We are in the right in the middle of the season and it is still a one horse race for first as the Muckdogs continue to bully the rest of the league. There is a dog fight for second as 4 teams are within 2 ½ games of each other. The bottom three teams have only 1 win and are trying to get into the playoff race.

Teams looked to be rusty this week as the one pitch tournament took over the league last week. Scoring was relatively low as only half the teams playing put up double digit runs.


Game 1 Goodfellas vs. Hitched

Surprisingly Goodfellas needed help to field a team. They lead the league in sub players and sub player games. Also the OUT stat is the 7th leading "player" on the team in AB's. Usually not a good sign. Despite that Goodfellas came out firing and held on at the end to win a close game. Hitched could not get any momentum in the game to take advantage of the player defense.


First inning, Goodfellas starts off with 2 runs from a 2 RBI single from John G. In the bottom of the inning manufacture a run on 2 singles, a fielders choice and a RBI ground out from Mike Bianco. Second inning and Goodfellas opens up scoring 5 runs. The big blow of the inning was a bases loaded double from Brandon Clancy that was sandwiched around RBI singles Jeremy and Pat H. The Goodfellas bats would go silent for the rest of the game until the seventh. Hitched gets two back in the third on a homer from Jesse McAllister and a RBI single from Scott Castner. In the fourth Hitched closes the gap with 3 more. A 2 RBI single from Rich Beck and RBI single from Brian O'Neill account for the scoring. Tie score up to this point 7-7. Fast forward to the top of the seventh, Goodfellas gets the game winning run on a RBI ground out from Pat H. Goodfellas pulls this one out 8-7.


Players of note:

Goodfellas

Jeremy 3-4 3 Runs, 1 RBI

Pat H 2-3 2 RBI's


Hitched

Rich Beck 2-4 1 Run, 2 RBI's


Game 2 Thirstys vs. Big Dogs


Thirstys started off slow but then had a big 5th inning. The top of the lineup did most of the damage as the top 5 scored 7 runs and had 8 RBI's. Big dogs only scored in 3 innings and their late comeback was not enough.


First inning and Thirsty's are not completely out of the bar yet. They go down in order. Big Dogs open up their half of the first with 2 on a 2 RBI triple from Mike Richardson. Big Dog bats go silent the next four innings as they can only get 7 total hits. In the second, Thirsty's scratch out a run on a RBI FC from Mark K. In the fourth Thirsty's gets 2 runs from a Scott B triple and sac fly from Mark K. In the 5th, it was GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE, as Thirsty's breaks the game open with 5 runs. The runs come from a RBI double from Rich Totans, 2 RBI triple from Dan I and singles from Steve M and Scott B. In the top of the 6th Big Dogs wake up a little themselves. They score 2 from RBI singles off the bats of Josh Mercedes and Eric Pelletier. In the 7th Thirsty's extend their lead plating 3 from a 2 RBI single from Dan I and a RBI triple from Tom S (Strow hit a triple!?!?! SOMEONE had to fall down!). In the bottom of the inning Big Dogs get 2 off a 2 run jack from Mike Tareila. Their comeback falls short though and Thirsty's takes this one 11-6.


Players of note;

Thirsty's

Tom S 3-4 2B, 3B, 1 Run, 1 RBI

Scott B 3-4 3B, 1 Run, 2 RBI's


Big Dogs

Mike Richardson 4-4 2B, 3B, 1 Run, 2 RBI's

Mike Tareila 2-4 HR, 2 Runs, 2 RBI's


Game 3 Muckdogs vs. Ferraro Computers


This game started slow but the Muckdogs woke up for an inning and scored enough to get through. Ferraro barely showed a pulse until the last inning. By then it was too little too late. Again the Muckdogs used balance production to stay undefeated.


First inning the Muckdogs can't get anything started. Ferraro jumps into the lead with a run in the bottom of the inning on a RBI single from Tom Thomas. In the second Muckdogs leave two on and go scoreless again. Ferraro adds to their lead with another run on a sac fly from Mike Ferraro. The Muckdogs tie it up in the third with 2 runs from a 2 RBI double from Frank Murray. Ferraro goes quiet going with a run for the next four innings. In the top of the fourth the Muckdogs open up getting 7 runs on 7 singles. They get a sac fly from Anthony Romeo and RBI singles from Matt Tucker, Joe Remsing, Glen McGrath and Jeff Hess. No further action until the 7th when both teams plate 4. The Muckdogs get a RBI single from Frank Murray and a 3 run bomb from Bill Yok. Ferraro gets RBI singles from Bob Ferraro, Andrew Shpigel and Andy Wulk. It is not enough as the Muckdogs win 14-6.


Players of note

Muckdogs

Glen McGrath 3-4 3 Runs, 1 RBI

Bill Yok 3-4 HR, 2 Runs, 3 RBI's


Ferraro

Andy Wulk 2-3 1 RBI

Bob Ferraro 2-4 2B, 2 Runs, 1 RBI


Game 4 Philly Soft Pretzel vs. Rolling Hills

These teams saved the best for last as this was arguably the best game of the day. PSP shot their load in the beginning of the game and limped to the finish while Rolling Hills used one big inning. Philly biggest asset of the game was their patience at the plate. They used ten walks and converted them into 5 runs. Both teams had most of their players contribute.


First inning and Philly draws first blood with a sac fly from Mark McKinney. PSP open up a lead in the top of the second getting 5 runs. They get RBI singles from Matt Lewis and Rich Server and a 2 RBI single from Shawn Rush. In the bottom half of the second Rolling Hills gets a run with a RBI single by Nick Cicchino. Third inning and PSP manufacture 4 more runs as they make Rolling Hills try to throw strikes. The runs come on a bases loaded walk from Brian Randazzo, a fielders choice from Eric Bailkin, a single from Steve Beagelman and a sac fly from Mike Barainyak. Bottom of 3 Rolling Hills gets another run from a RBI single by Matt Bonsall. In the fourth Philly adds to their lead by scoring 4 runs. The big blow of the inning was a 2 run triple from Mark McKinney. Adding to the inning was a RBI single from Brian Ricci and a Matt Wolfe sac fly. Rolling Hills scores another single run from a single by Nick Cicchino. After 4 it is 14-3 Philly. Philly Soft Pretzel does not score the rest of the game only getting one runner in each of the 5th, 6th and 7th innings. In the bottom of the 5th Rolling Hills gets themselves back in the game in a big way batting around and scoring 9 runs. They get a 2 RBI single from DJ Bleam, a RBI double by Ben Schall, sac fly by Ron Zuckley and singles from Matt Bonsall, Nick Cicchino and Mike Zuckley. In the bottom of the 7th Rolling Hills ties it up on the strength of two walks and a 2 run double by Nick Cicchino. From the looks of it another great game is cut off short as there is on extra innings and the game ends in a sister kisser 14-14.


Players of note

Philly Soft Pretzel

Shawn Rush 2-3 3 Runs, 2 RBI's

Rich Server 1-1 1 Run, 1 RBI, 3 BB's (Will someone pitch to him! It's his league leading 9th free pass)


Rolling Hills

Matt Bonsal 3-3 1 Run, 2 RBI's

Jake Walker 3-3 2 3B's, 4 Runs

Nick Cicchino 4-4 2B, 1 Run, 5 RBI's



From the ever impressing words of Litterial Green (as some of you will remember was a guard on the Univ. of Georgia basketball team in the early 90's) "It's not how good you are when you play good. It's how good you are when you play bad. And we played pretty good, even though we played bad. Imagine if we'd played good."

Um……OK then.