SFRC

It is difficult to believe the Schlitz Gusto Guys wrapped up summer softball already.  24 games are in the books.  I believe we finished 18-6 and tied for 1^st Place.  With any luck we had less total runs than the Moose Knucklers.  We know we don’t want to move up a league next summer.  We have been in that league before.  It’s not pretty.  Numbers don’t lie.

Sub-plot of the night.  Entering the game #35 held an ever-so-slight lead over Brain for the Schlitz Gusto Guy batting title.  One of the biggest benefits were those Gusto Guys who did not qualify for the batting title.  The batting title essentially came down to whoever got more hits on this final day of the summer season.

Game #1 vs. Moose Knucklers

The pitcher for Moose Knucklers is up there on the “Most Likeable People” list with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.  He’s just a really fun guy to play against.  After Cinco hit a ground ball up the middle #35 asked if the pitcher was okay.  The reply went something like this, “You tell your *&(@#$% pitcher that I’m coming up the (*&$&$@# middle and I go head (*&$%(*# high.”  Let’s take a step back.  The Schlitz Gusto Guys and Moose Knucklers play in Wednesday night D/E Recreational league.  Further, I’m not sure anyone on the Schlitz Gusto Guys would try to go up the middle to hurt anyone.  It’s just not how the Schltiz Gusto Guys roll.  I don’t want to say karma plays a role in this, but he might be the only pitcher in the league to occasionally pitch between his legs or behind his back.

On to the game…It took a while for the bats on either team to get going.  We headed into the 4th inning tied 0-0.  It was back and forth in the final few innings, and the Schlitz Gusto Guys gave away a few runs en route to a 5-9 loss.

Brain ended 3×4 with two singles and a double / #35 finished 3×4 with two singles and a double.

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 5 – Moose Knucklers 9

Last out: Pub Krull

Game #2 vs. Ziegler

After scoring 17 runs in their first game of the night Team Ziegler didn’t have much left.  The Schlitz Gusto Guys, on the other hand, had PLENTY left on this final night of summer ball.  It was one hit after another.  Team Ziegler, usually a solid defensive club, gave us a few freebees, which always helps.  There was quite a bit on the line for this game.  If Moose Knucklers lost in their second game (which they did) and the Schlitz Gusto Guys won, we’d tie for 1^st Place.  The runs came early and often for the Schlitz Gusto Guys as we batted around in the 2nd and 3rd innings and the game was really never close.  Everyone in the lineup had a minimum of four at-bats in Game #2 (in five innings).  Pub Krull slid over to shortstop and immediately had three of the next four put outs.  We also owe a thank you to Pub Krull for extending the game an extra at-bat by throwing just a bit wide of second base.  This biggest impact of this went to the “last out” of the game / summer.  Speaking of Pub Krull….He hit one of the best singles of the season.  A long fly ball, to DEEP left-center field….off the fence.  Nobody has a better “single” trot than Pub Krull.  Nobody.  He looked so graceful trotting to first on that single.  It was almost as if he thought the ball was gone (for a homerun).

Brain ended 4×5 with three singles and a double / #35 finished 4×4 with two singles and a homerun.

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 22 – Team Ziegler 7

Last out: FNG (Silkey) – In the second to last inning (we had a walk off 15 run rule win)

Fan of the night: Kurt Student, “like it’s spelled.”

Final batting stats were as follows:

Brain was 48×84 for a 0.571 average.  #35 was 50×86 for a 0.581 average.  DISCLAIMER…If Brain’s last at-bat was scored a hit instead of an error he would have finished 49×84 for a .583 average.  Ol’ #35 owes the score keeper a TALL BOY!

Worth mentioning: As of August 3rd, 2010, there are 267 days until Summer Balm-2011

Also worth mentioning: There are 19 days until FALL BALL (not to be confused with Foul Ball…or Fowl balls).

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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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Blurry, but SEXY!

The Gusto Guys lost their Schlitz uniform virginity last night.  Numbers don’t lie.  The Schlitz Gusto Guys have never lost whilst wearing their Schlitz uniforms.  Worth noting, at least 90% of the squad looks sharp, svelte and dare I say, SEXY, in their new uniforms.  She was chilly and breezy for the 8pm and 9pm games on Cinco de Mayo, 2010.  But the Gusto Guys have never let the conditions dictate their play.  They simply persevere.  They fight.  They battle.  And on Cinco de Mayo on Skyline Fighting Red C Memorial Park (SFRCMP), they WIN.

Game #1 vs. Edina Realty BCO

Leading off for the Schlitz Gusto Guys is a badge wearing Schlitz Gusto Guy member (Pub Krull).  Worth noting, Pub Krull was also the Schlitz Gusto Guy of the month for March, 2010.  On the first pitch of the game, on the first swing in a Gusto Guy jersey, BAM, a homerun to centerfield.  This was the second week in a row that Pub Krull started the SGGFRC night off with a homerun.  Numbers don’t lie.  That immediately put the opposition on their heels.  The Schlitz Gusto Guys kept the heat on kept hitting and running and scoring and hitting and running and scoring and hitting and running and scoring.  All 10 leaders hit well and everyone had either two or three hits as the team accumulated 26 total hits, scoring 23 times.  Matty also had a “no-doubter” over the fence in left-center.  Pauly was a solid 3-3 and had a nice sac too.  In the field nice plays were made by Niehaus, CW, Ryan and Brain turning a double play.  Sans recorded another strikeout on the mound.

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 23 – Edina Realty BCO 6 (five innings)

Last out: There is a 15-run rule after five innings.  In the bottom of the 5^th, the run to go up 15 scored, then the run to go up 16 scored and then the run to go up 17 scored.  The rally stopped when Ryan smoked a line-drive to third for the final out of the inning.  As we were taking the field, the ump let us know the game was over by the 15-run after five mercy rule.  In theory, Ryan should never have batted in the inning, the game was already won.  However, a team-rule is a team-rule and Ryan got the last out of this offensive explosion of a game.

Game #2 vs. Celts Pub

We simply started where we left off in Game #1…Hitting, running, scoring…hitting, running, scoring…again and again and again.  We batted around in the first inning, the second inning and the third inning.  At one point in the first inning the Celts Pub pitcher asked, “Is there a 20 run 1^st inning rule?”  I think he was serious.  Ryan had two triples to revenge his last out of the first game and Pub Krull had another homerun enroute to a 4-4 game.  Niehaus was also 4-4 in Game #2.  Sans was ripping the ball all evening.

Defensively we were solid with only one error on record.  Al made two nice defensive plays on the same ball throwing to first and then jumping off the mound to cover first as the ball went by Pub Krull.  Kurty also made a couple of nice plays in the field.

Final Score: Schlitz Gusto Guys 27 – Celts Pub 4 (five innings)

Last out: C-W

Fan of the night: Braving the cold in a hood, blanket and coffee…BRANDI

Quote of the night: “I screwed myself and I didn’t have to leave my house.”

A few things worth noting:

• The 2009 Schlitz Gusto Guy Sportsman of the Year (Brian Niehaus) started the year on fire going 7-8 with a double on the night.
• As a team wearing their Schlitz jerseys, the Schlitz Gusto Guys are batting .591 and averaging 25 runs/game.
• #35 didn’t have an error in two full games.  That may be the first time in years (of course he was catching too).
• 

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Schlitz Processed Food Night

Processed food night brought out the masses.  There may have been tornados and thunderstorms to the North and East, but above Neill there was a nary a cloud.  It simply doesn’t rain at Neill.  The stats are updated.  Pictures from processed food night can be found here.

 Game #1 vs. Booze Brothers

At 6pm the FRC crowd was lean, but that would change before the evening was done. 

There are a handful of teams the FRC have faced over the past 20 years that could probably beat us with eight players.  The 2009 version of the Booze Brothers is not one of those teams.  They started with eight fielders and were buried before their ninth and tenth players arrived.  The SFRC simply took advantage of the gaps and sent leader after leader to the plate on the way to an 18-3 shellacking of the Booze Brothers.  It didn’t feel that close.

Final score:   SFRC 18 – Booze Brothers 3

Last out: Ryan

Plays of the game:

In the field: There were a few nice plays by CW and Pub Krull staring at the brightest star in our sky.

At the plate: Leader, Leader, Leader, Leader, etc.  I think everyone hit the ball well.   This was partly due to the lack of fielders and partly due to the fact that the FRC are coming into their own in mid July.  Pub Krull also hitting a HR and followed it up with two swings and misses for a K.

Game #2 vs. Edina Realty

There was standing room only for Game #2 at SFRCP a.k.a. Neill Field A.  Game #2 was a competitive game that went back and forth throughout.  They scored a couple, we scored a few, they scored eight, we scored three, they scored one, we scored four, etc. 

Final score:   SFRC 11 – Edina Realty 12

Last out: Cinco

Plays of the game:

In the field:  Pub Krull sits back 270 in left field and waits, waits, waits….then runs in and makes a basket catch at 200 feet.

At the plate:  35 with a graceful slide into second base.  There is a good reason Ol’ 35 doesn’t slide very often. 

Fans of the night:

The list is long and distinguished.  In no particular order…David & Rita Jonson, Heidi Thompson, Susan Meinke, Anna & Owen Stangl, Pat Garrity, Dave Jones, Brent Denoma, Julie, Neihaus family, CW family, Neil Bailey, Steve Oaks, Greg Lovstad, Patsy, Trisha, Kathy Goering, Joann, Don Schwabauer and Kris Cecare.

Post games recap / Quotes of the night (The list really could go on and on):

·         “She was born in 1978.  She should act like it.”

·         “She does not seem to be the kind of girl to jump on that donkey and whip it like there is no tomorrow.”

·         “Patsy, you bent my thingy.”

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