TPG Crushes KPF 16-5 in 3 1/2 Innings

Today was TPG's "bring your son to the game" day on Central Park's North Meadow 11, and in honor of last Sunday's father's day, I guess the dad's had to show off a little. TPG dads Justin Aharoni, Len Emmanuel, and Josh Ginsburg went a combined 7-8 with 5 RBI's and 6 Runs Scored.



This was another 3 1/2 inning game for TPG as we scored 6 in the first and 10 in the third to beat KPF 16-5. After seeing what KPF's all star pitcher did to the offensive juggernaut that is HM/RAMSA (holding them to only 2 runs in a 3-2 victory), TPG came to the field early for extra BP against nothing but High Arc pitches (KPF pitcher's area of expertise).

The drive of the game was hit by reigning Big Bat Award winner Justin "I don't like to stop running" Aharoni, as he scorched a home run blast to deep left center. With all the recent rain the outfield played like the rough at Bethpage Black, and Justin's HR ball stopped dead only a few feet after landing resulting in a close play at the plate. Honorable mention goes to newcomer Bryan "I'm sprinting 30 feet past first on a ground ball" Rice who went 2-2 with 2 RBI's, and a hamstring pull dive into home for TPG's 15th run of the game.

Game ball goes to Justin Aharoni (3-3, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R)

STYLIN' and PROFILIN'

It was an epic steel cage match on the Great Lawn last evening as Ric Flair and the HMA/RAMSA crew defeated the PCF/HH Hulkamaniacs 8-6 in seven draining innings. It's not often that a much-anticipated battle can live up to the billing, but this one actually did.

A more complete wrap-up will be posted later in the week. With the victory, HMA/RAMSA (6-1 on the season) returns to the top of the SLAM standings with a well-deserved 2 week hiatus; for PCF/HH, the schedule doesn't lend any time to sulk as they have two games next week against 3-1 FxFowle and 4-2 Gensler.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

PCF/HH to meet the REAL Hulk on the Great Lawn

Mr. PCF/HH, don't make us angry...

...you wouldn't like us when we're angry!

WWF Call Out and A Softball Link

[fade in: Dwidson Metayer in an open gold vest, oiled chest, and spandex shorts, Brian Ferry in a head dress with war paint]

BF:

So, HM/RAMSA. The time has come.

YOU GUYS SEEM TO THINK that Divine Intervention allowed you to play on Tuesday and deliver a spanking to the Commissioners over at Gensler. YOU GUYS SEEM TO THINK that you can run up the score on anybody, anywhere. YOU GUYS SEEM TO THINK that you've got us stymied because of last season's 5-4 win over The Black and Red.

But we know better. SummerSlam has got nothing on the hurtin' you're about to receive. And you'd better hope that God makes the Great Lawn unplayable on Monday. Because if if he don't bring the rain, we're gonna bring the pain!

DM [nodding]:

THAT'S RIGHT! You know orange is my favorite color. All I'm gonna see next week is blood orange!

BF:

You know it, Mean Gene. My friends, The Black and Red are ready to make HMA/RAMSA black and blue. We're talking to you, "Nature Boy" David Solomon! We're talking to you Eddie "Playboy" Kung! You can run, but you can't hide! We swept you from the playoffs in '07. We're gonna mop the floor with you in '09. We're gonna Hulk Up! The Orange Crush is gonna get juiced this week! Go ahead and bring your friends. Because everyone's going to want to see this. MONDAY NIGHT! GREAT LAWN 3! We're comin' for YOU!

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As a side note, in case no one has seen this already, Joe Buck did a promo for his new HBO show by attending and playing in a Central Park softball game at the Hecksher ballfields. He chose to play with the theater league because he can't hang with the All Stars of the S.L.A.M. League.

To see his video, click the link below. When it loads, click on "Buckshot with Joe" in the video navigation window and then click on "Buckshot: The Big Show."

http://www.hbo.com/joebucklive/video/

SEEING RED: HMA/RAMSA TAKES DOWN GENSLER 10-3 ON NORTH MEADOW #11

Though it seems like it’s been raining for 2 weeks straight, the heavens parted on Tuesday evening to allow Gensler and HMA/RAMSA renew their rivalry on the softball field—in fact, some have even suggested that God himself parted the clouds to watch two of the elite teams in the SLAM League. A year ago, HMA/RAMSA defeated Gensler 7-6 to start the season but infamously fell short in the playoffs while Gensler went on to repeat as league champions. As the great philosopher Ric Flair famously proclaims: “In order to be the man, you must beat the man…..WOOOOOOO!”

HMA/RAMSA scored yet again in the first inning—their 12th first inning run of the season—to take an early 1-0 lead as Pete Garofalo came around to score the first of his three runs on the day. After getting retired 1-2-3 in the first inning, Gensler struck back in the second with a couple of hits and a sacrifice fly to knot the game at 1-1. The floodgates were opened in the 3rd inning as HMA/RAMSA scored three unearned runs on a pair of groundball errors by normally sure-handed 3B Robert Fuller to take a 4-1 lead.

From that point in the game, HMA/RAMSA never looked back as they tacked on 3 more runs in each the 4th and 5th innings. Doug “I Used To Play SS” Houstoun, in his second game back from a wrist injury, doubled in the 4th inning to drive in his first 2 runs of the season. In the 5th inning, Gensler pitcher Joe Sopiak, who had fallen behind hitters all day long, struggled to find the plate as he walked the first two hitters of the inning. Those baserunners eventually came around to score on a rope by LF Eric Hofmann, who bloodied his knee earlier in the game sliding into third base. (It took that long for a bloody knee?) Gensler added a run in the 4th and 7th inning to bring the final score to 10-3.

It was the third consecutive win for the Orange Crush who have now moved their record to 5-1 on the season. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for HMA/RAMSA with upcoming games—weather permitting of course—against the first place and only undefeated team remaining in the SLAM League, PCF/HH (3-0) and then belated fireworks on July 6th against the mighty warriors of SSC.

GAME BALLS…..We can’t single out any 2 people who contributed to the win so we’re handing one out to the entire team for timely hitting, excellent defense and just enough pitching to quiet the Gensler bats for one evening in Central Park.

Until we meet again, Big Red….perhaps this year in the playoffs

Polshek Partnership write-ups

here are excerpts from game write-ups of PPA's last four games...

The Polshek Breeze
Substitute-Editor: David "Stretch" Coxson
Mid-Day Edition
Team Polshek Back on Track:
Return of ‘His n’ Hers Flood Pants’ Chang Emboldens Group for Victory
The seas were angry last night, my friends. Well, at least the skies were. But luckily the showdown between Team Polshek and Team Mitchell Giurgula went off without a hitch and ended without a hitch. (It did end an inning early, but none seemed too displeased to head to their respective après-softball locales before reaching the seventh inning).
Playing shorthanded with only 9 players in the field, Team Polshek looked sharp in the field and aggressive at times at the plate. Newcomer Frank "G$" Guittard had a nice base-knock down the right field line— as he ran down to first, I couldn’t help but think that those short shorts could be slightly longer…but they do make him look like a 7-footer rather than 6’-8". So, I guess for intimidation purposes, keep wearing those in the future, Frank. In other standout play, Natasha is now hitting the ball hard and straight rather than hard and backwards—which is good.

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The Polshek Gazette
Rainy Days and Mondays Edition
Editor-In-Boxers or Briefs: Adam Mead
They came quick and they came often, before team Polshek new what hit them, we were facedown on the matt sucking wind, 6 quick runs came flying from Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton something like the fists of Sonny Liston. Our heads were spinning, if it weren’t for losing, we’d be winning. Well I’ll make this short and sweet, we got one big hit, in the end it didn’t matter one bit, but it kept our heads from falling, you see here I’m stalling. Standing side by side it was obvious our opponents were on steroids. By the end of the game I couldn’t even tell if I had any deltoids. One thing became clear, if it weren’t for the beer, my memory of the game would be clear. As we left the field, we knew at 16-6, we had been forced to yield. Losers or winners, it’s all the same, for in this game our real talents are shown later, when we take pints of beer, and continue to show such great balance without a once of fear. Here’s hoping we get some more cheerleaders next game, you can all look on as I personally take on a wild lion, with one challenge, to tame!
See you then, same Bat time, same Bat channel!

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Polshek Post
Late-Afternoon Pre-Holiday Rendition
Volume 1 of 1
Substitute Editor- David "Gimpy" Coxson
The Polshek bats came alive against local foe Gruzen Samton on a sunny, warm Thursday evening- an evening that brought out our first fans of the year! Under the shadow of Foster’s Hearst building, the marketing team and a few other good souls from the office came out to cheer on team Polshek with wild, reckless, raucous abandon. Oh, and they brought cookies and Fritos—nutritious and still delicious. What they saw was softball at its finest—base hit after base hit, great outfield snags, some gutsy pitching, and Matt(ingly) Dionne’s throw from the outfield that hit a wandering spectator on top of the head. Good aim!
Gruzen’s one and only run came after a routine pop-fly somehow made it beyond our left-fielder’s (*name withheld for embarrassment purposes (Dionne)) field of vision. But after that, it was all Polshek! Like the good sportsmen we are, we ran up the score and refused to enact the ‘Mercy’ rule, winning 13-1. In fact, there really wasn’t anything clumsy or overly embarrassing that I can relay…hmmm, well except for Graeme falling down again and doing some sort of roll in centerfield and Hillary’s catch-and-throw routine (she’s lefty and played with a righty’s glove). That’s really it…well, except for Dionne’s trip and tumble at home plate with all of his catcher’s gear on. But seriously, that’s it. (Steve is still wearing his flood pants).
We fought like titans and played fundamentally-sound softball in unbearably bright and hot conditions—conditions that made us run for the local bar where we were called sinners by some suits and had some good, cold beer and snacks—a general merriment of mingling Polshekians reveling after a good win.
For this year, the elevator bragging rights belong to us...

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Polshek Post
Earlier-Afternoon Rendition
Volume 1 of 1
Substitute Editor- David "Button-Down" Coxson
Polshek’s Rally Comes Up Short (or tall) Against SOM/SHCA/CooperRobertson.
Wow! It was a thrilling (at times) first game of the 2009 season. Donning our digitally-charged new jerseys, Team Polshek stormed the Central Park field against one of the league’s perennial powerhouses in SSC on a beautiful, sunny day—a day when all walks of life decided to plop down to sunbathe, chant in unison, read, have a picnic smack dab in the middle of our outfield. In fact one group of semi-clad soccer jugglers decided to practice their trade directly in front of Adam Sheraden (our new left fielder). Seemingly excited, he didn’t protest but actually joined in on the fun causing our manager Steve Chang to ruffle his flood pants.
As the game went on, SSC amassed a 6-0 lead by the 6th inning. We looked lethargic, rusty, just trying our best to shake the hibernation fog…then…it happened! We started to hit, run, slide, cheer, fall down all in one inning! The score was suddenly 6-4 as yours truly came to bat with 2 men on and 2 outs. I hit the ball as far as I think I could hit anything, but the SSC center fielder (all 6’-9" of him) wheeled back, pirouetting as he did, tripped on some Frisbee players and sno-coned the ball to cut the rally short. Gimme a break!
We played our Polshek hearts out and saw great strides of progress already in just one game. Our after-game celebration started the season off right as well: 7 pitchers of the finest lager and 6 platters of hot wings. Not bad.

HMA/RAMSA MOVES TO 4-1 ON THE SEASON WITH A 12-3 VICTORY OVER PERKINS EASTMAN

Though the final score of 12-3 would indicate otherwise, nothing came easy for HMA/RAMSA (4-1) against Perkins Eastman -- especially for pitcher David Solomon who struggled mightily to find the strike zone all game long.

As they had done in 3 of their first 4 games of the season, HMA/RAMSA jumped on the board early with a manufactured run with a little hustle and a deep sacrifice fly by Brian Barney to take a 1-0 in the top of the first inning. Perkins Eastman threatened in the bottom of the inning with a base hit and walk (the first of a career high 5 walks by Solomon); but some solid defense and well-positioned fielders bailed out the pitcher on many occasions on this night. HMA/RAMSA turned a double in the first inning as 3B Jon Fukutomi snagged a hard ground ball stepped on third base and threw out the runner at first base. Another double play was turned in the 3rd inning to end yet another threat as The Cannon, Pete Garofalo caught a line drive in shallow center and threw out the runner at first base, leaving the score deadlocked at 1-1 heading to the fourth inning.

Mike Ryan and Brian Barney each reached base via error to lead off the inning. They were followed by a single by last game’s hero Mike Periolat and then a pair of walks which gave HMA/RAMSA a 3-1 lead. After PEA turned a nifty double play of their own, Doug Neri singled up the middle to continue the two-out rally and score 2 more runs. When the dust had settled in the inning, all 11 batters came to the plate and 7 runs crossed to break open the game to 8-1.

From there, the HMA/RAMSA pitcher had serious control problems on the day as PEA threatened in each of the next three innings with 2 or 3 runners on base in each inning. When he did get the ball over the plate, Solomon was hit very hard by PEA with some very deep outs to well-placed outfielders. One has to wonder if there was added pressure on Solomon as his 21 month old son was in attendance on the afternoon.

HMA/RAMSA tacked on 4 more runs in the top of the inning to extend to a 12-3 lead, the final two runs coming on a 2-run HR by cleanup hitter Brian Barney to complete what was clearly his best day at the plate this season. HMA/RAMSA has now scored in their final at bat in each of the first 5 games.

The offense certainly came alive this afternoon with the 12 run output but with two-time defending champions Gensler next up on the schedule, the HMA/RAMSA pitcher had better get his location issues resolved before next Tuesday.

GAME BALLS:
Pete Garofalo – 2 for 4 on the day, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI; equally impressive were his two outfield assists (4 total on the season) -- one to double up a runner at 1st and another to nail a runner at 3rd base.

Brian Barney – 2 for 4, 2 runs scored, HR, 3 RBI -- maybe all that waffle ball did help?

13 Runs in 3 Innings

45 Minutes was all it took for team TPG to dispatch GSA 13-1 in three and a half innings last night. Rain threatened all day, but the force was with us as the sun came out in blinding fashion. The game was held on Great Lawn 4 which (as any veteran of the SLAM league knows) means direct sun in the batter's eye. Unaffected we were, with TPG scoring 5 in the 1st on 6 consecutive hits to lead off the game.

This would not be a close game, as TPG tacked on 5 in the second and 3 in the third before winning via the mercy rule after GSA batted in the top of the fourth. TPG's "sun don't bother us" power included a two home run day by SS Len Emmanuel (2 run HR in the 2nd, and 3 run HR in the 3rd), and a 3-3 night by 3B Jigar Patel (now leading the team with an otherworldly .818 avg). Not to be overlooked was another outstanding game by TPG pitcher Derrick Blocker (1 Run, 0 BB, 3 K) as he held GSA to only a couple of bloop singles.

Game Balls go to:
Len Emmanuel (3-3, 2 HR, 5 RBI)
Jigar Patel (3-3, 3B)
Derrick Blocker (3 K, 0 BB, 1 ER)

PCF/HH Vaults Polshek In HR Derby

Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton and Polshek Partnership traded big innings and home runs last Thursday, but the potent PCF/HH offense would prove to be too much as S.L.A.M.'s only undefeated team remained so with a convincing 16-6 victory at the Hecksher ballfields.

PCF/HH's Juan Monahan, Mike Copeland, and Carlos Sagastume all homered and Polshek's Loren Supp contributed a booming 3-run shot of his own (that nearly hit a batter at the plate on the opposite field) in what proved to be an exciting offensive performance.

PCF/HH batters pulled their weight at the plate, hitting for average and, many, for extra bases. J. Strong was a perfect 4-for-4 on the day with a double, 3 runs, and 1 RBI. Mark Maljanian tripled in his second at-bat, going 2-for-3 with 3 runs and 1 RBI. Yusuke Okabayashi was 1-for-2 with a 2-RBI double, and Cate Foster finished 3-for-4 with an RBI. Aside from his homer, Copeland walked in each of his other three plate appearances.

For Polshek, left fielder Graeme Reed and right fielder Adam Sheraden led the way. Both batted 2-for-3 with Reed contributing a walk and 2 runs scored, while Sheraden added an RBI. Natasha Skogerboe finished 1-for-2 with a walk and shortstop Andre Soto displayed skill in both sides of the field, going 1-for-3 with 1 walk and 2 runs scored while robbing PCF/HH's Maljanian on a line drive in his only unsuccessful at-bat, as well as getting underneath a number of fly balls.

PCF/HH led Polshek 4-2 after one and took a 10-2 lead into the bottom of the third before Supp's interplanetary jolt and another Polshek fielder's-choice RBI closed the gap to 10-6. But PCF/HH held Polshek to just 4 more hits through the final three innings while piling on 6 additional runs of their own.

The victory extended PCF/HH's record to 3-0 while Polshek dropped to 1-2 with the loss.

PCF/HH Game Balls goes to Cate Foster, Juan Monahan, and J. Strong. Foster helped round out the bottom third of the order with a very respectable showing for all S.L.A.M. females at 3-for-4, Monahan had an average day on the mound but could have beat Polshek on his own by contributing 7 RBI, and Strong continues to be a rock in the heart of the lineup.

BAKER'S DOZEN

For 90 minutes last night, the big city bore witness to a revival so moving and true to the original that one felt transported all the way back to 2006. No, we're not talking about "Legally Blonde: The Musical" returning to the Great White Way, we're talkin' the return of Skidmore, Swanke, Cooper softball - the way it used to be - brash, physical, unapologetic, and just a little bit vulnerable.

The swagger was back and the unfortunate recipients of the nostalgic 13-2 thrashing were the unsuspecting and undeserving kids of Perkins Eastman Kodak. Where the timely hitting and solid defense came from -no one was sure, but it felt like old times. Has the once feared (yet loveable) three-headed monster that once menaced the SLAM league recaptured it's signature form? Probably not, but for one night in early June, it sure felt that way.

TPG Beats RRA/DBB 12-8

The afternoon looked bleak for TPG as 3 all-star starters called in unavailable for the game. But once we got to the field, and soaked up the 70 degree sunshine, things changed for the better. TPG scored 4 in the first, and 5 in the second en route to a 12-8 victory over RRA/DBB.

TPG led of the game with four straight hits by David Beauchamp (3-4, RBI), Jigar Patel (3-4, 2B, RBI), Omar Cevallos (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Justin Aharoni (2-2, 2 2B, BB). RRA/DBB fought back with 2 in the bottom of the first keeping the game close.



The second inning proved to be the turning point of the game when TPG EH Ron Alalouf (2-3, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI) came to bat with two outs and the bases loaded. Ron ripped a line drive to right field clearing the bases before he was thrown out at the plate trying to get TPG's first Grand Slam of the season (see video highlight below for replay of the bang-bang play at the plate where Ron was questionably called out).



TPG Pitcher Derrick Blocker had two key strikeouts of the number four and five hitters for RRA/DBB as he notched his first win of the season. RRA/DBB made it interesting as they scored 4 runs in the 6th, and time constraints kept the game from going into the 7th.

Game ball goes to Ron Alalouf for his 4 RBI performance.