Little Ray Keeps Us Smiling

July 30, 2012.  5:30PM.  Great Lawn 4.  The past two weeks had been tough.  After a crucial victory against FXF on July 10, a game we (TPG) considered the Turning Point Of The Season, we thought we were 100% playoff bound.  We had momentum, we had fight, we even had a bit of luck.  But the road is not always smooth.  There are hills, curves, bumps, and even the occasional roadkill.  TPG carried leads in each of the next two games - first against SS and then the next week against PCF.  But in both of those games we lost the lead, and ultimately the game.  Our backs were against the wall.  Our emotions got the best of us.  There was anger, there was sadness, and there was no joy. 

So now TPG was faced with needing to win their last two games and getting a tiny bit of help from either GA, SS, or RAMSA.  Our game last night was against RRA, who had been on an absolute tear, giving up a total of only 2 runs in their past 5 games (granted one was a forfeit win vs presently-defunct EA), and having just beaten RAMSA.  Oh, and to make matters worse, TPG's starting LF Ray "I am not a chicken" Dominguez could not make the game.

Okay, fine, this is after all just a softball league for Architects.  No matter what, it should be fun, right?  So that's when we reached even deeper for help last night.  With today's roster deadline approaching, TPG signed one final recruit to help us along the way.  Meet Little "I am a rubber chicken" Ray:

With Little Ray's help, we found our smile.  We made sure he had a great view of the game:

We played defense, highlighted by stellar plays from our 3B Lynee "cannon arm - don't even think about testing it" Hastings.  We even scored some runs with clutch hitting by C Alison "yeah, and i can run fast too" Hopke, and a monster HR by SS Tommy "Guns" Anderson.  Final score 9-7, TPG wins.  With a win in our final game of the season against GSA and a win by either SS against KPF or RAMSA against FXF, TPG will be playoff bound in 2012.

Game ball goes to.... Well who do you think?  Little Ray of course.

Simsanity and the Turning Point of the Season

In the course of the season, there is always a game that makes or breaks your team's success. Sometimes this game happens early in the season, sometimes it is at the very end.  You can almost taste it.  The game is usually circled on the schedule, weeks in advance, with anticipation building each day that approaches.  When TPG Architecture took the field last night against FXFowle, this was that game. 

FXF came into the game with a 4-3 record having just lost two 1-run games in a row.  TPG came into the game with a 3-2-1 record, and had just started gaining momentum.  With the standings the way they were, a .500 record - barring a miracle - would not get you in the playoffs.  And the loser of last night's game would have exactly that - a .500 record - with only a few games left to play.

FXF won the toss and choose to be the visitor since their ninth player had literally just shown up on the field wearing street clothes and was desperately trying to change into gear.  TPG defense started the game with a rare 1-2-3 inning, and came to bat in the bottom of the 1st.  Last week, in the TPG game against PEA, a key lineup switch was made placing 2B Simon "Simsanity" Yeung into the 2 spot in the batting order.  Simon was finding every possible way to get on base, and with big hitters 3B Tony "Married to the Firm" Franzese and SS Tommy "Guns" Anderson batting 3-4, we needed base runners at the top of the lineup.  Simon did not disappoint as he roped a single, followed immediately with a base hit by Tony.  After a deep fly out to right by Tommy, 1B Josh "Shufflefoot" Ginsburg hit a 2-out, 2 RBI base hit to get TPG on the board 2-0.

FXF battled, and with a key triple by 2B Allie "Don't know her last name since FXF never submitted a lineup card", and took the lead 4-2.  Things were getting tense.  Several innings went by, TPG felt the season chances slipping with every out.  Bottom of the 4th, TPG batted, and we got a new softball.  You know, one of those bright white, shiny, just out of the box balls.  And the 4-run rally ensued.  Collective sigh of relief.  A 2-run lead, TPG up 6-4.  Next inning,. TPG tacked on 2 more runs and had a comfortable 8-4 lead going into the top of the 7th.  Or so we thought.

Perhaps it was the lighting.  Perhaps it was the smell of fresh cut grass.  Perhaps it was that sense of desperation for FXF as they realized their season was on the brink of disaster.  The FXF bats woke up, and the TPG defense stalled, and 3 runs were across the board before TPG knew what hit us.  Tommy called timeout, and brought the infield into the pitcher's mound.  We only needed one more out.  There was a runner on 3rd.  Focus on the batter, make the out, get out of the inning, and we win the game.  Next pitch and the FXF hitter hit a ground ball right to Tommy, who gunned the runner out at first.  Ball game over.  TPG wins 8-7.

Game balls go to Simon "Simsanity" Yeung (2-4, R), Tommy "Guns" Anderson (2-3, 2B, 2 R), and Josh "Shufflefoot" Ginsburg (1-1, 2 BB, 2 RBI, R).

Introduction

TPG's Josh, has elevated the Slam "announcing the starting line up" from a simple name and position to a
Loud, Hearfelt, Energetic Boom !! He is the next coming of Bob Sheppard mix w/ a little Bleacher Creature.

Gaining Momentum, a Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss

After starting out the season 2-0-1, TPG was primed for a successful 2012.  Then the rain started.  We led the league in rainouts (3), and did not play for 6 weeks.  Muscles started cramping.  Gloves got dusty.  Bats were definitely rusty.  The rain-induced "vacation" ended with TPG squaring off against Gensler, and it was not a fair fight.  We did everything we could not to get Mercy'd and lost 14-2.  The following week (hey we did not have a rainout!) we lost a close battle to KPF, and saw our record an even .500 at 2-2-1.

But our stone was rolling.  The moss was gone.  Amazing what regular playing will do to a team.  TPG took the field last night against Perkins Eastman looking to regain momentum and find ourselves back in playoff contention.  Leading off the 1st, TPG scored a run on 3B Tony "Married to the firm" Franzese's RBI double.  We had a lead.  But PEA came right back in the bottom of the 1st and scored 2.  Oh crap.  Now we were losing.

A scoreless 2nd, and you could cut the tension with a knife.  Emergency RF Alessandra "Really?  You need me to play?" Belfiore made a spectacular catch turning a would be HR into a long out.  This was a must win game for TPG.  Top of the 3rd, and DH Derrick "The Mouth" Blocker led off the inning with a single.  A hit parade followed, and TPG scored 4 to regain a lead that would not be given up.

With the game still close, TPG blew the doors off when SS Tommy "Guns" Anderson came up with bases loaded and 2 outs in the 5th inning.  A bases-clearing 3 RBI triple, and TPG now led 10-3.  Sadly Tommy was held up at 3B, so his streak of consecutive games with a HR ended at 4.  Shockingly, TPG scored 2 more runs in the 7th as DH Derrick "The Mouth" Blocker hit a triple (!?) - and yes his blood sample was sent to the lab for PED testing after the game (results came back negative).  Final score 12-6 TPG.

Game balls go to Derrick Blocker (3-4, 2 1Bs, 3B, 3Rs), Tommy Anderson (2-4, 4 RBIs), and Alessandra Belfiore (RBI, flawless RF).