Socks (TPG vs. GA, Game 1)

One Word. Socks. With TPG in the playoffs for the first time in two years, the uniform altering tradition had to be kept intact (TPG has always modified their uniform in some way when they make the playoffs). This year it is Socks. Bright, royal blue, knee high socks.

The pressure was on Gensler, the 3 seed and overwhelming favorite going into this best of three series. TPG batted first and had bases loaded no outs with SS Tony Franzese coming to the plate. Grand Slam Home Run. 4-0, no outs, and the game had just begun.

TPG would pile up a total of 11 runs against a formidable Gensler defense, and it would be plenty as TPG went on to win game 1 with a final score of 11-6. This was TPG's first playoff win since 2004.

Game 2 is Monday at 5:15pm on Great Lawn, with Game 3 to follow if necessary.

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.

Polshek Becomes Ennead

Polshek Partners has been renamed Ennead Architects (www.ennead.com). Based on the "What is Ennead" section of their slick new website, we don't think this change was made in an attempt to confuse the S.L.A.M. softball league, to mask the team's unfortunate start to the 2010 season, or to be listed first among all the teams on the league home page. But everyone should be put on official notice that the team formally known as PP will now be listed on the the league website (www.slam-league.com) as EA.

KPF Defeats TPG in Extra Innings

Central Park, Great Lawn #4 - New York, NY
June 21st, 2010

With an up and down 2010 season and a mysterious parks dept. "rainout" the week before, the KPF squad was looking to salvage any hope of making the playoffs with a must-win game against the always solid TPG team.

The 7pm game started out late, but luckily the first (and longest) day of summer wouldn't allow us to be concerned about the loss of daylight....or would it?

Having great players finally able to show up to the same game, KPF felt confident and competitive. The game was evenly matched with good hitting from both teams and had us trading runs almost every inning until the 6th and 7th where the score remained tied at 7-all.

It turns out that the amount of daylight was just right to play extra innings and the KPF bats came alive in a consistent manner. There were 7 consecutive hits that lead to a 6 run inning and gave us momentum while demoralizing the opposition. The strong KPF defense kept the TPG bats quiet as the daylight started to dwindle with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 8th inning.

Final Score:
KPF 13
TPG 7

Notable KPF Stats:
Keisuke "Doctor D'' Hiei: 3-5, 2 Runs Scored, 2 RBI
Bryan "Two First Names'' Frank: 1-5, HR, 1 Run Scored, 1 RBI
Michael "Cadillac'' Bentley: 2-4, HR, 2 Runs Scored, 2 RBI
Nick "Last Game'' Wallin: 2-4, 1 Run Scored, 1 RBI
Li Min "Coach'' Ching: 4-4, 2 Runs Scored, 3 RBI

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!

MERCY, MERCY ME....

I think Marvin Gaye’s hit song from 1971 best sums up the first half of the 2010 season as HMA/RAMSA racked up its 4th mercy victory in the first six games, moving their record on the season to 6-0 (and extending their regular season winning streak to 14)

TPG came out of the gate early with a pair of unearned runs in the first inning to jump out to any early lead; but they promptly returned the favor with a throwing error of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2-2. After exchanging runs in the second inning, HMA/RAMSA began to assert themselves at the plate by scoring 5 runs in each the 3rd and 4th innings on their way to a 17-6 rout.

Mike "The Situation" Sargent

In the third inning, with the score tied at 3, Eric Hofmann – in only his second game back from injury – looked like his old self as he doubled to start the hit parade. HMA/RAMSA plated 3 more runs as the middle of the batting order did their job this afternoon. The 5-run inning was capped by Mike “The Situation” Sargent who uncorked his third HR of the season to deep CF to plate two more runs. When asked about his power surge this season, Sargent could only say: "Yo, my abs are so ripped up that softball has no chance. I mean, this situation is gonna be indescribable, you can't even describe the situation that you're about to get into with The Situation." Well put, Mike.

In the fourth inning, the first six men/women to bat in the inning reached base (some on dazzling hits, others on less-than-dazzling defense) as HMA/RAMSA tacked on another 5 runs highlighted by Doug Neri's single (3-4, 3 runs and 3 RBI). Admittedly there was a lot of sloppy defense played by both teams, however HMA/RAMSA scored a season-high 17 runs on 16 hits as they scored a run in each of the 6 innings they played.

Game Ball(s): Tough to pick out just one star so we're giving it to the #3, 4 and 5 hitters (Doug Neri, Brian Barney, Doug Houstoun) who were a combined 7-11 with 7 runs scored and 9 RBI. Keep up the good work, boys!

Next up—weather permitting—is KPF, the last team in the SLAM League to defeat the Mighty Orange in the regular season. Don’t let their 1-4 record fool you. This one is VERY personal, and mercy will be shown to no one.