On June 13th, the Warriors hosted the Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on their way to winning it all in Game 6 in Boston. Many members of Bushwood, the new upstart team in our league had tickets to the game and they just couldn't field a team. We took the forfeit.
I'm not saying we would have lost the game. We were riding high from our hot start the week before when we scored 52 runs in sweeping the opening night doubleheader. But if we had lost that game, we would have ended up fourth and safely residing in the Wilder fields for the duration of whatever playoff run we have in us this year, hopefully a long one.
And instead of tanking the game this week, we went out and walked off a very nice win over Old Spice, 14-13, and all but guaranteed ourselves a third place finish (very slight possibility for second or first) and the first two games at Orinda Sports Fields. So it goes.
I did my part, going o-fer including a double play. I don't know what is wrong with you guys.
Gene must have been bitter, missing the last couple of games with Covid and knowing he would miss the playoffs. So he excelled - he led the team going 3-3 and tying Bruce for the team lead with three RBIs, including a couple of knocks with two outs.
After taking a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the first on a single-double-triple-single sequence by Darren, Raul, Bruce and Ol' G, the Coneheads coasted as we are wont to do and let Old Spice scratch back to tie it at four through four innings. Dangerous territory as they put up six in the top of the fifth.
But that just woke up the sleepy Heads. Larry and Nic set us up with second and third with no outs, and after a sac fly and a groundout, we tallied seven more runs with two outs. It included three two out two run hits by Hazel (a double), Gene (single), and a bomb beyond dead center by Chauncey to finish the scoring. It gave us a precarious one run lead headed into the sixth.
Old Spice didn't give up but could only manage two in the sixth to take back a one run lead. The clock was running out - there were only three minutes left so the bottom half would be the last gasp. Larry and Nic again started the penultimate rally, and with two on and no outs and the top of the lineup up, you could feel it was over. Darren drew a walk to load the bases, Raul hit a laser single right in front of the left center fielder to tie it (there was no need to risk Nic getting thrown out at home with no outs, so he stopped at third), and Bruce settled it with a blast to center.
So I failed you. I mentioned it in dribs and drabs to some of you that we really wanted to lose the game, but the adrenaline took over and we played it like the Coneheads we are. As I said, if we had lost the game, we would have fallen to fourth place and had all the playoffs at Wilder. Now we will have to play at least two at in the bad dirt of OSF, and get to hear that lovely voice of Ump Lazio once again. Hopefully on the opposite field. Game on.
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