6/22/25 GGP

 A great game! We had 12-13-14-15-16-17-18

A great game.  I almost died, again.

A great game? Greg got bean-balled and only because it also hit his ear did he avoid major damage.

It was some kind of ball game.  

Carter gets the "Great to see you, Don't rush back" award for pitching like a maniac and almost killing Greg. :) 

Sean pitched a masterful game but didn't get the breaks he needed, and we had a few choice hits.  I started and was throwing efficiency ball— that is slightly above batting practice speed, and praying they swing and don't get it square.  It works.

Until it doesn't.  Phelps, arriving later than usual, was batting for the visitors and absolutely destroyed one that was a heat-seeking missile headed for my sternum.  Time slowed; I could see the red threads rotating.  Reflexes took over and I caught it.  Then I took a long walk around the mound to collect myself and resist the urge to ugly cry.

We scored some runs thanks to the fact that we had Mitch and Powell on the same team, which is also the best defensive team you can ask for.  Mitch Mitched a few people, Powell provided some sure outs.  Nice pitching to defense.

I don't think we ever lost the lead, but the visitors started to wake up in the middle innings, and by the time I bowed out after 6, the score was 8-4.  Powell came in for two innings and they scored 2.  We still felt confident, but then Carter started his berserker routine and we got gun shy.  We called on Mitch to close it out and he was masterful to the end.  The visitors scored one, and had runners threatening on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs.  

No problem, game over. 

Homers 8-7

Highlights:

* Glad we all lived through another Sunday, I used to not think that way after games.

* Mitch made a long run into foul grounds from third to track down a foul ball

* Greg is ok!  

* Adam made a sno-cone snare on a foul ball at first

* I caught a infield pop up off the mound after calling "Oh shit, I guess that is me."

* Ana had the hard luck award hitting three drives that went straight to people

* Phelps had a pretty great triple. Asshole.

* Sean was hitting double-doubles

* Thanks to the guy in the stands that made it 9 on 9 and also hit a long drive

* Erasto was feeling pretty down on himself for a couple of errors, but it didn't keep him from getting 3 RBIs and 2 hits

* Lynch was also stinging the ball

* We had successful look them back at third—get the out at first.

6/1/25 GGP

We had a lot of players, that much is true.  The day was sunny, though not warm in the traditional sense. We were on the eastern diamond, away from the throngs of the Olde Tyme league game.

Sean started for the homers, and HR for the visitors.  The first three innings took roughly 4 hours to complete, the 3rd inning in particular was more than a little painful.  HR looked good in the beginning, but faced some challenges with strikes as the game went on.  

Sean was efficient, as he often is. His defense had his back as well, and we hit right into it.  Our defense wasn't terrible, but we did have that inning.  We also had about 5 balls overthrown at first that resulted in automatic doubles.

Charlie came out to keep the old man company, and play some 2nd base, which he did great, to the tune of 4 putouts and an assist.  He almost laced a single to left, but well-known bully Don was playing in just the right place to catch it.

Satch came in after HR and we moved into a quicker game.  The run-scoring, on the other hand, started to get out of control.  I had a working curveball but my challenge fastball wasn't challenging anyone.  By the time the middle innings were behind us, the score was somewhere in the 8-2 region.

Liam came in for the homers after that, in case our throats weren't properly being stepped on, and that was about it.  Since becoming a collegiate standout, he has improved a lot as a pitcher, and we went from little chance to no chance.

In the 9th we showed a little ginger, and Liam showed his lack of understanding on how one leaves the pitcher mindset and throws an easy pitch to an 11 year old.  Charlie took a ball to the forearm, and showed a lot of character by staying in, and taking first.  I followed with a first pitch swing and blooped one in to center. I was thrown out at 2nd on a fielders choice and base-coached Charlie in for our first score since the 3rd inning.  

That's how you turn a negative into a positive! We scored another but that was it.  

Final, 12(?)-4, Homers.

Highlights:

* Thanks to the 20+ that played, weird to think that we had 11 people 2 weeks ago

* Jesse did a fine job behind the dish, as did Nick, Greg and John McG

* Liam hit the hardest line drive over first base that I have seen in awhile

* Gabe hit one back at me that I am going to see in my nightmares for a while.  I didn't even attempt to catch it

* Chris and Zach collided in the outfield, luckily no one was hurt.  Gotta communicate out there, people!

* Django was doing it all

* Alex has proven that he is the fastest player we have seen in while

* Mitch was a human vacuum cleaner in the infield

* We're coming up fast for the double header, which by my reckoning will be July 6th.