Sluggers Take Gametime Siesta

Game One (L 4-13)

Maybe it was the heat. Maybe it was the strenuous work day. Maybe someone put NyQuil in the Gatorade. Whatever the reason, the Sluggers came zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Sorry about that, I was just recalling the game.

Whatever the reason, the Sluggers showed up without any fuel in their tanks - some literally. Earlier in the day, speculation has it that Sluggers Fragile, LawDawg, Fluffy, iNoble, and Legally Blonde visited Mr. Pepperoni for Pizza and Wings. It was rumored that the arduousness of digestion, rendered the players nearly incapicitated by gametime. Although Fluffy could not be reached for comment, the manager at the Wiehle Taco Bell did indeed confirm that the bag of tacos he habitually prepares for Fluffy every Tuesday game night was left unclaimed this week. Was that the answer? Were the Sluggers stricken by the curse of Mr. Pepperoni?

After spotting their opponents two runs in the top of the 1st inning, the Sluggers appeared to be methodically moving through the batting order. The first seven batters of the inning reached base safely, but the Sluggers would leave them loaded as only two runners crossed home plate. From there, the bats went silent, at least for the Sluggers. Two runs, three runs, four runs, two runs. A slow but steady attack took out the Sluggers, who managed to scatter 8 hits in the final four innings.

Although the game was painful, there were still a few bright spots. In her return to the field, Hot Shot went 3-3 and scored 3 of the 4 Sluggers runs. Liability had a team high 3 RBI and also went 3-3. Fragile also went 3-3 and kept his defensive double-play streak alive at 3 consecutive weeks.

SLUGGERS STATS

HR: None

RBI: Liability (3), LawDawg (1)

RUNS: Hot Shot (3), Fluffy (1)

STRIKEOUTS PITCHED: LawDawg (2)

CASUALTIES: Downtown (Adductor)

Photos: Top - Hot Shot collects one of her 6 hits on the night; Bottom - Newbie gets a hold one

Game Two (L 7-15)

Unfortunately for the Sluggers, Game Two was a five inning game. Had it been a two inning game the Sluggers would have won. In fact, the Sluggers sent all ten batters to the plate in the 2nd inning, with 6 of them scoring. Aside from that inning, however, the only excitement came from Fragile v. Umpire/Manager. After being advised by Legally Blonde that the opponent had too many males in the game, Fragile took the argument to the umpire, who had never heard of the male/female ratio put in place by the league office. Finally, when Fragile had to recite the rule from the umpire's own rule book to the umpire, the umpire apologized for not knowing the rules.

Although the Sluggers won the argument, they lost the game. Frankly it wasn't all that close. After the beating handed down in Game One, it became apparent that the Sluggers were looking forward to the post-game festivities at Jimmy's Old Town Tavern, rather than seeking another thrilling comeback. Visions of Fluffy rocking out to ABBA with Dancing Grannies ran through many Sluggers' minds, while others just wanted a drink, badly.

Statistically, the lone bright spot for the Sluggers in Game Two was once again Hot Shot. After going 3-3 in Game One, Hot Shot went 3-3 in Game Two as well, including an RBI double in the 2nd inning.

SLUGGERS STATS

HR: None

RBI: Fragile (2), Hot Shot (2), G-Man (1), Slapshot (1), Fluffy (1)

RUNS: Hot Shot (1), Liability (1), LawDawg (1), Bruiser (1), G-Man (1), Slapshot (1), Hot Shot: Part Deux (1)

STRIKEOUTS PITCHED: LawDawg (1)

CASUALTIES: None

Photo: Downtown looks for a gap shot to left field