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).