A Loss, a Touchdown, and a Dramatic Win

Sometimes us writers need a break.  A vacation even.  Sometimes things get missed, forgotten, and ignored.  The last time you heard from me team TPG was rolling along towards an undefeated season with a 6-0 record and a virtual lock on the SLAM runs scored per game modern era record.  But nobody's perfect, right?

Back on July 8, team TPG took the field against SOM/SHCA (SS), and their pitcher of the year candidate Scott Habian.  Scott is not only known for his blazing fastball, but also his intense stare, long windup, and deliberate pitching technique.  With one eye squinted in the sun, Scott gave up only 3 runs, as the powerhouse lineup of team TPG fell victim.  This was a tight game, SS scored 3 unearned runs in the 3rd inning and took a lead they would never relinquish.  The defensive play of the game went to SS CF Nick Medrano when he threw a laser to the plate to nail a TPG runner by a step maintaining a 2 run lead.  Final score was 5-3, and TPG took their first loss of the year.

A week later, with TPG manager Josh "Roll Call" Ginsburg out of the office, the team took on PCF with the hopes of stopping the losing streak at one.  As team TPG arrived at the field, and players stopped chatting long enough to consider warming-up before the game, a sudden realization occurred.  TPG 3B Tony "Married to the Firm" Franzese had forgotten our gear bag, and we had no bats, balls, or bases.  Oops.  With only Tony's heavy 28 ounce bat, and bases borrowed from PCF, the comedy of errors was just beginning.  Did I mention that team MVP front-runner LF Justin "Big Bat" Aharoni showed up 20 minutes late wearing a nicely ironed pair of pink shorts, with an apparently lack of interest in playing?  Granted, it was a pretty hot day.  With Justin sidelined, and last year's league MVP SS Tommy "Guns" Anderson out again due to a heavy workload, TPG would need all the help they could get.  But if there is one thing team TPG has proven this season, it is that they have an incredibly deep lineup (can someone say "making a manager's job tough in the playoffs when everyone finally shows up"?).  TPG rookie Ron "Touchdown" Burrus was involved in what will most likely go down as the blooper highlight of the year.  After hitting a single, the entire world learned about Ron's athletic history.  Apparently (and unbeknownst to the rest of the team), Ron is a former semi-pro football player with a 4.34 40 yard dash time (for those scoring at home Robert Griffen III posted a time of 4.41).  Unfortunately, Ron's running experience is limited to scoring Touchdowns, where you can just run right through the end zone line.  So on the next play as Ron goes racing around the bases he heads into third and forgets to stop ("TOUCHDOWN!"), ending up on the far side of the TPG dugout. With "encouragement" from his teammates, Ron ran back toward 3B, side stepped one PCF player, then juked towards home plate side stepping yet another player ultimately crossing the plate untouched while the TPG bench hummed the lyrics to MC Hammer's "You Can't Touch This".  Sadly (yet accurately), Ron was ruled out of the baseline, and his run did not count. TPG laughed their way through the end of the game, winning decisively by a final score of 12-5.  Game ball went to TPG SS Tony Franzese as he went 4-4 with a HR and 2 RBIs.

Two nights ago on July 30, team TPG took the field against FXF in what has become a very heated rivalry in recent years.  After last season's one run victory ultimately became the reason FXF missed the playoffs for the first time in years, they were faced once again with a win or out scenario against TPG. A win by FXF and they would most likely be TPG's first round playoff opponent.  A loss by FXF and their season would be over. This would be the most dramatic and intense game TPG has played all season.  With 6 ties or lead changes, this game never saw more than a one run lead at the end of an inning.  The game started off shockingly calm, as both teams remained focused on trying to win a closely contested match.  Clinging to a 3-3 tie, things started getting testy when some close calls did not go the right way.  And after a trash-talking filled bottom of the 5th inning when FXF players apparently needed to release some tension, team TPG came to bat in the top of the 6th with a bit of revenge on their minds.  The inning started off with a single by TPG LF Ray "Big Ray" Dominguez, and then SS Tony "Married to the Firm" Franzese came to bat with smoke steaming from his ears.  First pitch, and boom, a long blast to deep center field for a go ahead triple, capping a 3-3 day that included 2 triples, and 2 RBIs.  With TPG LF Justin "Big Bat" Aharoni sidelined yet again, Tony's 7-7 with 2 triples and a home run over the past two games vaults hims back into MVP discussion.  TPG defense held up allowing only one more run, and the final score was a TPG victory of 5-4.  FXF's season is over, and TPG has one final game against three time defending champion RAMSA to determine who gets a first round bye in the playoffs.  Game Ball went to Tony Franzese as he went 3-3 with 2 3Bs and 2 RBIs.

HM/RAMSA Dethroned!

For the moment at least.........

PCF/HH tosses GSA another loss....

....with the high arc hand of this man.

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).

HMA/RAMSA RETURNS TO THE SLAM FINALS

Sporting their new playoff-issued orange silicone bracelets with the phrase “Leave No Doubt”, the HMA/RAMSA softball team did just that in the semi-finals as they eliminated PCF/HH with a pretty convincing two game sweep.

The first game of the series took place last Tuesday as PCF/HH on North Meadow #11. Coming off a series victory against FxFowle the night before, PCF/HH admittedly looked a bit tired and worn down for the opening game. Couple that with the fact that PCF/HH was without their starting pitcher, Juan Monahan, and the first game was over very quickly.

After getting the first two runners on base to start the game, the middle of the order did their job in driving home the runners as Doug Houstoun and Mike “The Situation” Sargent went for back-to-back triples. HMA/RAMSA scored 5 runs in the first inning and put up another 5 runs in the second inning as well as Houstoun and Sargent drove in another pair of runs to take a commanding 10-0 lead into the third. From there, the two teams exchanged runs for a few innings until the sixth inning where HMA/RAMSA ended the game by mercy, 14-3.

Game Two followed a week later and saw the return of PCF/HH’s starting pitcher. In stark contrast to game one, the second game was all about pitching and defense. The two teams combined for 7 hits all game long. (Our stat guys are verifying but it is believed to be a SLAM playoff record). Both pitchers were frustrating the batters and the defenses were shutting down the opposition all game long as the game ended in little over an hour.

Fresh from his jog from Central Park West, leadoff man Pete Garofalo ran to the field at 5:35 without so much as a warm-up swing or stretch and did what he’s done all season long: lead off the game with a base hit. From there, his hustle to 3rd base on an infield groundout epitomized what this second game was all about. He would later came around to score on a sac fly by Doug Neri (his third of the series). HMA/RAMSA began the second inning with two singles--but those would be the last hits that PCF/HH would allow the entire game. HMA/RAMSA was able to scratch out two more runs that inning without another hit in the second inning to take an early 3-0 lead. Unlike Game One, which was all about the bats, the rest of the game was all about the gloves.

On the other side of the ball, the defense for HMA/RAMSA was beyond brilliant. I would like to say it was a brilliantly pitched game, but when you have multiple over-the-head basket catches, diving catches in foul territory and "blinded by the sun" catches in the OF playing behind you, it makes the job of the pitcher that much easier. To put the pitching and defensive efforts into proper perspective, PCF/HH got only 4 hits in the game and never advanced a runner to 3rd base as HMA/RAMSA finished off the series with a 3-0 shutout.

There were no whip-cream celebrations on the field or postgame celebrations at the bar for HMA/RAMSA. After last season’s failure in the finals, this season has been all about redemption; and getting into the SLAM Finals is only the next step in the process for this single-minded team. Next up for the Orange Crush......we shall see.

Two down, two more to go. Leave No Doubt.

TPG Clinches Playoff Spot with Win vs PCF

Some teams make the playoffs every year. TPG is not one of those teams. After an up and down season (3 straight wins followed by 5 straight losses), the stage was set for an epic TPG vs PCF battle on Hecksher 1 last night. Rain threatened all day, so no one expected to play. Even the ump showed up with an umbrella surprised by how good the fields looked. I guess it was meant to be...

TPG jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but PCF fought back to tie and ultimately went up 4-2. Things were getting tense. PCF players were throwing gloves in the air (after fly balls), and crashing into 2nd base (without sliding), but TPG just shook it off. A police helicopter buzzed overhead for the first few innings - either looking for a suspect, or because we bribed them to distract PCF.

Then the comeback started. Everyone got involved, even the manager's 19 month old son (who was hiding practice softballs under the bleachers). First it was tied, 4-4. Then 7-4. Then 10-4 and the route was on. When the final out was made, and a playoff birth in the books, it was PIE time. Game balls go to LCF David Beauchamp for successfully delivering a pie to the face of Manager Josh Ginsburg (see video below), and RCF Simon Yeung for bringing shots of "lucky special water" for the post game celebration.



Next up, TPG vs GA in round 1. Game On.

Down the Stretch they Come (TPG vs. PEA)

With 5 consecutive losses going into last night's game, the once-promising season was on the brink for team TPG. Was it the rainouts, poor league scheduling, or just simply bad playing? Feeling the pressure, team TPG came to play last night against PEA. Former team MVP Omar "No Practice" Cevallos made his return to the lineup for the first time since April, and played a sensational 3B getting the first 5 outs of the game.



The TPG offense finally showed their stuff ripping off 4 runs in the 1st inning to stake a lead they would never give up. Newcomer Ray "Sparky" Dominguez played SS, led off the game with a hit, and seemed to spend the whole game speeding around the bases. The final score was 7-4, as TPG beat PEA.

5 of the 6 playoff teams are already decided (although the final seeding is still up for grabs): RAMSA, SSC, PCF, GA, and FXF.

The 6th and final spot is between TPG, MGA, and EA, and it looks like it may come down to the last week of the season. TPG is in the driver seat as the only team left who controls their own destiny (TPG beat both MGA and EA during the season). Two wins by TPG against PCF (Thursday) and GSA (Next Monday) clinch the 6th seed. TPG also gets in with one win and an MGA loss (MGA has two games left - GSA and SSC). MGA gets in with two wins and a TPG loss. EA is the long shot getting in with two losses by both TPG and MGA.

A lot is riding on these games for the other teams as well. If TPG beats PCF on Thursday, GA becomes the 3 seed, moving FXF up to 4, and PCF down to 5. A win by PCF gives them the 3 seed, and GA/FXF remain at 4/5 respectively. SSC's loss yesterday to EA put RAMSA back in the fast track for the 1 seed - provided they can pull off a victory in the final game of the season against arch-nemesis KPF. SSC will need a victory against MGA and a loss by RAMSA to reclaim the 1 seed.

Could this be the first year in recent memory that the 6th seed has a below .500 record? Will TPG keep the momentum and return to the post-season for the first time since 2008? Will MGA reach the post-season for the first time in team history? Will an epic collapse by both TPG and MGA boost EA into the playoffs? Stay tuned.

PCF/HH Back On Track After Controversial Loss

After suffering a dissapointing and controversial loss to FXFowle, PCF/HH came back out with something to prove....this time against SLAM powerhouse Gensler. Although GA brought their big bats, PCF/HH played extremely tight defense, especially in the outfield. But unfortunately Gensler did not bring their typical defensive prowness to the field that day, and gave this one to PCF/HH, 11-0 in 5 innings....

Game ball goes to the ENTIRE SQUAD for holding Gensler scoreless...their first shutout in many years!

PCF bounces back with BIG win over PEA

PEA were a little slow warming up their defense which proved detrimental in the first inning. Veteran shortstop Mark Maljanian pounded a 2 run homer which highlighted a very productive inning offensively for PCF/HH, earning 5 runs the old fashioned way with solid base hits, smart running, and fielding errors. On defense, Juan Monahan pitched consistantly and his fielders helped hold PEA to only 3 hits in as many innings. Perhaps it was the temptation of cold beer served at the oh-so-close "Ballfield Cafe" that distracted us, but the middle innings saw PCF/HH get a little anxious both offensively and defensively. PEA clean up hitter smashed a homerun into what seemed to be Central Park South, and that was just enough to get PCF/HH back into the game offensively in the top of the 5th. A single by Mark Maljanian set up Carlos Sagastume (LF) to pound out an RBI double. Ron Rainone (3B) proved his clean up status with a monster triple scoring 2 more runs. And Rodney Santiago (1B) closed out the damage with an RBI earning sac fly to center field....

PEA remained collected as the top of their lineup stepped up in the bottom the 5th. Capitalizing off PCF/HH's decision to go 3 wide in the outfield, PEA dropped down a few blooper singles and managed to score 3 more runs. 5 runs not being "enough" insurance for PCF/HH, they answered big offensively by scoring a total of 6 more runs with hits by Cate Foster (2B), Yusuke Okabayashi (EH), a monster double by Tony Rodriguez (RF), and pretty much everyone else in the line up. Final score, 16-5 PCF/HH (plus 3 rounds of beer at the Ballfield Cafe!)

Game ball goes to Tony Rodriquez for his slump busting 3-RBI double. Honorable mention goes to Mark Maljanian who went 4 for 4 with a homer.

PCF/HH Keeps Up The Momentum

PCF/HH and RRA/DBB went head to head on another perfect Spring evening at the North Meadow. Juggling a wierd start time and a new field location both teams looked a little jittery during warm ups. Once underway Carl Pearson (RC) got to work quickly, belting a line drive single, but the opposing pitcher made easy work of silencing the next three batters. On defense, PCF/HH looked very composed. Some sloppy base running and quick thinking by Mark Maljanian (SS) gave PCF/HH a crucial inning ending double play to keep RRA/DBB scoreless. PCF/HH bats came alive in the second inning, as Juan Monahan (P) smashed a double followed up by a blooper single by Carlos Sagastume (LF). They say that good things come to those who wait. Patience at the plate earned Dwidson Metayer (LC) a cricital base on balls, who immediately scored off a 2-RBI earning base hit by Scott Long (RF). A dead pull line drive by Cate Foster(2B) caught her old teammates by suprise but with two outs PCF/HH could not convert it into another run. The momentum continued in the 3rd and 4th innings, highlighted by a solo homerun by Mark Maljanian, triple by Juan Monahan and numerous base hits. It appeared as though PCF/HH was going to hand RRA/DBB a shut out and call it a night, but oh no.....that would be too easy!

RRA/DBB slapped a couple of lucky blooper singles to load the bases in the 6th. Some brief miscommunication on the infield sent in a run but, a flawless 5-3 play by Ron Rainone (3B) and Rodney Santiago (1B) held RRA/DBB's damage to only 3 runs. Final score 7-3.

Game ball goes to Mark Maljanian for hitting a solo home run and turning two unassisted double plays.

PCF/HH Hands GSA a Loss in Season Opener

Conditions on the field could not have been more perfect for the SLAM 2010 season opener last night between PCF/HH and GSA. Both teams looked pretty strong during warm-ups so it was anyone's guess on how this first game would unfold. PCF got to work early, scoring two runs off a monster triple by star pitcher Juan Monahan, and a blooper single to center by Carlos Sagastume (LF) brought Juan in for a quick 3-0 lead at the end of the first. But GSA remained composed, and kept PCF/HH bats silent for the next two innings. On defense, Ron Rainone (3B), Mark Maljanian (SS), and newcomer Rodney Santiago (1B) denied GSA a few potential infield hits but in the third inning their luck suddenly turned. Capitalizing off a walk and a fielding error GSA pounded out 3 quick runs to tie the game. Nervous that momentum of the game had shifted, Carlos wasted no time calming our bench down by smacking a lead-off solo homerun. With the entire batting order behind him, PCF/HH scored a whopping 14 runs in the 4th inning including a double by Dwidson Metayer (C), RBI earning single by newcomer Scott Long (RF) and base hits by female players Cate Foster (RC) and Cheryl Shea (2B). Growing weary, GSA allowed Carl Pearson (LC) to smack a 3-RBI home run on his second at bat of the inning. It appeared that GSA had had enough for one day, ending the evening with a final score of 17-3 PCF/HH.

Game ball goes to Juan Monahan for pitching a great game having not touched a softball since last season, and for producing clutch extra base hits.

PLAYOFF TEAMS ESTABLISHED...

Polshek's (PP) 13-2 win over RRA/DBB last night gave them a final record of 6-5 and locked them into the 6th and final playoff position. (Despite the possibility of also finishing 6-5, both KPF and TPG have been eliminated since they lost their head-to-head match ups with PP.)

The other five playoff teams (HM/RAMSA, SSC, GA, FXF, PCF/HH) will now be jockeying for playoff positioning. HM/RAMSA can secure the #1 seed by winning one of their final two games, however seeds #2 thru #5 are up for grabs. It should be interesting to see how it plays out.

Congrats to all the playoff teams. We will begin scheduling playoff games as soon as the seedings are established.

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!

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.

PCF/HH Guts Out 6-5 Win Over PEA

On a dreary Thursday that saw just enough constant rain to cause problems in the field, Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton and Perkins Eastman Architects traded big innings in a batter's duel en route to a come-from-behind victory in a battle of the two remaining undefeated S.L.A.M. teams.

It's not enough for a pair of teams to boast an "undefeated" 1-0 record in an amateur softball league, so I'm going to build on that by saying only in the S.L.A.M. league can the same teams play error-free softball in sloppy field conditions, particularly since this official scorer hasn't awarded any team an error in more than three years of managing.

But I digress. Cy Young certainly turned over in his grave last night, as he couldn't bare to watch the slugfest between the Black and Red of PCF/HH and the grey of Perkins Eastman. Still, PCF/HH pitcher Juan Monahan made up for his 17 hits allowed (a number of which weren't on his shoulders) by driving in three crucial runs for his home team. Monahan drove in two in the bottom of the first after three consecutive singles by Mark Maljanian, Yusuke Okabayashi, and J. Strong. Carlos Sagastume added a sacrifice fly to left field to help PCF/HH to a 3-0 lead after one.

Perkins Eastman followed up with some key two-out hits of their own, including a big two-run triple by left fielder Eric Brodfuehrer and an RBI single from pitcher Steve O'Reilly to knot the game at 3. PCF/HH narrowly escaped more damage by eliciting a fly ball out with the bases loaded to end the top of the second. After blanking the Black and Red in the bottom of the second, PEA pulled together some more clutch two-out softball, including four consecutive singles and Melissa Schroeder's 2 RBI to take a 5-3 lead.

Neither team scored in the fourth as the sprinkling of rain filled out to a constant drizzle. But in the bottom of the fifth, with time starting to become a factor and the top of their lineup coming to bat, the Black and Red took advantage of what may have been their final opportunity. Alternating singles and fielder's choices, PCF/HH found themselves down 5-4 with two outs. With Okabayashi on first as a courtesy runner for Strong, the tandem of Monahan and Sagastume teamed up again. Monahan boomed an RBI triple to right-centerfield to score Okabayashi and tie the game at 5, before Sagastume hatcheted a single over the heads of the infield to score Monahan and give PCF/HH their second lead of the game, which they would not relinquish.

Defensively, in spite of the sludge, both shortstops made particularly interesting plays to keep their teams in the game. PEA shortstop Mike Bruno pulled off a legitimate SportsCenter Web Gem of a diving catch to rob PCF/HH leadoff hitter Mike Copeland at the top of the first. Bruno received compliments from both teams on the play. Déjà vu struck in the bottom of the second, as Bruno again made a lunging stop to rob Teresa Parziale of a single up the middle.

Not to be outdone, Maljanian anchored two double plays. The first came on a line-drive out in the third inning that he threw to first to double off the base runner. His next one came in the top of the fourth, also on a line-drive catch, followed by a diving tag to catch the runner at second.

The PCF/HH Game Ball goes to two players. Juan Monahan for his clutch hits and 3 RBI to lead the team offensively and to Mark Maljanian (who'd tell you he had a crappy game if you asked) for his 2-for-3 and 2 runs scored at the plate, as well as his two double plays to lead the team defensively.

The PEA Game Ball, in my mind, has to go to Mike Bruno, who added a perfect 3-for-3 batting average to complement his two outstanding plays in the field. If Christine doesn't agree with my call for her Game Ball, she can duke it out with me and the peanut gallery in the comments section.

PCF/HH Downs KPF For First Win

Mark Maljanian was 3-for-3 with 1 RBI, a walk, and 3 runs scored and Mike Copeland hit a bases-clearing double as part of a 5-run third inning, as PCF/HH opened their season with a 9-5 victory over KPF on Great Lawn, Field 4, last night. The win was PCF/HH's first game of the season, after torrential rain postponed their first two matches of the 2009 S.L.A.M. season.

Despite winning the coin toss to be the home team, luck was initially on KPF's side, as they opened a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. The Black and Red of PCF/HH responded in the bottom of the inning, including a pair of patient walks and some timely hitting, to tie the game at 3-apiece.

After a scoreless second, PCF/HH batters used the bottom of the third to distance themselves from the competition, loading the bases once and scoring 5 runs to open up an 8-3 lead. KPF tried to immediately mount a comeback in the top of the fourth, leading off with consecutive base hits from the top of their order. But No. 1 hitter Keisuke Hiei was caught trying to stretch from first to third on captain Li-Min Ching's single by PCF/HH centerfielder Eron Ashley, who loaded his howitzer of a right arm and threw Hiei out at third.

PCF/HH would tack on another run in the sixth before KPF added 2 runs of their own with two out in the top of the seventh. Both teams were able to field their complete turnout, including PCF/HH substitutes and pinch-hitters Dwidson Metayer, Tony (A-Rod) Rodriguez, and Rich Haskell, as well as PCF rookie Michael Stewart.

The loss was adding insult to injury for KPF, as they lost shortstop Dan Treinen to a torn calf muscle and second baseman Adam Zimmerman, who had a fingernail torn off during a fielding play. In spite of all this, there was a silver lining for Hiei, who went 3-for-3 with 2 runs scored, as well as left centerfielder Michael Bentley who contributed 2 hits, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored for KPF.

Now, one month into the season, PCF/HH sits at 1-0 while KPF carries a record of 1-2.

The PCF/HH Game Ball goes to shortstop Mark Maljanian, who had a huge impact in his first game back after a season-long injury sidelined him for all of 2008.

Rainy Days & Blogging

The rain has fallen hard this week as all 10 teams who thought they had a game spent a late afternoon working instead of playing softball. You have to feel especially bad for PCF/HH and PEA who have each had 2 rainouts and 0 games four weeks into the season. I guess the commissioner's failure to post the remaining season schedule as promised by 4/20 was foresight not laziness - now the remaining schedule can take into account rainouts so we can even up the number of games each team has played. Of course this assumes the schedule is posted promptly now that the worst of the weather is over (if not we are looking at laziness again as the motif).

So far a few teams have posted some great writeups on the Blog, and let's hope it continues. As a general guideline, the winning team should be responsible for doing the writeup, but the losing team should feel free to post their side of the story (either as a new post or a comment on an existing post). If you are too busy for an elaborate writeup, then a simple sentence inlcuding the final score and players of the game would be awesome. One other note on the writeup, please use "labels" when posting - in particular the abbreviations for both teams involved. This gives readers the ability to search for posts relating to a specific team (example - try clicking on the label TPG in the right hand nav).