ORANGE CRUSH RALLIES FOR THRILLING 6-5 VICTORY OVER BIG RED MACHINE

The Great Lawn was abuzz on Monday evening as a pair of SLAM’s elite renewed their friendly rivalry in Central Park. In three of the previous four seasons, the outcome of this game has been decided by one run (with each team splitting the four contests) so it should have come to no one’s surprise that this game was also a 1-run game.

Just six days after the birth of his daughter, David Solomon took the mound against the vaunted Gensler lineup and was rudely greeted by a leadoff single by Roger Lee, who later came around to score the first run of the game. After the first inning, both pitchers settled in nicely as the score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the 4th inning.

After extending the lead to 3-0 in the 4th inning, Gensler tacked on another pair of runs in the 5th inning thanks in part to a pair of errors by shortstop Doug Houstoun who had an absolutely miserable defensive day in the field. (I don’t want to say exactly how many errors he had on the afternoon but I think it rhymed with “jive”). On the flipside, Gensler’s pitcher Joe Sopiak was nothing short of masterful through five innings, shutting down the HMA/RAMSA offense and limiting them to only 4 hits.


But you can keep a good offense down for so long as the Orange Crush mounted an epic rally for the ages in the 6th inning, with 6 outs to play, scoring 6 runs to take the lead. The devilish rally began with a little hustle as Mike Sargent doubled to LF which seemingly energized the team. After a defensive error and strikeout, Pete Garofalo worked a savvy walk to load the bases. Dan Sykes started the first of 4 consecutive singles to continue the one out rally. Proving his mental toughness, SS Doug Houstoun redeemed himself by roping the last single up the middle to bring home the fifth run and tie the game. HMA/RAMSA took a lead they would never relinquish when Mike Ryan hit a groundball to short to drive in the 6th run of the inning.

Seemingly energized from the offensive outburst, HMA/RAMSA shutdown Gensler in the 6th and 7th innings to secure a thrilling 6-5 victory – thrilling at least for the team in orange. When asked to comment on his team’s performance, SS Roger Lee could only text “Gonna take a week to get over this loss....see you punks in the postseason."


Come get some.

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.

TPG Scores 6 in the 7th to beat FXF 11-9

TPG took the field against FXF looking for some paypack after getting bounced from the playoffs as the #2 seed in 2008. FXF has always been one of the top teams in our league, and this game would be no exception. Due to some stellar defense by FXF, and very un-clutch hitting by TPG, the score was 6-0 FXF after 3 innings of play. It was getting late, the sky was getting dark, and depression was setting in for team TPG....

A moment of light occurred in the top of the 4th as FXF walked the bases loaded with 2 outs, and 2B Josh Ginsburg (2-3, SAC, 3 RBI) came through with a 2-run single to get TPG on the board, and cut the lead to 4.

Ahh, but darkness again as FXF answered with 3 more runs in the bottom of the 4th, and took a commanding 9-2 lead into the 5th inning. It was bleak, it was muggy, and some player from another team left their pants on our bench in a liquor bag (no liquor though).

Something happened in the 5th inning. Perhaps the barometer fell. Maybe we just got lucky. FXF walked the first 4 TPG hitters, and with 2 more runs scoring on a SAC fly to the FXF 1st baseman, TPG scored 3 without getting a single hit (or even hitting the ball out of the infield). The score was 9-5, and the TPG defense dug in not allowing any runs in an inning for the first time all game.

It all came down to this. Impending darkness, top of the 7th, FXF leading 9-5, and the top of the order for TPG coming to the plate. One of the greatest rallies in team history followed with a string of 8 consecutive singles by Omar Cevallos, Tony Franzese, Adam Woods, Justin Aharoni, Ron Alalouf, Dave Beauchamp, Mike Stevick, and Alison Hopke before an out was made giving TPG a 1 run lead. This inning would send all 11 hitters to the plate and after a SAC fly by Josh Ginsburg the lead was 2 going to the bottom of the 7th. TPG's defense held true including great catches by C Princess Salvacion and RCF Omar Bustamante in near darkness, as we closed out the game with an 11-9 victory.

Game balls go to everyone on the entire team for getting to the plate in the deciding 7th inning.

TPG beats MGA 10-2 in Frigid Conditions

After two straight weeks of rainouts, team TPG was just happy to be playing softball. We did not even seem to mind the fact that it was 48 degrees during the morning commute, and in the 50's during the game. With multiple last minute withdrawls, a second basemen trying to get there in time from Jury Duty, and a first baseman still recovering from a weekend bachelor party in Las Vegas, it was a minor miracle TPG was able to field a team in time for the 7:00pm first pitch.

But field a team we did, as we started off in the top of the first with new leadoff hitter LF David "Speedy" Beauchamp (3-4, 3B, 3R) and LCF Josh Ginsburg (2-3, SF, RBI) getting back to back singles. An RBI single by SS Tony Franzese (2-4, RBI, R) got us on the board, but it was P Ron Alalouf (3-3, HR, 2 3B, 2R) who blasted a 3R home run to deep right field that opened the game up as we headed to the field for the bottom of the 1st with 4 runs on the board.

Our defense was solid all game as we limited MGA to only one run in the first and a second run in bottom of the 5th. A defensive highlight by team TPG was when there was one out in the bottom of the 6th, and MGA had a runner on first and second. The batter ripped a line drive to center field when LCF Josh Ginsburg made a running catch, realized there were only two outs and that everyone on both teams thought the inning was over (including the runner on second who was now rounding 3rd), and kept on running all the way to second base where he stepped on the bag for the 3rd and final out.

The TPG scoring machine continued throughout the game including a 2R home run by 3B Justin Aharoni (1-3, HR, 2R) in the 3rd, and an RBI triple by newcomer RCF Omar Bustamante (1-2, 3B, BB, R).

Game Ball goes to Pitcher Ron Alalouf who did not give up a walk for the second straight game, and went 3-3 with a Home Run and 2 Triples.

HMA ROLLS TO 3-0 WITH BACK-TO-BACK SHUTOUTS

After a somewhat rocky start to the season against RRA/DBB, HMA/RAMSA has once again taken its familiar spot atop the SLAM League standings. There had been many whispers through the trees of Central Park that HMA/RAMSA would suffer a mental hangover from the bitter disappointment of last season’s SLAM finals. If that’s the case, it sure hasn’t shown on the field…yet. And some members of the team will say there’s a new edge to the Orange Crush this season--a chip on their collective shoulders for coming up short each of the last 2 post seasons.

GAME ONE RECAP (April 15th): The final score of the first game of the season (14-7) doesn’t do justice to how close and competitive the first game actually was. Down 1-0 after the top of the first inning, HMA/RAMSA started the 2010 campaign with a bang as they put up 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning for a 4-1 lead. Included in the hit parade was former ROY Mike Sargent’s homerun to deep left center, marking the second time in two seasons that Mike homered in his first AB of the year. After a scoreless second, RRA/DBB continued to pound the aging two-time pitcher of the year, with 4 runs in the third inning, followed by one run each in the fourth and fifth to take a 7-6 lead into the bottom of the 5th inning…when the HMA/RAMSA bats woke up from their slumber.

After the leadoff men got on base in the 5th inning, Doug Neri came through with a 2-RBI single up the middle to put the Orange ahead 8-7 (a lead that would not be relinquished). Two batters latter, aging pitcher David Solomon who couldn’t get it going with his arm on this day, decided to find redemption in the form of his bat with a 2-run HR down the leftfield line. Scouts clocked his time around the bases somewhere around 45.5 seconds, a new personal record.

HMA/RAMSA tacked on 4 more runs in the 6th inning to secure the 14-7 victory. Game balls were handed out to Doug Neri (3-3 with 3 runs and 3 RBI, one awful defensive play)

GAME TWO RECAP (April 19th): With a new starting pitcher and revamped batting order, HMA/RAMSA shook off the Game One rust and returned to 2009 form as they dominated MGA with an 11-0 victory on the Great Lawn.

Doug Neri made his SLAM League debut on the mound as David Solomon could only watch from the sidelines in this one. Neri did nothing to disappoint as he threw 4 innings of shutout softball, walking only one and relying on his stellar defense behind him. Offensively, HMA/RAMSA controlled the game as they have so many times in the past few seasons with runs early and often. With 3 consecutive doubles from the middle of the lineup, HMA put up 5 runs in the first inning yet again; and followed that up with another 4 runs in the second inning to stake a 9-0 lead. From there, the defense and pitching took care of the game as Neri continued to baffle the MGA bats.

Game balls were handed out to CF Brian Barney drove in 5 runs on the afternoon with his 2 hits and RF Pete Garofalo scored 3 runs on his 2-2 afternoon.

GAME THREE RECAP (May 6th): After a very heated best-of-three playoff series in 2009 which saw all three games decided by one run, HMA/RAMSA and FxFowle renewed their rivalry on Thursday afternoon. Unlike so many of their recent regular season matchups however, this one was pretty much over early as FxFowle was clearly without several starters from a year ago, including pitcher Manny Morales who arrived late to the field and missed the first inning (and by that time the damage had been done).

After scoring 22 first-inning runs a year ago, and 9 already in their first two games this season, HMA/RAMSA sent 13 batters to the plate in the first inning, setting a team record for runs and AB’s in an inning. It was not a pretty inning all around with 4 walks, 2 reached on errors and a few hits sprinkled in. When the dust had settled HMA/RAMSA plated 8 runs. An inning later, with 2 runs already scored in the inning, Mike Sargent stepped to the plate and hit a booming 2-run HR to left center for a 12-0 lead. It was Mike’s second homer of the young season.

In the field, things were just as sharp as HMA/RAMSA kept FxFowle off the scoreboard thanks to some flawless defense and timely pitching. It marked the first time in the team’s history that back-to-back shutouts had been thrown (no less by different pitchers) as HMA moved to 3-0 atop the SLAM league standings.

Next up on the schedule: The Big Red Machine of Gensler (also 3-0) in a battle of unbeatens on Monday, May 17th. The World will be watching.