The Softblog

Game 3 was a drastic change from Games 1 and 2. While prior games had been characterized by their offense, Game 3 was all about defense. The line up for the Away team was Allan, Amy, Andrew, Chae, Chuck, Cory, Dan, Ethan, Katie, and Kelli. For the Home team there was Chris, Jack, Jed, Lauren, Matt, Nate, Nikki, Sharon, Tellef, Derrik, and Jeff.

The away team loaded the bases with two outs in the first, but Chris’s diving effort to force Chuck out at third held them to just one run. Lauren drove in Chris to help the home team answer with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

But Andrew’s pitching set the home team down in order in the second and third, and first baseman Cory’s reflexes on Nate’s line drive prevented them from scoring in the fourth too. Meanwhile, the away team plated four runs in the second thanks to contributions from the ladies: Katie, Kelli, and Amy, each driving in a run. They would add one more in each of the third and fourth innings to give themselves a comfortable 7-1 cushion.

But bringing Jeff in to pitch the fifth in relief of the struggling Nate proved a good move, as he kept the away team off the board in that inning, allowing his team the opportunity to come back, scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to a three-run single by Jack, scoring Derrik, Jeff, and Chris!

The sixth and seventh inning saw three more runs for the away team, bring them up to a 10-6  lead. Their fielding skills were too much for the home team, with a spectacular double play to get the first two outs in the bottom of the sixth. The home team was able to get a run in the seventh thanks to a double by Derrik and some amazingly aggressive pinch running by Nate for the injured Tellef.

Due to the stellar defense on both teams, the game was extended to 9 innings! The game had gone by so fast and everyone wanted another shot at the plate. But nothing could be done to stifle the away team who kicked off the eighth with a home run by Chuck and adding five runs to their lead. The home team answered with four runs of their own and were pretty confident they had a chance going into the ninth.

After three more batted in for the away team the score was now 18-10. The hopeful home team was shut down completely with amazing plays by Ethan, Chuck, and Andrew to finalize the score at 18-10. All were ready for drinks and merriment!

Yes, the wrapup is a little late. But better late than never, right? Game 2 was a offensive showcase, a slugfest of epic proportions.

The away team started out strong, batting around with 5 runs in the first inning and adding 4 more in the second. Chuck got the first started with a triple and Cory continued it with a monstrous home run to get their only two runs of the inning. A baserunning blunder by Chae between third and home gave the speedy (second baseman!) Tellef the opportunity to run him down and shut down the home team’s offense. They came back strong in the second adding 7 runs with a home run by Chae, and doubles from Kelli and Nate! But when the top of the order came back to the plate Ethan’s defensive skills shut them down. After forcing Chuck out at second, he did the same to Cory to end the inning.

With the away team back up to bat and the score tied at 9-9, it looked like we were ready for a pretty even matchup. Both teams were hitting well and the third inning saw Walsh drive in most of the away team’s 4 runs with a bases-clearing triple. But the home team responded with a home run, a triple, three doubles, and an onslaught of singles to add 12 runs to their score, putting them up 21-13. The away team’s offense refused to let up in the fourth, adding 5 more runs. But they were no match for the run-hungry home team, which batted around again in the 4th and 5th to put themselves comfortably on top with a lead they would hold for the rest of the game. The offensive display seemed to energize them in the field, holding the away team to only 7 runs in the last three innings. Despite a couple of impressive bunt base hits from Katie and Dave’s mammoth home run, the deficit was simply too great.

The home team won in what looked like a football score, 41-25, a far cry from the dead-even matchup of Game 1.

I don’t think we could have had a better start to the softball season than our game 1. The Home Team (Andrew, Chae, Chris, Kelli, Lisa, Michelle, and Lauren) battled against the Away Team (Amy, Dan, Marcie, Nora, Nate, Sharon, and Sean). Andrew started the game sharp with two quick strikeouts and then a pop-up to shut down the Away Team in the first. Perhaps energized by their ace’s dominant performance, the Home Team kept the momentum going with 4 runs, though Nate answered back with two strikeouts of his own in the inning.

In the second, the Away Team started off with an out at first, but then a solo home run by Nate jump started the offense! Sharon and Sean both reached base and Dan brought them home with a bases-clearing triple. Marcie’s sacrifice saw to it that Dan was not left stranded and the Away Team tied the game. The Home Team quickly broke the tie, with two doubles in the second inning and a total of 3 runs to add to their score.

With an invigorated spirit the Away Team batted around twice in the third and got 8 runs to overtake the Home Team and establish a comfortable lead. Sean’s homer knocked in 3 runs and most of the team got at least one RBI. The Home Team was unable to answer back, scoring only a single run when Lauren hit in Lisa to avoid a zero on the board.

With another home run by Sean and 4 RBIs in the fourth inning it looked like the Away Team was on their way to an easy victory.  But in perhaps a game-changing twist of fate, Nate, relegated to third base as Sean took over pitching duties, bobbled the ball on a play to first resulting in the two runners being safe and unleashing a torrent of runs. With amazing hitting by the whole team and home runs by both Chae and Lisa, the Home Team had added whopping 9 runs by the time the dust had settled!  With the score at 17-14 in their favor the pressure was now on them to keep the lead.

They did a fine job of it in the 5th only allowing 2 runs, but when their turn came to bat they could only produce 2 runs themselves. With a solo home run by Nate and yet another home run by Sean hitting in Sharon and himself, the Away Team started the 6th off strong but could produce no more than the 3 runs. Sean’s crafty sinker kept the Home Team off the board in the bottom of the inning as he induced grounder after grounder.

With the last inning upon them, the Away Team could only get one run with Nate again blasting one out of the park. The score was now 22-19 in favor of the Away Team and this was the last chance for the Home Team to come back. In spactacular fashion, Lauren got on base, Andrew hit her home with an amazing triple, and then Chris tied up the game with a home run! The Home Team was unable to plate any more runs and regulation ended in a tie, 22-22. Given the option between playing extra innings or going to Roggie’s, everyone agreed that a tied score was a great way to start the season and all were very ready to drink and relax!