Orange Squeezes by Gold, 14-13

After last week's defensive gem, Orange had a challenge to play up to its own standards. While we had more flaws today, it was a few significant highlight plays that made the difference as we topped Gold, 14-13 in a nail biter.

In the first, Helen Kostoff stopped a grounder up the middle, stepped on second and nailed the DP. When the next batter flew out to LF Michael Callahan, it kept Gold from stepping into "Curse of the First" territory, leading just 3-0.

We put up a run on a Tony Gorgone single, and then pitcher Mike Howard had his way with Gold, shutting them out the next two innings. He had a swinging strikeout in the second and a strike three looking in the third. Steve Rousso aided the cause by diving into the 5-6 hole to get the first out that inning.

In the bottom of the third, Orange put up the game's only five spot. As my mantra goes, if the bottom of the order hits, we win. Singles by Bob Staples, Mike Byrnes, Rich Sanders, and Nick Lauria started the rally, and then after a sac fly by Mike Elmore and a walk to pitcher extraordinaire Howard, the top of the order took over with singles by Leo Kay and Callahan. Rick Evans completed it with another sac fly for the fifth run.

Gold answered with four of its own, but Orange fought back with three, highlighted by Jeff Waters' run scoring double, our only extra base hit of the day. In the fifth, Gold had bases loaded with no outs, and there followed a liner to Staples in LC, and he caught the runner looking as rover Kostoff ("Get out of the way!") was off second base but 2B Gorgone had snuck in behind her and the runner was nailed for another DP. When she took the next grounder up the middle to second for the final out, we had held them down at just one run.

Consecutive hits by Callahan, Evans, Gorgone, Vic Santini, Rousso and Heffe produced a three run sixth as the teams totaled five runs each in the sixth and seventh. There was a third DP, more standard 11-4-3 from Kostoff to Waters to Heffe in the sixth, and another highlight play in the seventh. This time Waters was playing third with runners on first and second, and he slowed a hot shot off his glove to keep it nearby, where Rousso picked it up and outraced the runner going to third for the second out.

After Lauria grounded out to score the last run to give us the lead in the seventh, all that was left was to have Howard to come back in and shut the door on Gold the last two innings. When the last batter popped up to catcher Lauria (not an easy one), it was all over. He got the game ball for driving in the winning run and catching the last out.

And it was again a complete team game. We may not have the power of other teams, but we are developing heart and a knack for making the key play at the right time. All but one of us had a hit, and the one had a sac fly. No one had more than two RBIs but 11 players drove in a run. And of course we have arguably the best pitcher in the league. These things matter in softball.

We are looking forward to the next games against the powerhouse teams.