It Ain't Over Yet! (A Two Game Recap)

Until that fat lady comes out and sings, Slayer Softball is alive and well. After having a game suspended last week (due to lack of daylight), the Slayers took the field Tuesday evening to finish their game with the undefeated Chiefs -- the winner would go on to play at 6:30, the loser... go home with their season over.

Game One

When the game was suspended last week, the Slayers had the big Mo. Things were going well and after four innings, SHS was up 6-4. If you remember, the first meeting between these two teams was very defensive-oriented, with the Chiefs winning 5-3. After home runs from both teams and some stellar defensive play, Bill decided that it was too dark to continue -- the game would be finished another night.

Around rolls Tuesday, the day to finish the game. The situation: SHS is up 6-4, they started in the top of the 5th, both teams have one home run (meaning only one more per team is allowed). Hoping to pick up where they left off, the Slayers went to work and scored a quick two runs (thanks to King Bunz' in the park home run), pushing the lead to 8-4.

When the Chiefs got up to bat, they were done having fun and messing around. They rattled off four runs of their own to tie it up at 8. Fearing another collapse, the Slayers re-grouped and went to bat.

Coacherson turned a botched single into a double to get into scoring position. Number Two popped out and that brought McShit up to bat. He knocked a hit into the outfield and Coacherson scored at home. One run was all the Slayers could muster, and they had the lead 9-8.

Heading into the bottom of the 6th, the Chiefs looked poised to pounce. The first batter came up and knocked a single into center field. The cut off throw came in, but missed his mark and all of a sudden, dude was running from first to second. Coacherson grabbed the ball and slung it to Auggy -- who caught it, turned and tagged the guy out! Play of the mother f'in game!

After another out and some hits, the Chiefs had two runners on base and Bill calls out that the time has expired and that if the Chiefs don't score here, the game was over. The Chiefs batter comes up and takes a pitch for strike one. The second pitch she hits, but it goes foul... strike two. McShit tosses the ball and again she makes contact. The ball dribbles towards McShit, who picks it up and fires it to Coacherson at first. Game over! SHS beats the best team in the league 9-8!!!

With that win, the Slayers now sat at 6-4 on the season and found themselves in the Final Four and having to play again 10 minutes later.


Game Two

The Slayers were most high from their previous win and having to face BR again (BR rallied from four down to tie the game, and eventually went on to win in extra innings earlier in the season) only made the next game even sweeter.

Having the worse regular season record, the Slayers were the away team -- so they started the game at the plate. BR, on the other hand, didn't seem to show up at all. The pitcher was throwing so poorly that all 10 batting Slayers scored in the first inning. It's one thing to play softball and not swing at pitches to hopefully get a walk (this is cheap), but it's another thing to not be able to swing at anything (that's not the batter's fault). So before I knew it, SHS was up 12-0 after the top of the first inning (due to walks, some hits and another King Bunz in the park home run).

BR wasn't going to give up too easily, though. And they roared back to score six of their own in the bottom of the first. But here's where it gets interesting... BR seemed a bit put off that SHS was taking so many walks, so they weren't swinging at anything either (this is foreshadowing).

In the top of the second, Coacherson turned another single into a double and McShit knocked him in for the Slayers' only score that inning. SHS was now ahead 13-6. BR, still under the idea of not swinging, scored none.

The top of the third was more of the same for the Slayers and BR. SHS scored one and BR none, so after three SHS was ahead 14-6.

Inning number four was a good one for the Slayers -- even though King Bunz left the game hurt after hitting his third in the park home run (grand slam style). With four more runs tacked on, and BR doing nothing at the plate for the third inning in a row, the Slayers were now up 18-6.

Now things begin to get interesting. BR replaced their faulty pitcher midway through the first inning, for good reason. The new pitcher was in hurry mode and was pitching pretty quickly -- so quickly, sometimes, that Bill didn't even see the pitch thrown and/or would tell the guy to slow down. In addition, since BR was taking so many pitches, bad moods were starting to pile up.

In the top of the fifth, "Hey" Craig punished the ball and went yard, 19-6. Zieg Hile smashed a shot over the left fielder's head and wound up with a double. Coacherson hit one to the warning track for out number one. Number Two grounded for out number two. McShit comes up and it now becomes a pitchers duel. The BR pitcher gets way behind in the count 3-0 and as any smart batter would do, if you have 3 balls and no strikes, you take the next pitch. Well McShit didn't have that chance since the pitcher rolled the ball to home plate... rolled it. Words were exchanged and now the bases were loaded (when a guy walks, the next batter walks, too), with two outs.

PJer comes up and Bill makes the announcment that if SHS scores two more runs that means they'll be ahead by 15 and the mercy rule will be in effect, giving the Slayers the win. PJer knocked the pitch into the outfield and the Slayers scored two. Bill called the game, Slayers win 21-6!!!

The game ended in controversy, however. With the home team not being able to complete the inning, the mercy rule probably shouldn't have been put into effect. I'd like to think that Billma (the Ad League Softball version of Karma) came up since some of the BR players weren't being good sports.

Controversy or not, the Slayers are going to the Championship game. Now sporting a record of 7-4, SHS really seems to be gelling at the right time of the year. Please, come out and support the Slayers as they try to become the champs of the ad league!

Championship Game: Monday, August 28th at 6:30.