TPG mercy's Gensler 15-4

It was not long ago (pre-season 2009 in fact) when it felt like TPG had never beaten Gensler on the softball field.  TPG beat Gensler 11-10 on opening day back in 2009 (our first victory against them in the modern era), and we celebrated as if we had won the championship.  Since that fateful (and precedent setting) day, and leading up into last night's game, TPG has played Gensler 8 times between the regular season and the playoffs... and we won 4 of them and lost 4 of them.  So the TPG vs Gensler match is always circled on the schedule as would be expected with a bitter - yet shockingly friendly(?) - rivalry.

As the teams took the field last night a fierce battle was expected.  Rumors of the core Gensler team retiring at age 40 to focus on their small children were unfounded.  TPG won their 3rd consecutive coin flip (heads anyone?), and took the field as the home team.  In 2012, Gensler scored 123 runs in the regular season - 39 more than any of the other teams in the league.  They were an offensive powerhouse.  So when they rallied in the top of the first and put up 3 runs, TPG thought we would be in for another high-scoring battle.

But let's not forget that TPG is showing signs of an historic offensive season in 2013 averaging 17 runs per game over the first two games of the year.  TPG came to bat in the bottom of the 1st, and like every game so far this year, runs would score.  The first six TPG batters reached base safely including Doubles by SS Tommy "Guns" Anderson (2-3, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI) and Rookie 1B Elliot "Stretch" Grochal (2-3, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI).  A total of 10 batters came to the plate, and at the end of the first inning, TPG was up 5-3 with a lead they would never relinquish.

Tommy "Guns" Anderson

Elliot "Stretch" Grochal

TPG Defense took over for the rest of the game allowing only one more run over five innings.  Stellar play by the TPG outfield of Justin "Big Bat" Aharoni, David "Speedy" Beauchamp, Ray "Big Ray" Dominguez, and Simon "Kung Fu Panda" Yeung caught every blast the power bats of Gensler launched their way.

Heading into the bottom of the 5th inning, it was 6-4 and TPG was clinging to a 2 run lead.  TPG C Alex "Nickname" Belfiore led off the inning with a line drive single to left, and with the top of the order immediately following, this inning was shaping up to be a big one.  With two men on base and nobody out, early season MVP candidate TPG LF Justin "Big Bat" Aharoni (2-3, BB, 3 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI) smoked an RBI double, and immediately scored when TPG 3B Tony "Muscle" Franzese (2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI) ripped a 2 RBI single.  In the next two at bats, TPG SS Tommy "Guns" Anderson blasted an RBI triple to deep center field, and TPG Rookie 1B Elliot "Stretch" Grochal roped an RBI double.  Not to be outdone, fellow TPG Rookie DH Norman "Cricket" Ha (1-2, R, 3B, RBI) crushed his second triple of the season, scoring on the following at bat.  A total of 7 runs came across the plate in the 5th, and TPG now led 13-4.

Alex "Nickname" Belfiore

Justin "Big Bat" Aharoni

Tony "Muscle" Franzese

Norman "Cricket" Ha

Needing only two more runs to win the game via the 11-run mercy rule, TPG LF Justin "Big Bat" Aharoni came to bat in the bottom of the 6th with one out and a man on base.  Justin blasted an RBI triple, only to score on the ensuing errant throw to 3rd base.  2 runs scored, TPG wins 15-4.

Game balls go to Justin Aharoni, Tommy Anderson, and Elliot Grochal