Getting in Your Head (TPG vs PCF)

TPG took the field on Monday against PCF/HH, one of the constant playoff competitors in our league. PCF/HH came to the game with a little pay back in mind as TPG won the 2010 regular season match-up to clinch a playoff spot. Coming into the game, TPG knew that PCF/HH's co-manager Carl Pearson had been ejected from their first game of the season. TPG also knew that based on current SLAM rules one more ejection would get Carl suspended for a game. With TPG well into pregame warm-ups and batting practice, the PCF/HH squad arrived at the field led by the always calm and laid-back Cate Foster.

Looking for any advantage TPG could get, TPG Pitcher Derrick "the mouth" Blocker started laying into PCF/HH.

Derrick - "Better keep your cool, Carl, don't want to get suspended".
Cate - "yeah, right, that's real funny".
Derrick - "no seriously, one more ejection and he's suspended".
Cate - "wait, what?!".

As the PCF/HH blood pressure started rising ("don't let him get into your head!", "too late"), TPG finished their warm-ups and got ready for the game.

With the best pitching we have ever seen from Derrick, and two timely bases loaded hits by newcomer Eric "the model" Doherty, TPG pulled off a narrow 9-7 victory that ended after 5 innings due to time and light restrictions.

TPG Game balls go to Derrick Blocker for discovering his fastball, and Eric Doherty for getting bases loaded hits in each of his first two career SLAM league at bats (5 RBI's).

ORANGE

Whats with the Slew of Orange Jersey's this Season ???

PICKING UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF...

After finally winning its illusive first SLAM championship six months ago, the HMA/RAMSA softball team aims to do something that many of its predecessors have done: repeat as champions. In the 30 year history of the SLAM League, there have been a somewhat astounding seven (7) repeat champions—most recently by Gensler in 2007-2008--which might dispel the notion that the hardest thing to do in sports is repeat.

With no time to rest on its laurels, the Orange Crush took the field on Thursday, April 21st against Perkins Eastman with the same attitude of a year ago, same stellar defense from a year ago but with a new logo and team hat. With the help of some sloppy defense and well-placed hits, HMA/RAMSA put four runs on the board early with singles by SS Doug Houstoun and 1B Josh Barkan. After a scoreless second inning, 2009 rookie of the year, LF Mike “The Situation” Sargent led off the third inning by hitting his first homerun of the early season—marking the third consecutive year that he hit a homerun on opening day. It was an impressive rope for sure, but not the longest ball of the afternoon. Following a two-year sabbatical from the team to compete in an Iron Man competition, RF Josh Aisenberg made a triumphant return with a two-run bomb to RF in the bottom of the fourth to open up the flood gates. The game would 6 batters later as SCF Eric Hofmann drove in the final run of the afternoon, ending the game 11-0.

Leave no doubt, the champs aren’t giving up this trophy so quickly.

Sometimes it is not the score the counts

TPG took the field last Thursday for their season opener against GSA. With all of the bad weather this spring, no chance for fielding practice meant that this would be everyone's first action of 2011. GSA had a breakout year in 2010 beating TPG in the regular season and finishing only one game out of playoff contention.

Led by manager Ed Bolivar, GSA always has fun on the field. And you know what, that's really all that counts in the regular season of this league. Both teams (TPG and GSA) fielded 3 female players in their starting lineups - a first for this writer to witness in 8 years of playing SLAM Softball. Perhaps it was this lack of testosterone, or most likely it was just because Ed leads a very fun-loving GSA team, but everyone seemed to have fun despite a 13-0 mercy 4th inning victory by TPG.

TPG Game balls go to David Beauchamp (who got his first home run in years), Tony Franzese (two home runs), Justin Aharoni (home run and outstanding defense in the left field "swamp" at Hecksher), and newcomer Sara Laurence (line drive RBI single, RBI sac fly, and an over-the-head catch at 2B).

Send Off

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to see how the Slam Blogger looks like.

We had a nice Opening Day and we had our first player Ejected for the 2011 Season.
Now that's an Opening Day Send Off.................: )