After a couple of beers and pizza from both sides of Hartz Ave. in Danville, the waitperson came up to us on the deck with a steaming plate of wings and said, "Here is a reward for winning your match." I checked my pockets - no matches, not even my trusted Bic lighter. We looked at him quizzically, then the collective bell rang in 10 Wolfheads - oh, you mean we won the game! Yes, Americans can be very dense at times.
While we chowed on the wings, we became deliriously optimistic about our team, vowing to carry the momentum into the regular Danville season, which we have never done. Because there was never any momentum to bring. So look out Danville, here come the Pack!
All this, because in a game that while meaningless in the chase for first place and Cotton, leapfrogged us once again ahead of the Crows in the season standings by a half a game. We took the game 17-8, and won the season set, three games to one (now if we can only beat Vintage like we are supposed to), and we won the match!
All it takes to end up in third place is beating Leo's next week, who have lost but one game all winter. Or the Crows losing to Vintage, which is entirely possible. But wouldn't it be good to end with a win over puffy Leo's?
The game had plenty of heroes and lots to write about. It was 3-2 in the fifth when Doug circled the bases on a gapper home run to tie it up. Then after a Mike single, David P hit the next big blow of the game - a blast to left for a two run triple, and he scored to put us up 5-3. It was significant because in each of the first three innings, Dave Hoge had fought off the sun in left to rob three of us of hits. Our David found the solution - blast it over his head!
After the Crows answered by tying it up, the bottom of our lineup made a statement that we were not to be denied today. Frank and JP led off with singles and then John L hit the prettiest hit of the day. He had been practicing going to right in BP and hit one of those spinners just inside the foul line. The slow right fielder had no chance to cut if off and John was soon standing on third with two runs in. It was a 7-5 lead that we would never give up. The one out rally continued with a run scoring single by Dave R, and follow on singles by Wilbur, Paul, Doug and Billy gave us our first five run inning.
We added two in the sixth, and then Dave R provided the killing dagger in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded and no outs, Dave hit a liner that split the right fielder and it was off to the races. He stopped at third after emptying the bases in front of him, and after we cleaned him up and scored one more, we found ourselves up 17-5. They added a couple in the next two half innings (we flipped the flop) but we never were threatened again.
What turned the game besides our timely hitting were several great plays in the middle innings (the Crows scored all of two runs in innings 2-6). Paul (running back) and Chris (sliding forward) made outstanding catches in the middle outfield in the fifth and seventh, respectively.
On the infield, the stop of the day was made by John L on a one hop laser in the 3-4 hole in the fourth.
The first basemen had a collective good game. JP bent way over to rescue a very low throw, and came off the bag to take another errant throw that took him right into the runner but he made the tag. I think we had at least five DPs (two started by Doug at SS, one by Mike at third, once or twice by Les at rover, and once by John L at rover). Heffe was on the receiving end of all of them, and one required not only bending over, not easy for a short old man, but stretching to all of his 5'7". And the other was bouncing on the turf and required every arm, finger and even his toes to corral.
In a game where we hit .681 as a team, Billy led the way with a perfect 4-4 day. Mike and Dave R joined him in perfection at 3-3. Paul and Doug joined them with three hits, and everyone had at least one.
Well there we go again - every other week playing lights out. Maybe it's time to reverse the trend next week and hand Leo's their lunch before they go out for their after game meal. I'll bring the matches.
While we chowed on the wings, we became deliriously optimistic about our team, vowing to carry the momentum into the regular Danville season, which we have never done. Because there was never any momentum to bring. So look out Danville, here come the Pack!
All this, because in a game that while meaningless in the chase for first place and Cotton, leapfrogged us once again ahead of the Crows in the season standings by a half a game. We took the game 17-8, and won the season set, three games to one (now if we can only beat Vintage like we are supposed to), and we won the match!
All it takes to end up in third place is beating Leo's next week, who have lost but one game all winter. Or the Crows losing to Vintage, which is entirely possible. But wouldn't it be good to end with a win over puffy Leo's?
The game had plenty of heroes and lots to write about. It was 3-2 in the fifth when Doug circled the bases on a gapper home run to tie it up. Then after a Mike single, David P hit the next big blow of the game - a blast to left for a two run triple, and he scored to put us up 5-3. It was significant because in each of the first three innings, Dave Hoge had fought off the sun in left to rob three of us of hits. Our David found the solution - blast it over his head!
After the Crows answered by tying it up, the bottom of our lineup made a statement that we were not to be denied today. Frank and JP led off with singles and then John L hit the prettiest hit of the day. He had been practicing going to right in BP and hit one of those spinners just inside the foul line. The slow right fielder had no chance to cut if off and John was soon standing on third with two runs in. It was a 7-5 lead that we would never give up. The one out rally continued with a run scoring single by Dave R, and follow on singles by Wilbur, Paul, Doug and Billy gave us our first five run inning.
We added two in the sixth, and then Dave R provided the killing dagger in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded and no outs, Dave hit a liner that split the right fielder and it was off to the races. He stopped at third after emptying the bases in front of him, and after we cleaned him up and scored one more, we found ourselves up 17-5. They added a couple in the next two half innings (we flipped the flop) but we never were threatened again.
What turned the game besides our timely hitting were several great plays in the middle innings (the Crows scored all of two runs in innings 2-6). Paul (running back) and Chris (sliding forward) made outstanding catches in the middle outfield in the fifth and seventh, respectively.
On the infield, the stop of the day was made by John L on a one hop laser in the 3-4 hole in the fourth.
The first basemen had a collective good game. JP bent way over to rescue a very low throw, and came off the bag to take another errant throw that took him right into the runner but he made the tag. I think we had at least five DPs (two started by Doug at SS, one by Mike at third, once or twice by Les at rover, and once by John L at rover). Heffe was on the receiving end of all of them, and one required not only bending over, not easy for a short old man, but stretching to all of his 5'7". And the other was bouncing on the turf and required every arm, finger and even his toes to corral.
In a game where we hit .681 as a team, Billy led the way with a perfect 4-4 day. Mike and Dave R joined him in perfection at 3-3. Paul and Doug joined them with three hits, and everyone had at least one.
Well there we go again - every other week playing lights out. Maybe it's time to reverse the trend next week and hand Leo's their lunch before they go out for their after game meal. I'll bring the matches.
