HURTIN' UNITS FIT TO BE TIED...

HURTIN' UNITS vs. TORN LIGAMENTS...

Game # 18 - August 4, 2010


Hurtin' Units tie 7-7


Team Record 14-2-2

Keogh Park- Most of the week it has been hot and muggy and at game time on Wednesday evening it was still the same. The humidity was hovering around 78 percent and I think just sitting around you were going to break into a sweat. I do peruse the weather networks, especially on or just before game day, I want to be ready for anything, not that I have a backup plan, but more whether or not I have to bring an umbrella or a jacket. The forecast had been calling for thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and considering the temperatures and humidity it would not have surprised me if there had been a major downpour. The storms held off and the weather was not a factor for the league this week...

Until this point, in this season, most nights it has been somewhat easy to field our team. I think we have only had to pick up one sub per game when needed and we have only needed a sub 4 or 5 times. The schedule makers did us a favor by scheduling single games per week in the month of August. This month we have weeks when we will need multiple subs, it is after all holiday season. Last night we were down 3 players. Tom. Chris R. and Don are all on holidays, Chris is back next week and Tom is back August 16 and Don is back at the end of the month. We brought in Doug Dwyer to sub for us... Our thanks go out to Doug and his subbing skills...

The Torn Ligaments really have a strong team and they showed us again, just how strong they can be. The Hurtin' Units first loss of the season came way back in May and it was to these same Torn Ligaments. We were beaten May 18, 2010 by a score of 7-5. Since that crushing loss (okay maybe not crushing) we have had a nice little run, unbeaten in 14 games and 11 wins in a row until last week when we were beaten by the Hottub Woodies.

Last nights game against the ligaments was a tight defensive battle, each team only scoring 7 runs. We were the visitors in this game.

BOXSCORE:

                     1st   2nd  3rd   4th  5th  6th  7th  Total
Hurtin' Units       0      4      0      0     0      2     1      7   

Torn Ligaments  1      1       0      2     2      0     1     7        

In the top of the first inning the Hurtin' Units were unable to score and stranded 2 runners on base while the Torn Ligaments scored a single run. The second inning saw the Hurtin' Units come out swinging, putting up 4 runs, but again the peskie Ligaments scored a single run. 4-2 Hurtin' Units after 2 innings...

For the next 3 innings the Units were unable to score, the bats had gone on a break and they didn't realize that they were needed. The Torn Ligaments scored 4 more runs over the next 3 innings and after 5 innings the score was 6-4 Ligaments ...

In the top of the sixth inning the Units battled back to get two runs and tie the score at 6-6. The Unit defense shut down the Ligaments in the bottom of the inning. In the open (7th) inning the Units again got runners on base, but could only manage to bring one home to take a lead of 7-6. The bottom of the 7th started off very promising, the lead off batter was retired on a ground ball. The Ligament's next two batters reached base and it could have been much worse if Al H. hadn't knocked down a hard hit ball from Bob Smith, there was no out recorded, but the ball was kept in the infield and now runners were at first and second... The next Ligament player hit a double and scored the runner from second and brought Bob Smith around to third base...Score tied 7-7, winning run on third, only one batter out... A base hit scores the runner and it's “Good night Irene”. The next batter hit a ground ball to second base, I snagged the ball, had a play at first, but saw Bob Smith breaking for home, I threw the ball to Doug Dwyer on home plate for the out... With runners still on 1st and 2nd bases, 2 out, the next batter hit a ground ball down to Pauly at third , Paul tagged the runner forced from second for the third out... Hurtin' Units and Torn Ligaments tie, final score 7-7...Units second tie of the season...

When the game had concluded, I heard several of the Unit players, not sure who, mention that this tie was as good as a win. I would have to agree, this game was tough and we were close to losing, but we hung on and earned ourselves an important point in the standings..

There were some highlights in this game, not a lot ( 7-7 score), but certainly somethings worth a mention...The play at home in the seventh was definitely a highlight... In my opinion I thought this was the most consistent hitting from Chris N., solid and hard contact every at bat... Jim Mac made several difficult catches in right field...Doug Dwyer (sub) hit a ball down the right field line to drive in a couple of important runs...Pauly made a nice ground ball catch at third and tagged the runner from second for the final out of the game... UNITS UNMITIGATED!!