SFRC

If there is one certainty in life, it is that the Schlitz Gusto Guys bring their talents to South Beach, Lac Lavon.  This is never more true than “Processed Food Night.”  We had a record crowd for the annual event with somewhere between 40-50 people attending the event (and games).  It was plenty hot out on July 21st.  The ump was afraid storms were going to disrupt us.  Clearly that ump has not been a umping the Skyline Fighting Red C’s and Schlitz Gusto Guy for the past 20 years.  It doesn’t rain on the Gusto Guys.  Numbers don’t lie.

Game #1 vs. H-Bombs

This was the first meeting between the Schlitz Gusto Guys and H-Bombs sporting their new jerseys.  It’s worth mentioning, the H-Bombs new uniforms are the second best uniforms in the Burnsville D/E Recreational league.  Also worth mentioning, they are a very distant second to our very own Schlitz Gusto Guy threads.

The Schlitz Gusto Guys got after it early, scoring six in the first and 10 in the second.  In fact, every one of the Schlitz Gusto Guys scored at least one run in this game.  We fielded well as a squad and managed not to give up too many extra bases.

Solid games at the plate for CW (3×4), Brain (4×4), Kurty (4×4), CP (3×4), Pauly (3×4 with a HR), Steve/Ryan combo (4×4) and Sans (3×4).

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 22 – H-Bombs 10

Last out: CW

Game #2 vs. Televent DTN

We scored two runs early and then took a couple of innings off.  Televent DTN kept it close throughout the game.  In the end the Schlitz Gusto Guys would not disappoint their fans at a sold out Lac Lavon Field E escaping with a 10-6 win.  There are not too many teams in the Burnsville Wednesday night D/E Recreational league that can hold their focus in front of a sold out field.  The Schlitz Gusto Guys, however, are one of those teams.  Kurty continued his perfect night at the plate going 2×2 with a walk (and finishing just a couple of at-bats shy of qualifying for the batting title).  The original Schltiz Gusto Guy (and the 2009 Schlitz Gusto Guy Sportsman of the Year), Brian Niehaus was a perfect 3×3 at the dish.

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 10 – Televent DTN 6

Last out: CW

Fan of the night: Far too many fans to name individually.  I’d highly recommend checking out the BBQ page and looking at all of the pictures of “Processed Food Night 2010” at South Beach, Lac Lavon.  Thanks to everyone who attended and a special shout out to Kurty for grilling and to Schlitz for the beverages and signage.  It was definitely a successful night.  At least judging by the time we finally departed “South Beach.”

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It was 71 degrees, not a cloud in the skies and winds from left to right.  It was absolutely “Mrs. H” for a season opener.  Without question the SFRC were in mid-season form.  Physically and mentally.  That only happens in Week #1 when teams spend 12 months a year together.  This only happens by running the SFRCP hills in January and keeping the chatter going watching pitches in the cage in March.

Game #1 vs. H-Bomb

There are a few certainties in SFRC softball.  One is “numbers don’t lie.”  The other is that Pub Krull will have grass stains by the end of the evening without exception.  In 2010 this happened on the first batter of the game.  It was a blooping pop up to shallow left.  Pub Krull got a good jump on the ball, used his world class D/E speed and made a nice diving effort on the ball.  A single.  The first inning looked promising for Ol’ 35 at short, making two putouts in two attempts (it went downhill from there).

How many times do you see it?  How many times do you see a guy dive for a ball (and miss it) in left field to start a game, then lead off the top of the 1^st for the home team?   How many times does said left fielder lead off the bottom of the first and the first AB for the 2010 FRC watch the first pitch and then hit a HOME RUN?  Hey, there aren’t many firsts for the SFRC anymore (we’ve been going strong for 20 years), but I think it is safe to say Pub Krull’s 2010 leadoff HR is a SFRC first.  This does not happen by taking HGH in early April.  This only happens when HGH is used as your daily vitamin.  Pub Krull has been sharing his secrets as the FRC hit FOUR homeruns in Game #1.  In addition to Pub Krull, T-Mac had 1+ (more on this later) and the FNG (Silkey) had a HR for an out.

As mentioned earlier 35 made the first two plays hit his way after taking a bad hop in the fact last week.  After those two plays, the flood gates opened.  We had another SFRC first.  Three straight errors on three straight batters.  All by Ol’ #35.  Not exactly how someone wants to go down in the SFRC record books.  These errors allowed the H-Bomb crew to stay in the game.  H-Bomb had a two run lead heading into the bottom of the last inning (6^th inning due to time).  Per the norm you did not hear “we need two to tie.”  Not on this team.  Not in the SFRC dugout.  Rather, a number of guys were making the “We need three to win!” call.  Truly a sign of winners.

Brain led off the inning with a solid hit.  Matty followed that up by smoking a ball to left center.  Being the aggressive base-running team that we are, Matty went for three and had Brain making a late dash for home.  Everybody safe.  The FRC now were down one with a runner on third.  T-Mac stepped to the plate hoping to get the “Mr. No Clutch” hex off his back.  He managed to hit a wind aided game winning HR.  Oh wait, even though H-Bomb had hit a HR the rules say you both have to hit two HRs before either team can hit another one.  “Mr. No Clutch” came through again with a HR for an OUT!  No matter, the SFRC don’t have quit in their vocabulary.  Ryan got on with a game-tying RBI single.  CW got on base on a fielder’s choice.  Runners moved over to set the stage for 2’s (aka CP).  2’s came through with a walk-off RBI single, scoring CW.

SFRC WIN!  SFRC WIN!  OOOOOHHHHHHHH SFRC WIN!

The FRC are nothing if not dramatic.

Final Score: SFRC 17 – H-Bomb 16

Play of the game (aside from the open grass stained Pub Krull): Ol’ #22 with the walk-off game-winning single.  As someone stated later in the evening, “CP was huge tonight.  And he hit well too.”

Last out: Ryan on a fielder’s choice hit by CW

Game #2 vs. Televent DTN

The FRC started where they left off.  The hits came early and often.  We scored two in the first, a couple more in the second a few more in the third, and so on.  In what turned out to be the last inning, the FRC went Peter North on the opposition en route to 20+ runs.  After batting around multiple times heard from the opposing bench was, “No damage done, let’s go.”  I guess that’s true if you define “damage” as the mess left in the Biffy prior to Game #1 by one of the SFRC faithful.  We locked them down in the field ending the game with a double-play.

Highlights of the game: Pub Krull swinging and MISSING on two straight pitches for a K (I’d like to say this is a SFRC first – hitting a HR and swinging and missing twice in the same night, but I don’t think it is).  Also, Pauly being the team player taking two walks.

Lineup call: I have written about how much I love softball.  Here is an excerpt:

There are countless reasons to enjoy softball.  Being outdoors, the laughing and joking during and after the games, the chance to be competitive and maybe the greatest thing is hearing the lineup called for each inning.  Playing with the same guys for a number of years usually ends up in calling each other by their nickname.  A lineup could read: Moose, Hollywood, Pig, Shooter, Flash, Shorty, Deuce…

Based on names from a friend’s squad, their lineup could read: Cozzie, Moore, Moore, Byrnes, Whipple, Uber.  Or, it could read: Moore, Cozzie, Uber, Bush, Moore, Whipple, Byrnes… Read that fast like you are calling out a lineup.  You can’t make stuff like that up.  Just fantastic. If you don’t see the humor in that lineup, well, stick with book club and avoid the softball field.

Well on 04-28-2010 if you listened carefully you would have heard something like this: Steve, Greg, Sampson, RON, JEREMY, Alex, Sprout, Eric, etc.  There is something to be said about a lineup that can provide a stick like RON, JEREMY.

Final Score:  SFRC 27 – Televent DTN 4

Last out: Ryan (twice in one night – ouch)

A shout out to the FNG for catching two straight games.  Silk and Mauer are generally known as the two best catchers at calling a game.  The calls from behind the plate led to multiple strikeouts thrown by Sans.  All of the Schlitz Gusto Fighting Red C Gusto Guys hit well.  Moving Brain over to short definitely increased the reliability of the team in the field.  It’s worth mentioning again, the SFRC were in mid-season form on their chatter.  Check out some of the best on the Quotes page.

Fan of the night:  We had a very solid showing on Week #1.  Mrs. CW was present, Patsy and friend, Merrie (Pauly’s sister), TO, et. al.

He’s our Darrin Nelson, our Barry Sanders, our Billy Simms, he’s Brian Schmoll.  What do they have in common with the 2010 version of the SFRC?  2-0 describes them all perfectly.  The Schlitz Gusto Fighting Red C Guys have never lost.  Never.  “Numbers don’t lie.”

We are already looking forward to “Cinco de Mayo con Cinco.”

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There’s no place like home….There’s no place like home. 

Game #1 vs. Junior Varmits

We were back.  Back “at home.”  a.k.a. SFRCP.  For the first time this year.  It was good to be “home.”  After years playing against Varmits, they have slowly migrated to the “sons of Varmits.”  I have no issue with this and it is actually pretty neat to see.  The only issue is that the “Junior Varmits” are faster, quicker, get to more balls and make more plays.  July 8^th was no exception.  They had two shortstops playing different innings and both of them probably made two or three plays (resulting in outs) that would not have been made by other teams in our league.  A positive note about the “Junior Varmits” is that they play at least 40% quicker than their fathers.  We have no problem getting seven innings in with the “Junior Varmits.”  This was always an issue with their seniors.  The FRC struggled with the bats a bit, but hung in there for most of the game. 

Final score:   SFRC 4 – Junior Varmits 7

Last out: Shane?

Plays of the game:

In the field: Without question a top five play of the year (maybe THE play of the year) Lars laying out for a ball right down the line in left field.  He got a good jump on the ball, tracked it down and went “Super Lars” make a diving catch parallel to the turf that is SFRCP. 

At the plate: TO making a comeback after almost four years on the shelf.  He does not need to justify his roster spot, but he went 3-3 for any doubters that were around. 

Game #2 vs. H-Bombs

In typical FRC fashion, we came back for Game #2 with a chip on our collective shoulders.  It was leader, leader, leader for seven innings.  We left a number of runners on base, but delivered when we had to.

Final score:   SFRC 12 – H-Bombs 6

Last out: I feel like someone was forced out at second base???

Plays of the game:

In the field:  Solid defense by the entire SFRC squad.  Sans made a nice “Matrix like” catch on a line drive up the middle (or was this in Game #1?).

At the plate:  TO again hit the ball solid.  Kurty made a big play after his legs gave out (something about batting lefty) scoring after putting some pressure on the catcher.

Fans of the night:

Chad and Mrs. Chad made it to the park.  It was nice to see them.

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In the world of softball weather, you can’t make up days any better than Wednesday, June 3, 2009.  69 degrees, not a cloud in the sky and an ever so faint breeze blowing out.  It was simply a gorgeous night for two.  “Mrs. H,” if you will. 

We missed out on the presence of Lars Sr. due to a potentially bad Council Bluffs sandwich.  It was an unfortunate mishap indeed.  Numbers don’t lie, we don’t lose in the presence of Lars Sr.  We did, however, have a full crew of SFRC faithful.  The Brain family, TO, Patsy and ____, and Mrs. Cinco along with the debut of Poco Cinco. 

The downside is that the FRC were flat.  Flat from the get-go.  The result was an 0-2 evening at the “now-so-foreign” Lac Lavon. 

Game #1 vs. “Sons of Varmits”

The first pitch was thrown at exactly 7:00pm Walt time (generally more accurate than GMT).  The SFRC started playing at about 7:09pm.  The FRC allowed 11 to cross the plate in the top of the 1^st.  But in typical FRC fashion, we plated nine of our own in the bottom of the 1^st to make it a two run game.  However, the FRC booted the ball and threw the ball all over the field on their way to a 14-21 loss to the “Sons of Varmits.” 

There is no excuse for us losing to this team.  Not when it is the senior players, nor the JV squad that played on June 3^rd. 

There were many K’s, pop outs, double plays, etc.  In fact, I think the game ended on a double play.  YUCK.

Final score:   SFRC 14 – Varmits 21

Last out: ???

Plays of the game:

In the field: None.   

At the plate: None. 

Game #2 vs. H-Bomb

We were back and forth with H-Bomb again.  This seems to happen every time we play them.  H-Bomb’s did have 10 players for possible the first time in their franchise’s history.  With Walt behind the dish anything can happen.  The SFRC found a way to stay in this game for awhile.  The wind was blowing out to center on Field A, but no HRs were hit be either team.  The FRC left the bases loaded twice and the FRC shortstop booted a few balls and left his thinker in the dugout on a lineout, and let the runner on third score.  You really don’t see a “SAC” on an F6 too often.  Especially when the ball never left the infield.   

Final score:   SFRC 10 – H-Bombs 15

Last out: ???

Plays of the game:

In the field:  A  minor collision between the rookie right-fielder and the more rookie right center-fielder.

At the plate:  Pub of HGH Krull again showing off his power.   

Fans of the night:

We can’t thank the fans enough for their support.  At one point a blow horn and some wind won you fan of the game, see here.  However, that has been out done.  It is no longer an easy award to win.  The competition was stiff last week.  However, if there was ever a guarantee, it happened on June 3, 2009.  Poco Cinco made his SFRC debut and for that, he automatically wins FAN OF THE GAME!

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With the dress rehearsal behind us we were ready to play ball!  We had a couple long time FRC faithful bow out for reasons we will not address.  This left the FRC roster depleted.   We were scrambling to find an able body.  FNG Ryan came through with a call to “Brad.”  The FRC had 10 to play for the first pitch.  Luckily Potter showed up as well to spell a young Lars behind the dish after Lars was circling the bases all night.

Game #1 vs. Varmit

Historically the FRC get six or less innings in against a team that is generally the slowest team on and off the field in the five state Midwest area.  I will never understand why they ask who is up next when they have followed the same guy in the batting order since 1983.  The game was back and forth through out.  We’d score three, they’d score four, we’d come back with five, they’d score two, and so on.  The ump didn’t do the FRC any favors and missed at least three calls.  In the bottom of the sixth the FRC padded their lead and took the field in the top of the 7^th up nine.  From the opposing dug out we could hear, “we need nine to tie.”  That is like lion smelling blood.  Any team looking to tie is destined to lose.  Varmit scratched and clawed in the top of the 7^th, but their output followed their goal….I bit too low.  Varmit scored seven, but lost by two. 

Final score:   SFRC 19 – Varmit 17

Last out: CW

Plays of the game:

In the field: Sans snagging three line drives up the middle.  Sans hustling over to cover first (just like we practiced in the gym back in January).  Brain putting the film room to work and catching a line drive towards the hole at second base. 

At the plate: Brain and his new found power from the left side of the dish going 4-5.  Cinco, in potentially his last night at the diamond without being a father, going 4-5.  35, going 4-5, which could have been 5-5 if not for the “grand slam out” because……Pub Krull going deep to left center for a pivotal HR.  Pub Krull also hit a laser off the fence in left.  The rest of the FRC crew missed a golden opportunity to freeze out Pub Krull and leave him out there on his own after his big HR.

Game #2 vs. H-Bomb

Another thriller.  H-Bomb had 8.5 players on this evening.  The outfield was open.  The FRC did what they could to take advantage of the green grass and tallied 30 hits in Game 2 of the night.  The game was back and forth with a few very strong innings.  In the top of the third H-Bomb scored six, the FRC would not allow them to win the inning and scored six of our own in the bottom of the third.  The game continued to be back and forth and again “Red” didn’t help the FRC out at all.  In the bottom of the 6^th down three with time running out the FRC plated two runs and trailed by one.  Luckily, as the FRC are wont to do, we left enough time to play one more inning.  In the top of the 7^th H-Bomb scored two to take another three run lead.  What did we hear coming out of the FRC dugout?  “WE NEED FOUR TO WIN!”  A distinct difference from the opposing dug out in Game #1.  What did the FRC do?  They proceeded to get runners on base and score runs to take the victory in the bottom of the 7^th. 

Final score:   SFRC 22 – H-Bomb 21

Last out: Brad

Plays of the game:

In the field:  There were some big catches in left, left-center and right.  There was a put out from left to third base (oh wait, Red missed that one), there were a couple of double plays (3^rd to 1^st) and at least one other double play that was botched by Ol’ 3-5. 

At the plate:  CW was the leader of leaders going 5-5.  Cinco continued to stay hot (he also had another four hit game).  Lars had two doubles and a nice SAC (he also had an RBI with a sacrifice fly) and circled the bases two at a time.  We may have even seen a FRC player slide. 

Fan of the night:

Mad-Dog making a brief, but important appearance before mysteriously disappearing.

Numbers:

Numbers don’t lie.  The season is two weeks old and the FRC have not lost and sit at 2-0.  Brain donated some time and put the stats together.  Early batting leaders are CW and Cinco at .800.  But the FRC are about the team and this team is batting .582 for the season.  Could running hills, watching film and practicing start to be paying off?  See you next week!

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