Semi Final vs Falcons and the End of the Season...

 Storm and Falcons played an extremely tight game for the first five innings. The pitching on both sides was excellent.  Storm was finally able to string together some hits and take a 7-2 lead into the sixth inning. The way Jeff had been pitching, it looked like it would be enough.

And then…

The wheels fell off. 

Jeff couldn’t find the board to save his life. With every pitch it seemed to get smaller and smaller. And the Falcons were patient. They took their walks. Jeff insisted he could find the plate, and they got out of the inning, but only after the Falcons plated five and tied the game. In the seventh inning they kept Jeff on the mound, but he struggled to find the plate again and even when he did and the ball was put in play, the Storm defense stopped making plays that they usually made. Storm had to make the call to the bullpen for Rene, but in an effort to make Jeff feel better about his struggles, Rene also struggled to find the plate. Eventually, they gave the ball to Joey. That’s right, Storm needed three pitchers to get through one inning. The Falcons led by 7 after all was said and done. Storm tried to mount a comeback, but a line drive to first led to a game-ending doubleplay. 

It was a tough end to a solid season. But you can’t win every year (and Storm has won three of the last five years). And there’s always next year.

Quarter Final vs The Crew

 The quarter final match between Storm and the Crew got off to an offensive start. Both teams scored five runs in their first at bats. And then the two teams combined for one run across the next two innings. They each scored in the fourth, which meant going into the 5th Storm trailed 7-6. And then all heck broke loose. The top of the 5th was one of the craziest innings you’ll see.The Crew scored three. Then a batter was called out for stepping out of the box on a home run. A runner was caught between second and third because he ran from second to third when the runner on third stayed put and was recorded out. Just when you would think the momentum of the inning had turned back towards Storm, Crew unleashed an offensive torrent scoring four more runs before Jeff was brought in to stem the bleeding and get out of the inning. But Storm now trailed 14-6.

Storm had lots of thunder left in their bats and a strong desire to prove it. With two runs in and two outs, Storm strung together a barrage of hits and matched The Crew’s seven run inning bringing it back to a one run deficit. 

Neither team would score in the sixth and the Crew took a one run lead to the seventh. The Crew loaded the bases, but Storm got out of it without giving up a run meaning they only had to score one run. They had the meat of the order coming up with. Mills and Rene led off with hits and Tony drove Mils in on a sac fly to tie the game. Then Mills pinch ran for Rene and scored from second on a sac fly to right field after a throw went errant. It’s nice to have speed. And courtesy runners. Mills scored both runs in the bottom of the seventh to push Storm into the semi-final.

Playoff's Day One

Storm started strong in the first inning.  Coulas was shut down in the first and Storm exploded for five runs. Joey led off with a single, then Mills, Duran, and Rene each walked. Jeff singled home two and Lance got a hit before Storm ran out of steam, but five was a good start. 

Coulas got a couple back in the top of the second, but Storm extended the lead with six runs powered by Rene’s triple. Storm’s barrage continued in the third with four runs and three more in the fourth. Coulas started crushing the ball in the sixth with a couple of solo home runs, but it was too little too late as Storm won 19-5. 

Storm played really well on both sides of the ball. Jeff and Rene were able to battle the wind to pitch well and the defense was strong. Hitting was solid all through the lineup. It was a full team effort.

Surge started strong as the first four batters all scored. Storm was able to stop the bleeding there. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much thunder in Storm/s bats for the first two innings they were only able to manage one run in the two frames. 

Surge was held off the board in the second, but the top of the order proved powerful once again as they scored three more in the third. Storm’s bats finally woke up in the third, though, as they scored five runs powered by Mills’s three run blast. At the end of the third, Storm trailed 7-6.

Surge kept pounding the ball, though, two more in the fourth, but Storm responded with another three run blast from Mills. Two batters later Jeff recorded a home run out. Apparently he only hits home runs (and home run outs) off of Mike. That essentially killed the rally, but Storm took the 10-9.

It wouldn’t last, though. Surge added four more in the fourth to go up 12-10. This inning also saw the almost greatest outfield catch as Mills leaped over the fence, got his glove on the ball, but couldn’t hold on. 

But the seesaw kept tilting and Storm really opened the floodgates in the bottom of the 5th scoring 8 and taking over lead 18-12. Jeff came back in and shut Surge down in the sixth. Storm also put up a goose egg in the sixth.

Jeff decided to make things interesting in the last inning. He walked three batters and gave up a triple, allowing Suge to score two and bring the tying run to the plate, but a pop fly to left centre ended the game. Storm had to bat because they weren’t up seven, but the game was already decided.

Celebrating an Extraordinary Season at the Plate

 This season was defined by an explosive offense and contributions throughout the lineup, with every player finding a way to make an impact. Leading the charge was Bob, who put together one of the most dominant offensive seasons on the team. Bob led the club with an astounding 83 RBI, while batting .720 and launching 10 home runs, proving to be the team's premier run producer. Close behind was Joey, whose combination of power and consistency made him one of the league's most dangerous hitters. Joey collected 12 home runs, scored 76 runs, and posted an impressive 1.713 OPS.

Tony delivered elite production in just 28 games, batting .686 with 12 home runs and a stellar 1.804 OPS. His ability to drive the ball consistently helped generate 57 RBI. Meanwhile, Duran turned in perhaps the most complete offensive season on the roster. He led the team with a remarkable 15 HR's, 15 triples, scored 73 runs, drove in 72 RBI, and posted the highest OPS on the team at 1.972, showcasing a rare blend of speed and power.

Jeff was one of the toughest outs in the lineup, hitting an incredible .655 while crossing the plate 29 times in only 25 games. Rene supplied timely power, belting 9 home runs and driving in 22 runs while recording a strong 1.594 OPS in only 20 games. Sam added depth and versatility, batting .613 with 7 home runs, 38 runs scored, consistently putting pressure on opposing defenses.

Lance proved to be one of the steadiest hitters on the roster, batting .600 while collecting 56 singles, and driving in 36 runs. Mills contributed across the board, combining power and extra-base hitting with 13 HR's, 10 doubles, 63 runs scored, and 49 RBI. His power numbers ranked among the team's best all season.

Setting the table for the offense was Greg, who scored 17 runs, and drove in 28 runs, showing his willingness to battle in every at-bat. Brad supplied consistent production with 56 singles, 37 RBI, and 32 runs scored, providing an important presence throughout the lineup. Shawn contributed speed and contact hitting, batting .478, scoring 20 runs, and collecting 19 RBI. Brian added reliability and consistency, recording 58 singles, one of the highest totals on the team, while driving in 35 runs.

In limited action, Ken (Who?) made the most of his opportunities, batting .429 over two games. Alex rounded out the offense with a solid .426 average, contributing 17 runs scored, 9 RBI, and showing interesting aggressiveness on the bases.

Collectively, the team produced a staggering 592 runs, 62 home runs, and an exceptional 1.431 OPS, making this one of the most potent and balanced offensive lineups imaginable. Every player played a role in a season defined by power, consistency, and relentless run production. 

Storm Rallies Early, Pulls Away Late for 16-9 Victory

Storm and Inglorious Batters both scuttled out of the gate, unable to get a run in the first inning. Inglorious Batters got a runner on, but a doubleplay quickly ended any threat. Storm’s top of the order went down quickly on three fly balls. This was more painful when Tony lead off the second with a massive home run. Storm would add three more and led 4-3 after two. 

Rene shut down the Inglorious Batters in the third and Storm was able to add two more extending the lead to 6-3. Joey decided he would hop to the mound in the fourth. The Batters were no longer Inglorious as they smacked the ball all over the field. They scored 5 and took an 8-6 lead. Bob drove in a pair with a hard hit double, and Tony got a sacrifice fly to add three more as Storm retook the lead. 

After Storm retook the lead, Rene retook the mound. He started to have a little trouble with accuracy (and with fear of a ball being smacked back at him), but Storm was able to minimize the damage and The Batters only got one to tie the game. In the 5th and 6th Storm started to find some consistency at the plate and were able to drive in 7 runs.  Rene shut the door in the 6th, and Jeff came in for the save (apparently it’s a 20 run save rule in slo-pitch). Jeff should have had a three up three down inning, but dropped the ball (literally) covering first on a soft toss from Brian. The regular season ended as Jeff was able to strike out the last batter. 

Storm now prepares to defend it’s title. Can they threepeat, or will Triple Play keep their incredible season rolling into the playoffs. Will the Falcons soar? Will Broadway sing? Will Coulas crush? Will Surge surge? Will Hanet get hot? Will the Inglorious Batters become glorious? Will the Isotopes get some positive energy? Will the Crew brew up some trouble? Will the Expos expose the flaws in their opponents? Will Greenthumb… plant some seeds of offense? Nobody knows what will happen in a weekend tournament. You’ll have to be there to find out.

Top 5 Offensive Performers

Tony - Tony powered the offense with a monster game at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, scoring three times, and driving in four runs. His combination of power and run production made him the clear offensive catalyst.

Sam - Sam was a hitting machine, collecting three hits in four at-bats while scoring twice and driving in three runs. He consistently put pressure on the defense and reached base every time he stepped to the plate.

Joey - Joey delivered timely extra-base power, going 2-for-4 with a triple, scoring a run, and knocking in two more. His 0.750 average and ability to drive the ball helped spark multiple scoring opportunities.

Bob - Bob provided production near the top of the lineup, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and two RBIs. His extra-base hit and run-scoring ability kept rallies alive throughout the game.

Mills - Stephen quietly put together a strong offensive performance, going 2-for-4 and scoring twice. His consistent contact and ability to get on base helped set the table for the heart of the order.

 Line Score

                                1 2 3 4 5 6 7    R

Inglorious Batters  0 3 0 5 1 0 0     9

Storm                      0 4 2 5 3 2 X    16

Scoring Summary

• 2nd: Storm answered Inglorious Batters' 3-run inning with 4 runs to take the lead.
• 3rd: Storm added 2 more runs to extend the advantage to 6-3.
• 4th: Both teams erupted for 5 runs, keeping Storm ahead 11-8.
• 5th: Storm outscored Inglorious Batters 3-1 to build a 14-9 lead.
• 6th: Storm put the game away with 2 insurance runs.
• Final: Storm 16, Inglorious Batters 9