SFRC

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Surprisingly, it was a beautiful night for two games.  There was jealousy all around for the new SFRCGG beer holder which was still hot off the presses.

You can only keep a lion in a cage for so long.  When said lion comes out of its cage, it may snack on a small bunny or a dirty rat (see Game #1 vs. Goodfellas), but only until it identifies the largest water buffalo (see Game #2 vs. Midwest Realty) to attack.

Game #1 vs. Goodfellas

Goodfellas is an interesting name.  The team certainly has a couple of “fellas” who seem like good people.  They also have two or three of the biggest Jack-O’s in the league.  These are the same goons who chose to yell at Patsy a few weeks ago for blowing her horn instead of their own players for popping out and booting balls.  In summary, this is a fun team to beat.  How do I know this?  Because that is what we do.  Yes, the SFRCGG beat the Goodfellas regularly.  That’s just what we do.  It doesn’t matter that they kick fence posts after losses and talk about “losing to one of the worst teams in the league.”  Maybe I’m missing something, but in most leagues (of any sport) wins and losses are the distinguishing numbers between which teams are better than others.  Currently, the SFRCGG are two games up on Goodfellas.  Maybe I heard them wrong.  Maybe they were upset about losing to H-Bombs (second worst team in our league) back on May 11^th.

On to the details of Game #1….

Sans took the bump for the first time in 2011.  He admitted to having a few jitters.  After walking the first two batters, Sans was locked in and pitched a very good game.  With the first two batters reaching base, the SFRCGG fielders took over and shutdown Goodfellas in the first inning.  We answered with two runs in the bottom of the first.  The game was low-scoring as neither team could get things going.  The SFRCGG took a 5-3 lead into the top of the seventh inning.  After getting two outs Goodfellas put together a little rally and scored three times to take a 6-5 lead.

Karma and the SFRCGG came to bat in the bottom of the seventh.  Matty started off with a solid single.  Cinco followed up with a line drive single of his own.  Mr. Clutch came to bat with two on and no outs.  Surpringly, contact was made, and although Mr. Clutch stood and watched what he thought was a HR, he made it to first for a single off the fence that scored Matty. With Cinco on second and Mr. Clutch on first, Ryan hit a solid single loading the bases.  CW made a sacrifice taking the “last out” rule and a game winning SAC fly.

Karma was caught winking to the right side of the infield.

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 7 – Goodfellas 6

Last out: CW (Game winning SAC fly)

Game #2 vs. Midwest Realty

The lion (SFRCGG) was tired of snacking on a small rodent and they were ready for a real meal.  This came in the form Midwest Realty who was tied for first place heading into the evening.  It is difficult to single out an individual leader for this game.  It may sound cliché, but it was Leader, Leader, Leader, Leader, Leader throughout this game.  The worst stats for the game were two players who went 2×4 (which is very good).  The best went 4×4.  As a team, we were 30×43 for the game.  That is a 0.698 average.  When the team bats around .700, you are going to win most games.  Numbers don’t lie.

We plated three runs in the top of the first inning and shut them down defensively for a 3-0 lead after one.  The second inning was one for the record books.  It went like this: walk, double, single, walk, single, single, single, single, single (first out of the inning was thrown out at the plate after we had scored seven runs), walk, single, single, single, double, error.  Some fun numbers for the inning:

• ·        19 plate appearances
• ·        All but one person batted twice
• ·        There were only two walks
• ·        We had 14 hits in the inning
• ·        We scored 14 runs

That really took the fire out of Midwest Realty.  It did not, however, take the fire out of the SFRCGG’s.  We went on to score one run in the third, four in the fourth and three in the fifth on our way to a 25-8 victory.

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 25 – Midwest Realty 8

Last out: Mr. Clutch whilst running from second to third on a ground ball (yes, #35 has the beer holder per the new rule “Last out of the second game brings a 12-pack AND the beer holder”)

Post game:  It went something like this:

• “We are out of beer.”
• “No, really?  Let me look [helping himself].”
• “Can I have another [putting a couple in the back pockets]?”
• “Remember that play in the Savage, NM tournament?”
• “We are chasing a pennant.”
• “How old are you?”
• “28.”
• “I’m 50.”

 

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Game #1 vs. Celt’s Pub

Celt’s Pub is the top team in the league and they were looking to add to that lead by beating up on the SFRCGG.  Unfortunately for them, we had other plans.  We scored four runs in the first inning to take an early 4-2 lead.  Celts Pub didn’t quit and scored four in the second, three in the third, four in the fourth and one in the fifth.  Of course the SFRCGG was aware of the game situation throughout.  And whilst we bent, we did not break.  Defensively we kept the game within reach.  Offensively we were pacing ourselves for the sixth and seventh innings.  In the fourth  inning Nate lead the Leaders with a single.  Potter followed it up with a single of his own.  Lars knocked in a run with a single.  After a harmless fielder’s choice, Brain hit a single, Matty tripled, Cinco hit a single, #35 got a single, Ryan followed with another single.  Yes, that was nine base runners out of 10 plate appearances with eight hits. All said, the SFRC scored six runs in the sixth.  When we quickly shut them down in the fifth, we got right back to hitting.  CW went for a triple, Nate reached on an error, Potter found grass for a single, Lars had another RBI single…all before we found an out.  Brain quickly got us back on track with a single before Matty took a walk and Cinco singled.  T-Mac singled and Ryan followed with another single as well.  In other words, it was Leader, Leader, Leader, Leader, Leader…sounds like runs.  Yep, seven runs in the fifth inning and that was the submission hold on Celt’s pub.  They were shutout in the top of the sixth and the game was called because of time.

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 18 – Celt’s 14

Last out: Mr. Clutch (#35)

Game #2 vs. Eddy’s

With a very well stated goal of “Finish the Season in Third Place” we took the field against Eddy’s.  We had just beat the team in first place (Celt’s Pub).  The SFRCGG have always been a Memorial Day and after team.  We have done our best work as the season progresses and the temperature warms up.  We have 20+ years of data to prove it.  Numbers don’t lie.   With these facts in mind, June 8^th is not too early to make sure we keep our seasons goals in mind.  “Finish the Season in Third Place.”  We took the first two innings off scoring only one run.  Eddy’s didn’t exactly set the world on fire either.  The game was close throughout before the SFRCGG finally bowed out losing 11-12.

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 11 – Eddy’s 12

Last out: Cinco

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Game #1 vs. Ziegler

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 18 – Ziegler 20

Ziegler started out hitting the ball very well scoring 11 runs in the top of the 1^st inning.  As is the case in many of the SFRC games, we’ll bend, but we will not break.  We answered with 13 runs of our own in the bottom of the 1^st inning.  After that, the defense of both teams locked it down.  A few runs were scored by both teams and with two outs in the bottom of the 7^th with two on, trailing by two runs Ol’ #35 walked to the plate.  No need to finish reading, we know what happened….He got out.  Clutch.

Last out: Mr. Clutch (#35)

Game #2 vs. Goodfellas

Less than six minutes after the SFRC lost to Zielger, Ol’ #35 walked to the plate with a similar, but very different, situation.  Two on, two outs in the top of the first.  What happened?  #35 hit a HR.  Again, clutch.  When the SFRC need a big hit in a scoreless first inning game, nobody is better than #35.  This game saw all kinds of things a softball field has never seen.  We saw the “Lars shift,” which is simply moving the shortstop about 50 feet back so he is playing a shallow left field whilst the left fielder and left-center fielder pinch together.  Only to see Lars stick it to them as seen here:

Lars beats the shift from Tom McInerney on Vimeo.

We had the opposing team yelling at Patsy for blowing her horn.  Patsy, don’t give in to the bullies.  In my opinion, they were yelling at the wrong things.  Their team was down by a lot and they were booting balls and not getting hits.  Somehow they blamed Patsy.   This game also saw a very pretty / “make it look routine” double-play with Kurty scooping the ground ball, stepping on second and tossing to Cinco at first.  Get a look:

Kurty Double Play from Tom McInerney on Vimeo.

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 24– Goodfellas 6 (and Patsy won the mental game)

Last out: Cinco

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The table was set.  It was Mrs. H out at 8pm.  Roughly 67 degrees and partly cloudy, which obviously means, mostly clear.  We received late warning from Cinco that he had a higher priority than Schlitz Gusto Guy softball on this night.  After calling AAA Las Vegas (Niehaus) and getting shutout before finally securing a 10^th leader, we allowed Cinco to take his wife to the hospital (since she was in labor).

The SFRCGG were carrying a five game losing streak into this game, and that is simply unheard of in our world.  We have been shutout a time or two, but we have never endured a five game losing streak.

Game #1 vs. Midwest Realty Group

Brain climbed on the bump to continue filling in admirably for Sans who is still out with a bum wing.  We fell behind early 4-0 in the first.  2’s scored the first run for the SFRCGG in the 3^rd inning leading to a 6-1 deficit.  The bad guys found green all night and we just couldn’t lock them down.  We managed to push three runs in the bottom of the 6^th inning, including Matty trying to make things happen by running right over second base on his way to third.  After a brief conversation with Brain, who was also standing on third, Brain headed home to score.  It simply was not enough as the Schlitz Gusto Guys suffered their sixth straight loss.

The highlight of this game was clearly CW’s back to back triples to straight away deep center.

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 4 – Midwest Realty Group 15

Last out: Lars

Game #2 vs. Beer Me

“Beer Me” is the same team name on the same field we first faced them last year.  However, this is a very different squad than the one who started the game last year with three straight strikeouts.  The 2011 version of “Beer Me” can hit the ball fairly well.  However, there are a few certainties in life, but one of them is that the SFRCGG will, under no circumstances, lose seven straight games.  Everyone hit well and we had a number of clutch two out hits.

Speaking of clutch…No one is more clutch than Pub Krull who started the game with a line drive homerun.  That was one of four runs Pub Krull scored and one of two homeruns he had in the game.  I could almost see the size of his head change during the night.  Not because of arrogance, but rather all of the HGH and other PED he had been ingesting (see Barry Bonds).

The hit parade was on all night as the SFRCGG were simply ready to outscore anyone, including Beer Me.

Pub Krull scored four runs, as did 35.  Veteran Ryan and Lars touched the plate three times.  Brain, Matty, Pauly and 2’s crossed twice and FNG Ryan scored once.

Final Score: SCHLITZ GUSTO GUYS 23 – Beer Me 14

Last out: 2’s

Play of the Game: Pauly made a diving catch in left

Fan of the Night: Kurty, Ol’ #4

At 11:00pm the SFRCGG could still field a team (per the norm) to play a third game if we only had lights and an opponent.

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It was another fine night of fall weather to participate in one of the greatest sports on earth.  We were playing on SFRCMP for the first time in two weeks, given the unprecedented rainout the previous week. 

Game #1 vs. Goodfella’s

It was a tough day in the sun.  The ball seemed to be carrying a bit and the sun apologized for the previous week by glaring right into the outfielder’s eyes.  It made fielding difficult.  We scored 10 runs in this ball game, but unfortunately gave up 20. 

But the 10 run loss doesn’t matter.  Why?

In the 4^th inning one runner had scored and there were no outs and runners on 1^st and 2^nd.  This situation has happened 4,317 times since they moved the bases back five feet a few years ago.  There was a hard hit ball to short.  Of the 4,317 times there have been runners on 1^st and 2^nd or bases loaded with no outs, 417 times there has been a ground ball to ol’ #35 at short.  413 of those times, T-Mac has booted the ball, once he tagged the runner and twice we turned double plays and once we came a half step / bad call away from a triple play.  Well, on this day SFRCMP did us a favor.  The ball was hit very hard.  Luckily, too hard to have time to think.  It was a one-hopper / Sunday hop right into #35’s glove going to his left.  This led him right into the runner for the 1^st out, stepped on the base for out #2 and threw to first as Pub Krull anxiously awaited and sighed relief when he caught the ball.  A TRIPLE PLAY!  I’d like to type that again…A TRIPLE PLAY!   On the 418^th groundball to short with runners on 1^st and 2^nd with no outs, we turned a triple play.  1/418 = 0.0024. That is 0.24% chance.  In other words, it doesn’t happen often.  Numbers don’t lie. 

So we lost this game, but we had another game to play on this fine evening and no one from the Schlitz Gusto Guys had to go to bed at night knowing they hit into a TRIPLE PLAY!

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 10 – Goodfella’s 20

Last out: ?

Game #2 vs. Rounding Second

The Schlitz Gusto Guys can only be tamed for so long.  They can only be caged for so long.  Eventually, the animal that is the Schlitz Gusto Guys bats will let loose.  And so they did, on their way to 24 runs.  We hit bloopers, groundballs, line drives and deep balls.  This tamed and caged animal was free to go.  We took extra bases when they were given, we tested the arms, we forced them to throw us out between bases and we had Cinco try to “sneak” home after the runner before him had a play at the plate.  He missed it by a step.  The Schlitz Gusto Guys made things happen all game.

Defensively we locked it down making the plays we needed to make.  Pub Krull pitched his first official inning and simply didn’t give up an earned run.  ERA = 0.00.  Opponents batting average = 0.250.  I think the Schlitz Gusto Guys own the best middle reliever south of the river.

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 24 – Rounding Second 10

Last out:  Ryan (officially a strikeout, since it was a foul ball)

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