Underhanded Compliments Softball: Opening Day! 3/22 vs. Basic Pitches & Huevos Grandes

Team Photo, Spring 2015: back row from left: Triffid; Cameron; Mark; Jessica; Emily H; front row from left: Zeb; John; Gustav; Matt; Bryce; missing: Harrison & Hayden played in the game but arrived to late for the photo; also: Colin R; Emily K; Nicole

In the immortal words of the great Ernie Banks: “Let’s play two!”

In fact, that’s just how the Underhanded Compliments started the season—a doubleheader, with games at 10:30 & noon. Sunday was a gloomy & soggy day. Last week’s rain had left the field wet, & then there was a strong drizzle during part of the first game. There were quite a few bags of Diamond Dry used during that doubleheader!

Zeb at third, Triffid on the rubber

Our bats didn’t seem to wake up in time for the first game. Jessica picked up our first hit with 2 outs in the second, & I singled to lead off the fourth for our second hit (& my only hit of the day.) But we also held Basic Pitches down; they scored a run in the first, & our old pal from spring practices Seth homered in the fourth. Then they added on two more in the top of the fifth, & it might have been far worse except Bryce ran down a shot to deep centerfield & made a spectacular catch for the third out.

Harrison - player of the game against Huevos Grandes! - at second; Bryce - player of the day! - in center

We finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning, as Zeb tripled home Emily, & then Bryce tripled to drive Zeb home. But Basic Pitches added two more in the 6th. We started the bottom of the inning in a promising way, as Cameron singled & Triffid doubled, but we failed to cash them in. Basic Pitches added one more in the 7th, & we went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half.

Mark didn't like that pitch - with the team's new Easton bat

The second game against Huevos Grandes was much more satisfying, as we took that one 14-8. Bryce had a huge game at the plate, going 4 for 4 with a single, a triple & two home runs—& 8 rbis! (9 total rbis for the day). Zeb also was 4 for 4 with three runs scored & two rbis, while Harrison went 4 for 4 with three runs scored & three runs batted in—& was deservedly named “Player of the Game.” In addition, there was a great play to end the Huevos 5th inning, when one of their batters tried to stretch a triple into a home run. Emily sent an accurate throw to Matt, & Matt threw a strike to Cameron to get the tag at the plate with time to spare.

Matt at the plate

We jumped on top with two in the 1st, as Mark & Matt opened the inning with back-to-back triples; Harrison then drove in Matt with a single. Huevos Grandes roared back in the 2nd, scoring five & batting around, but we tied the game in the 3rd on Bryce’s 3-run homer. Huevos Grandes added two in the 4th & one in the 5th to build an 8-5 lead, but then we scored a 5-spot in the bottom of the 5th, capped by Bryce’s second homer, which also was a 3-run shot. & while we held Huevos scoreless the rest of the way, we added on four in the bottom of the 6th with five straight 2-out hits by Mark, Matt, Harrison, Zeb & Bryce, who finished it off with a triple.

Zeb at bat

Although it was a wet & gray day, I think a good time was had by all. The line-up had Mark playing first & leading off; Matt at short; Emily H in right center; Zeb; at third; Bryce in center; Jessica in right; Cameron catching; Triffid pitching; Ariel starting at second; Gustav in left, John at DH; Hayden subbing in at catcher; & Harrison subbing in at second. For the second game we were without Ariel, who could only play one game, & Harrison moved to the third slot & full-time at second, while Emily batted after Gustav.

Bryce doing some damage!

It was also wonderful to see Tyler & Lauren who braved the drizzle to come out & cheer the team on during the first game! You two are definitely missed.