Game Three vs Sloggers

Yep we won!

Thursday 19th May
Sloggers 25 LSDs Too 26
Middle of the seventh
‘Hands up those who thought we were going to be mercied?’

Entering the bottom of the fifth, with the score 25-9 to the opposition, the answer was everybody. What transpired amazed the shit out of me and if I wasn’t slap bang in the middle of it, would have put this down as a far fetched Dan Brown piece of fantastical fiction.

What happened readers, was very simple. The girls got on base. They walked, they hit into gaps, they swung with confidence, they ran for their lives and also one was called Kirstie Leach. ‘Krusty,’ ‘Thirsty Kirstie’ or as we know her ‘the softball goddess’, she hit five for five, notched up a home run, two doubles and a triple, drove in 7 rbi’s fielded rightfield and second base simultaneously and still didn’t get female most valuable player. That accolade went to the winner of ‘First Base Idol, Sonia Barnfield, who had a ‘barnstormer’ (had to be done!). She got that first base fielding down to a tee, basically she invited the fielders to throw hard and straight to her glove, if we did, she would catch it, if we strayed in line or length then well we’d better get it right next time. But she hit and she hit, and it got contagious.

Leading off at the bottom of the fifth, just getting two runs to avoid the imposition of the mercy rule was uppermost in my thoughts. A nice easy ground ball double, meant that I was safe with Rachel Ps’ at bat. Would have been anyway, with their short stop playing deputy third base, Rachel dinked the ball into the gap, moving me to third. Andrew hit a ground ball that wasn’t fielded cleanly, whilst I scored, everyone was safe. Dawn then found the same gap that Rachel had, bases loaded and Rob up to bat. Rob’s experience was clear to see as he took the walk and walked two runs in. (This may have something to do with the fact that I was offering people a drink for the first walk of the season.) Sonia, as mentioned previously hit another single into the big hole vacated by the short stop, though the hole clearly wasn’t as big as the one between the said fielder’s ears. James continued his progress from the bees ankles to the kneecap area by hitting a home run between the rapidly widening gaps in a deeper and deeper outfield. Kirstie hit a triple into the same area, Alex then went large hitting into the clubhouse over 320 feet away into leftfield. Nine batters up and nine home. Katie turned a 0 and 3 into a 1 and 4, incredibly hitting into the same vacant short stop area, which meant that we had batted round the order, a task that usually takes us three innings was accomplished during the first third of this one.

With their leftfield now dividing duties between fielding and placing an order at the adjacent bar, my line drive to leftfield turned a single into a triple, no outs and 10 runs on the board, Rachel’s second hit of the innings got me home, it was too good to last and sure enough a fielders choice was followed by a walk and then an infield fly wasn’t called by the Blu a double ensued. 20-25 top of the sixth. It began to rain, but we started to defend, a grounder to me started the innings off with an out, then up came Carl their first baseman, whose constant banter I grudgingly enjoy but was getting on the nerves of the newbies. Well, to our amusement he struck out, their girl continued hitting into third base area, Andrew snared the catch. The momentum was with us, and we were getting into the meat of our order, it just got better and better.

Sonia hit even harder than before and it took a good stop from the outfielder to prevent any extra bases. James continued his slow climb up the bees limbs with a line drive to the outfield, the cleatless Sonia took a heavy tumble rounding second still had time to pick herself up and limp to third on the demands of her cruel third base coach, (me). Kirstie did the usual, and scored James and a still shaken Sonia into home. Alex rather foolishly took on the leftfield outfielder who was so deep that he could have sac flyed in Kirstie from second, luckily he won the contest and we were one run behind. Katie struck out for the second time, betraying her status as a rookie rather too obviously much to the pitchers delight. I got a rightfield double on a first pitch swing, again must remember the advice I give everyone else. Rachel then popped up to deputy third base, which I guess finally vindicated his decision to field there, though thanks for at least seven runs… Andrew the Quiet American came to the plate, and frankly to this point his batting has been a disappointment, but at his fifth at bat this season, he managed to elevate the ball into the outfield gaps and as he crossed the plate he represented the go ahead run. Just as well because Dawn struck out to finish the innings that had yielded six runs.

With the lights of the warm and hospitable burning brightly in the distance, we entered the top of the seventh, the ‘blu’ asked if I was okay with the light, simply asked, ‘who said that?’ It was dark, but I wanted to complete this fairly and squarely, even though we were facing their most successful part of the order. Their number 10 came up to bat, having got on base all four previous, finally she looped one straight down Andrew’s throat at third base. With the infield deep, we restricted a clearly agitated Carl the lead off to first base. The ploy worked as the next girl batter hit straight to James and he got the out at second base. With one on and two down, their number three-hitter had gone a perfect 5 for 5. On a 2 and 2 count he hit a ground ball to James, who despite my mad convergence towards second base, calmly took control ran through the bag with plenty to spare. We went slightly potty, Sloggers gave us some genuine applause, and Debs exclaimed that it was the greatest victory she’d had ever witnessed. Maybe so, but what I do know, feeling for the last three seasons that victory was a right it has been a long time since I had felt so elated after a match.

No flouncing and two points, all in all a great night.

Ten things we learnt this week:
1) Winning is better than losing!
2) Kirstie Leach is a softball goddess and we thank her immensely for turning up!
3) Revenge of the Sith was "okay, but far from great." and really the whole Star Wars prequel trilogy has overall been a bit of a disappointment!
4) Our girls really love getting to first base and the boys love to drive them home...five home runs in total!
5) James and Billy (and the rest of the infielders) need to work on a few 'what to do' scenarios!
6) We are all going out next Thursday night, somewhere equidistant between Whiteladies Road and Gloucester Road seems to be ideal.
7) Cleats are a good idea as they may stop you falling over!
8) Is where Alex's cool rating currently resides.
9) As a Bristol City fan, Katie doesn't like to talk about last years' play off final against Brighton, whereas Billy who is a Brighton fan, does want to talk about it quite a lot!
10) Sonia. Not only can she play first base, but she will be able to deliver Debs baby during any future match, which may be handy if we play anymore matches like that last one!