NO LONGER THE BRIDESMAID - HMA/RAMSA CROWNED THE 2010 SLAM LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

"The great champions have all come back from defeat."

--Sam Snead

It has been said that "revenge is a dish best served cold" which is exactly what HMA/RAMSA served up in the form of a sweep on Friday evening in the cold.

For the past three seasons, HMA/RAMSA has entered the SLAM playoffs as the #1 seed but fallen short the past two, including a year ago when SSC picked off HMA/RAMSA in the finals ruining another stellar 10-1 regular season. Following that game the renowned SLAM blogger Scott Habjan proclaimed that "Solomon and the perennial bridesmaids of HMA/RAMSA would ultimately fail to live up to the dream and their hype." And therein lies the motivation and the boulder-like chip on the collective shoulders of the team for the 2010 season. Just as Jordan and the Bulls had to figure out a way to get past the Bad Boys of Detroit in the late 80's so too did the Mighty Orange have to figure out a way past the Bad Boys of SSC. (And that dynasty in Chicago turned out pretty well once they did)

"The only yardstick for success our society has is being a champion. No one remembers anything else."
--John Madden

On a balmy 48 degree Friday evening in late October, both teams came to the East River Park fields to conclude another season of SLAM. After several weeks of rainouts (and mysterious issues with the Parks Department) neither team was very sharp on this night particularly on defensive; but in the end, HMA/RAMSA would not and could not be denied their first ever championship.

Once again sporting their orange playoff bracelets embossed with the mantra "LEAVE NO DOUBT", it was only fitting that (Deputy Commissioner elect) Doug Neri got things started in the first inning. Those close to the team will recall that it was Neri's plea to the team in an August email as the playoffs soon approached to leave no doubt this season who is the best team in SLAM. And with one on and one out in the first, Neri roped a 2-run homerun to right centerfield for an early lead. SCC rallied back in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs to tie the game. Both teams exchanged runs in the 2nd inning as they entered the third inning knotted at 3.

As he had all season long, leadoff man extraordinaire Pete Garofalo (1-4, 2 runs) led off the third by reaching on an error which was followed by a Dan Sykes' (2-4, 2 runs) single to set the pace. Both men came home on Brian "New Daddy" Barney's (2-4, 2 RBI) double down the left field line as HMA/RAMSA took a lead they would never relinquish. The hits, walks and errors continued as HMA/RAMSA plated 5 runs in the inning. The fat lady began to clear her throat as HMA/RAMSA took a 9-4 lead into the seventh inning.

"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision."
--Muhammad Ali

Showing there was no quit in the defending champs, SSC mounted a threat in their final at bat at the bottom of the order got on base to start the inning. With one run already home, and two runners on base, 2009 Big Bat and Playoff MVP Steve Vargas stepped to the plate with two outs. Echoes of the 2009 Finals which saw HMA/RAMSA stumble only 12 outs away from winning the title began to resonate from the East River. It was only fitting that (Commissioner-elect) Solomon would have to exorcise his team's 2009 demons against the man that thwarted their season a year ago. And as Steve's ball floated deep into right field, the winds of change blew in from the east just enough for Matt Kirshner to run under the ball and secure it for the final out of the game.

HMA/RAMSA's victory completes a brilliant season capped off by a perfect 4-0 post season. In addition, the victory marks the end of the seven year SLAM-dominance of SSC and Gensler, as the dawn of a new SLAM era could be in the making. Leave No Doubt.

"Great moments are born of great opportunity--and that’s what we have earned here tonight. Tonight, we are the best team out there. This team we are playing tonight is a good team; but we are better. Know this when you step on that field tonight, and they will know it when they step off of it. This is our time ladies and gentlemen. Leave No Doubt."
--Doug Neri's email to the team 3 hours before first pitch

HMA/RAMSA WINS ITS FIRST SLAM TITLE

POSTPONED DUE TO TORNADO

Actual footage from some moron who decided to stand under a tree for shelter and wait out the passing storm. When it was all said and done, he - like the ballfields - was soaked:

Following a thrilling Game One of the SLAM Finals which saw HMA/RAMSA hold on to a 4-3 victory, the two teams gathered on the Great Lawn on Thursday, September 16th to play the scheduled Game Two. Unfortunately Mother Nature is not a softball fan and opened up a can of whoopass on the Great Lawn (see above video).

The series will resume on Tuesday, September 28, 2010. HMA/RAMSA is looking for its illusive first title while "the team of the decade" SSC is looking to start the new decade off with a championship, and 5th in eight years.

Stay tuned...

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 Wins Semi-Finals Game 1 vs SSC

TPG had not won a Semi-Finals game since 2002. SSC has won 4 championships since then. TPG and SSC squared off last night on Great Lawn 6 in Game 1 of the Semi-Finals. SSC Pitcher Scott Habjan was as good as any softball pitcher ever in our league last night, retiring the first 8 batters he faced, and striking out 3 of the first 5 TPG hitters.

But TPG held tough, and Pitcher Derrick Blocker responded with 3 shutout innings of his own. Alison Hopke coninued her bid for female MVP of the league by breaking up Scott's perfect game, and finishing with 2 hits (Alison has now reached safely in every game she started). The turning points of this game were TPG Catcher Princess' two walks (one for an RBI with the bases loaded), as she proved to be the only batter Scott had trouble with.

A defensive gem on both sides, the final score 6-3. Game 2 tonight on Great Lawn 2.

TPG Blasts into the Semi-Finals

Locked in, and ready to roll. TPG took the field for Game 2 in their best of three quarter finals against Gensler, 3-time champion over the past 7 seasons. TPG won game 1, and needed one more victory to insure a spot in the Semi-Finals. A double header was in the schedule, but only if Gensler could win game 2 and force a third game. Joe (Gensler's Pitcher) showed up early on the field to get in the heads of team TPG. Having just lost Game 1 at Hecksher, Joe let TPG know that "Hecksher's mound is wrong, and screws up my pitching angle. But Great Lawn however, now that's MY mound, so you all are in trouble".

TPG's lineup for Game 2 would be: Ray (2B), Omar C. (3B), Adam (EH), Tony (SS), Justin (LF), Mike (1B), Simon (DH), Omar B. (RCF), Alison H. (RF), David (LCF), Rebecca (C). Derrick took the mound again as pitcher for game 2.

Gensler scored 2 runs in the top of the first, and with Joe "My Mound" pitching for Gensler, we knew (or at least thought) that this game would be tougher than Game 1. But it is not easy to rattle the nerves of a team who as the 6 seed is just happy to be in the playoffs. Unfazed, TPG battled back for 3 in the bottom of the 1st.



The game was close for the first 4 innings, and Gensler scored two in the top of the 5th to tie the game 5-5. It looked like Game 2 was going to be an epic and come down to the last batter. And then TPG Shortstop and Series MVP Tony Franzese (2 HRs, 1 Triple, 8 RBIs in 2 games) blew the game open with a 2-run triple to kick start a 5 run 5th inning for TPG, a lead they would never relinquish.



Perhaps the funniest moment (for TPG at least), was in the 6th inning when Gensler decided to Intentionally Walk TPG's leadoff hitter to face former team MVP Omar "You don't do that to me" Cevallos with the bases loaded. Omar, in a burst of simultaneous anger and humor ripped the first pitch he saw for an RBI single to left, snarling at Gensler when he reached first base (see photo above). Two more runs for TPG, and the final score would stand at 12-5.

After the game, it was pie for Tony, and a ice water shower for Josh. Let the good times just keep on rolling. Next up, defending champions SSC in a best of 3 series in the semi-finals.

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.