HM/RAMSA Dethroned!

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

PCF/HH tosses GSA another loss....

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

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 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.