MCSN: June 28, 2008

Pre-4th of July softball fireworks

Week 4 Recap

Wed, July 2, 2008

Barn Burner's Nicki Heemstra makes solid contact

If you think the upcoming Fourth of July provides the most fireworks this week, you haven't watched last Saturday's MCSN games.

Week 4 was capped by what spectators are calling the biggest upset of the season, as the Calvary beat Fire and Ice 11-10. Going into the match-up, both teams were equally stacked on the bench and had identical records. Anticipation hung thick in the air, and pre-game prayers ran a little longer than usual.

During the 1st inning, the Calvary racked up a whopping 6 runs and a comfortable lead. If you're thinking this sounds familiar, in week 3 Moody Blues also scored 6 runs in their 1st inning against Fire and Ice. However, this time Fire and Ice bounced back and matched Calvary inning for inning, eventually taking the lead 9-7 in the top of the 6th.

The Calvary snatched it back in the 7th and were up by 2 when Fire and Ice loaded the bases with one out and sent Jacob Dodds to the swinging spot. Dodds already had two ground-rule-doubles (read: knocked down home runs) under his belt and had some Calvary fielders quaking in their cleats.

But Dodd's line shot was snatched by the Calvary's Rob Tong in center field. Even so, Fire and Ice cut the lead to 1 with a run scoring on the sacrifice fly. Fire and Ice sent Mark Retnam (3-for-3 to that point) to cinch up the win with base-runners ready to score at 1st and 3rd. Retnam's hit also pointed to center field, but once again Rob Tong captured the ball... and this time also capturing Fire and Ice's hopes for a win in his glove.

Tong said the game was the most exciting he'd ever played at MCSN. "I tried really hard to make the game competitive with two major throwing errors [earlier in the game] to keep Fire & Ice rallies going," said Tong. "Isn't that what Christian charity is all about? My teammates didn't get the message, though. They won the game for our team in spite of my attempts to give the game away. Ryan Elsass went 3-for-3 with a pulled hammy, Brian Pace was a rock as always, Kristen Huntington went 2-for-3, Jenny Pace had an RBI triple and Will Fieber was 3-for-3."

Fire and Ice manager Mat Smith also enjoyed the competition. "We came up short one run. It was down to the wire, and it was a hard game to lose."

Fire and Ice is looking forward to its next matchup, and, maybe, its next win.

"With having the 4th of July break, we should be recharged and ready to take on the pesky Living Stones. Hopefully, Pastor Mason won't be wearing that dreaded Yankees hat!"

Mason and his lucky cap were absent Saturday, thus providing no help to his team as the Living Stones fell to the Carter Administration 15-3 in the 10 AM game. "We got creamed. They were hitting like crazy [and running] super-fast!" exclaimed the Living Stones' Anne Marie Misovich.

Some of that extra energy came from a last-minute addition to the Carter Administration's roster. Missing the majority of its players, the team's upper-level management was seen roving the stadium grounds, soliciting help from anyone with a pulse to fill-in.

"They tried to [recruit] Thate, but we said, 'NO!'" explained an impassioned Misovich.

"There were some tense moments before the game trying to find [players]," agreed Carter. "[Thankfully] Lauren Zuperku's dad 'Phil from Oconomowac' was able to take the mound with borrowed shoes and shirt." Zuperku proved to be a diamond in the rough, as he pitched 7 solid innings and scored an inside the park home-run. The Carter Administration may have found their stride, as regular players also made strong showings: David Cho scored 2 home-runs, Nate Crozier knocked out several key hits, and Jason Cates made his mark defensively.

"Cates might have been playing the blues with his saxophone Sunday morning, but Saturday was happy days," sang Carter.

Speaking of "the blues," guess who is still undefeated? Ali Stolzenbach and crew are consistently working their way through MCSN's lineups, and aren't showing any signs of slowing down. In the 9 AM matchup, the Moody Blues knocked down the previously undefeated Barn Burners 15-6.

“People think I slid into home plate, but actually, I fell down due to extreme fatigue.”

- Anthony Halpin on his inside-the-park home run

"I have a great team comprised of wily veterans and thrilling young gloves," raved Stolzenbach. "What can I say--we bleed Blue!"

The Moody Blues will meet the Emoticons in a 2-week miniseries and are looking to add another notch on their victory belt.

"I have a strong hunch that we will be knocking the smiles off their shirts and off their faces!" taunted
Stolzenbach. "Game on, Yellow!"

Saturday's 8 AM game left the Emoticons walking on sunshine after beating the Eagles, 13-10 in the 8 a.m. game. Despite sleepy play early on, the Emoticons charged ahead to secure the win.

"The worst part of the game was coming off the field at the end of the first inning...and everyone looking to me looking for a shot of espresso, " said Emoticons manager Anthony Halpin. "Fortunately, our defense woke up in the second inning and our offense followed in the fourth.

"It was a spectacular team effort to beat the Eagles," said shortstop Michael Thate. "Everyone had at least one hit, and Andy Andrade was a perfect 5-for-5 from the lead-off spot, setting the tables nicely for the two and three hitters."

Thate also pointed out Christine Jun, or Dr. Softball as she's known on the field, who steadily increased her batting average to .300 for the season.

Saturday ushered in a heyday of hitting for the Emoticons. They've managed to secure one of the highest team-hitting totals this season, and Thate nabbed the home-run leader spot from previous front-runner, Rob Tong.

"Thate's two home runs puts him back in the league lead for home runs...and all is normal with the world again," explained Tong.

"Anthony the 'Hare' Halpin....[also] contributed an inside-the-park home-run," Thate said. "The three minutes it took for him to circle the bases were perhaps the most exciting three minutes of the game."

Halpin made no excuses for his prolonged victory lap. "People think I slid into home plate, but actually, I fell down due to extreme fatigue," he said.

Halpin will be resting-up this week, along with all 8 teams who have a bye for the Fourth of July holiday. Play will resume on Saturday, July 12.