I know this is supposed to be about Creaker games, and not about one person, but an extraordinary (and very frustrating) thing happened to me this week.
I should have paid attention to those Kalshi ads. I could have cleaned up.
Because what are the chances of losing two games in two adult senior softball leagues on back to back days by identical scores or 27-26, both on walk off hits.
I should have placed a bet. Because that is what happened. The TC Diablos blew a five run lead in the ninth yesterday (see Ed Brice's writeup), and today ND Gold blew an eight run lead in the ninth and both games were lost by that score, 27-26.
It must be the manager.
Or not. But if it makes me part of history, so be it. Where is that Guinness Book anyway?
Yesterday, the Diablos took a lead of 19-8 in the top of the fifth, and after allowing a catchup inning in the sixth to knot it at 21, did the right thing - the bottom of the order wrapped around to the top and produced five runs capped by Jim Krochka's third long ball of the day. It was only not his third HR because the fifth run scored ahead of him. He had hit three run homers in the third and fifth innings. Altogether he was 4-4 with a triple two HRs and nine RBIs. Have a day, Jim.
But we didn't score in the top of the ninth - another thing in common with ND Gold's game today - and we just couldn't get the other side out in the bottom half.
Kudos to Sandy Zimmerman for his walkoff grand slam, and for Steve Sloat running for him in his first game back from illness - he hasn't lost a step.
Plenty of TC Diablos had good games, Dan Roach, Ed Hendrickson, Mark Childress, and Greg Lagomarsino all joined Jim at 4-4, and Tom Caldwell was 3-4 with a long HR as well. Childress made what has become a weekly highlight reel catch in left center in the eighth temporarily keeping the Diablos in front - a tumbling, lunging, diving over the shoulder catch with multiple runners on base for the third out. Game saver, or so we thought.
In today's game, ND Gold took an 18-12 lead into the sixth but as we do, didn't add on and then poor defense allowed Gray to catch up. But we did what was necessary (we thought), and highlighted by a triple and a double by Tom Gonzales scored three in the seventh, and five in the eighth. We thought 26-18 was a a safe lead, although the way things have been going with this team, I had my doubts. Especially when ND Gold could not find home in the ninth.
And then we couldn't find the ball on defense in the bottom of the ninth. We squandered that eight run lead, and lost another walkoff to the same Gray team that produced the nickname Walkoff Willie (Hollis) earlier in the season when they beat us in similar fashion. Hollis did not get the penultimate hit this time but he was part of the nine run barrage that hit us upside the head.
The Holiday break couldn't come at a better or worse time. Better because we can rest up and we remain in first place, be it by a thread, thanks to Navy losing. Worse, because now we have that bad taste in our mouths. Maybe a few cold ones and some good barbecue and fireworks will help.
Gonzales had a game, going 5-5 with two doubles and the triple. Bob Fulgham and Rob Katzer joined him with five hits. Gary Namanny was 3-4 plus a sac and hit a booming HR and had eight RBIs. Hugh Vazquez and Steve Mastronarde contributed four hits apiece, and Namanny, Curt Wade, Jeff Kravin, Mike Nichols and Joy Dardin all knocked out three.
Steve Bedrock got a swinging strikeout. Kravin and Stan Bielecki made some nice plays on the infield, and Vasquez, Fulgham, and Kravin turned a nifty double play in the eighth to temporarily hold Gray at bay.
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