On the way to the game yesterday, I realized that logically, a rainout would do us just as much good as a win. If we had been rained out, assuming both the Hornets and Crows win next week, the race for first place and cotton would come down to the makeup game on March 20th. After the Crows' dominant 19-8 win yesterday, it comes down to...the makeup game on March 20th, since we are only a half game ahead of them. They are 12-2 and we are 12-1-1. To claim cotton we need a repeat.
There is a huge difference however: Beating them is WAY MORE FUN than a rainout. And now that we have clubbed them twice, I like our chances in two weeks. Their armor of invincibility has chunks missing and they are leaking oil out of every hole.
I will shut up now, because first we must make sure we beat the Wolfpack next week. It is not clear we will have a game - I hear that they have a few players in the Tri-City league, which opens next Wednesday, and may not be able to field a team. They are playing out the string in last place. We had a deal that the loser would buy at a joint pizza party the last time we played them and we then were rained out. I am not sure that deal is still on. However, I happen to know that it is Charlie's birthday next Wednesday. So there would be nothing better than getting Charlie a free birthday lunch by clubbing the Pack.
Oh and there was a game yesterday.
After trading runs in the first couple of innings (tied 3-3 going into the bottom of the third), Barry came up with two on and one out. He planted a line drive to left center that eluded the outfielders and his homer gave us a 6-3 lead. We didn't know it, but the rout was on and the Hornets may well have just removed their stingers and laid down or walked off the field. We finished a five run inning with hits by Heffe, Clay and Howard (who's looking good from the left side), and added five spots in the next two innings. The highlights were LT's two run single in the fourth, and Randy's two run single, followed by Anthony's two run triple for the last four runs in the fifth.
This game was Crows' version of small ball, and Barry's was the only four bagger. The Hornets' pitcher was unexpectedly wild, and we took five free passes. Anthony did have a double and a triple and Clay's hit in the third was a double. The other clutch hit of the day came with two outs in the second and Don gave us our first lead with a two run double to the right center gap. Charlie, Lamont, and Lee had three hits and everyone had at least one.
The Hornets' second baseman made three pivotal errors on popups and grounders that should have been caught, and it probably cost them about seven runs. But from the 19-8 final score, you can see that did not make the difference.
Rather the difference was our pitching and defense. Howard allowed the potent Hornets just four runs in his five innings and the only question was to even bring Ed in to finish the game. The decision proved to be perfect as he held the opposition to only another four in his four innings, including one-two-three in the ninth.
And of course he was helped by our stellar defense. In the first Anthony provided his seemingly once per game nailing of a runner trying desperately to outrun his gun, and threw out a runner going to second on an apparent single. Don, Anthony, and Dave B all made excellent running catches. And in the seventh, the Hornets' lone three run inning, Randy took a sharp grounder, stepped on second, and Lamont scooped the low throw off the turf, keeping the Hornets' from dreaming of a comeback inning.
It was a beatdown. We are in their heads. If we can just get a lead on them in two weeks, they start pressing against us, where they think they can come back against any other team. Can't wait to beat the Wolfpack and get to the last game of the season.
Oh and one last word. I wonder what the record is for strikeouts in a slow pitch softball season by a team with at least a .900 winning percentage? Two unnamed (ahem) hitters yesterday added to our season total of 13 in 14 games. Eight of us have at least one! Well done!
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