued. Wait - that last part was just in my head. In reality, Mathers just shook it off and there were no further related incidents the rest of the game. New York is still debating whether Greg actually was not behind the screen.

It was a back and forth game. Blue led 5-2 in the third, Black 12-6 after six, Blue closed to 15-14 in the top of the eighth, Black answered with a five spot, and finally Blue's ninth inning rally ended up two runs short.

The play of the game was a throw on a hit to right center to Dave DeWitt to cutoff man David Peterson at shortstop who threw a strike to third to nail a runner.

The offense got stronger the longer the game went, as BS scored five in two of the last four innings. Hitting stars started with Art Miner, 4-5 with five RBIs , and whose two run homer put us ahead to stay. Peterson was also 4-5 with three doubles, and Mathers was 4-4 plus a sac fly, and tied Miner for the team leading five RBIs. That's right, the two of them drove in half our runs. Roger Gawne and Steve Rousso added three hits, and Gawne corralled a self preservation stab of a smash to him at third.

He was playing third because in the first inning, Dan May had another hot shot hit at him, and he accidentally got his throwing hand in the way, after which he was bleeding profusely in the dugout, and had to rush to the hospital where he got five stitches! Dan is a gamer! The injury report is that he is out ten days, get back soon!

Up next, Mighty Purple, who leads the league in runs scored. Bring it on!

BS Turns Green Green, 23-21.

I am sure there is a special fee to be paid back by Team BS for the games thus far. Once again yesterday's game was tied late - not in the ninth but 20-20 after seven. It was a back and forth game that ended with us up 23-21. Great game!

Team Green jumped ahead 5-2 after two. We allowed one more in the third and then our bats woke up. We poured out innings of five, four and five again to take a commanding lead 16-8 going into the sixth. But we were once again very generous in the field and gave up six in the next two innings to give back all the lead and then some. Team Green, and all these teams have just too much talent to not make every play you can. When we weren't throwing to the wrong base they would hit gappers with the extra out.

Trailing 20-16, we did rally with four in the bottom of the seventh to gain the tie after seven. Then starter and closer extraordinaire Greg Mathers came back in, and held the Green to one run in the last two innings while we scored three eighth inning runs to end up with the final 23-21 tally.

In the third we scored five on six straight hits. In the fourth, the big hit was David Peterson's booming triple nearly to field six (from HF4). In the sixth, seven of eight hits to get five.

But we saved the best for last. In the seventh, Darren Bobrosky had a two run single to get us close and Leo Kay had the game tying clutch double. In the decisive eighth, it was once again Roger Gawne who had the clutch hit. This time (for the second time in the game!) he hit a two run double to untie the affair. All that was left was Mather's mastery in the ninth.

Our pitching (Mathers and Brian Black) was so good really that there were mostly routine outs. Art Miner made two catches looking straight into the sun in the sixth to save runs. Dave DeWitt made a nice running catch in right center in the fifth. The play of the game was 2B Curt Wade taking a cutoff throw from right field, and realizing the base runners had dared to start to take an extra base executed the run down play flawlessly. He ran straight at the runner between home and third and made him commit. A lob to Frank Coppa and subsequent throw home to Sandy Camp at home plate told Green "not on our watch!"

Gawne (two 2B, four RBIs) and Miner (five RBIs) were 4-4. DeWitt was 4-5, and Bobrosky had four RBIs on three hits. Kay, Mathers, Peterson, Black, and Dave Rose contributed three hits.

Sadly, Team BS now has to weather two weeks off with the Bye and Thanksgiving coming up. But we will be back, fat, dumb, and Gobble Gobble! Happy Holiday!