Triple Play Gives Storm Double Trouble

 Storm played a double header against Triple Play and ended up with some triple double toil and trouble as they lost both ends of the doubleheader.

The first game was a pitcher’s duel of the first degree. It was Cam Schlittler against Nick Martinez. Duran got Storm started with a two run blast in the top of the first inning, but after that it was crickets from both batting orders. A combination of good pitching and solid defense, meant that those two runs were the only runs scored until the fourth inning, when Mike on Triple Play hit a grand slam and sent Triple Play up 4-2.

Storm scraped another run across the board, in the top of the 5th, but a two run homer by Jose precipitated a pitching change after Joey pitched a solid 5+ innings. Triple Play scored three more to go up 9-3. Storm managed a mini rally in the seventh and scored two but couldn’t get enough to tie it up.

Whether it was the fact that Duran was going on about how much higher Storm’s batting average was this year, or the fact that AleKx put up 2Ks like it was the turn of the Millenium, Storm couldn’t produce like they had in the first five games.

They hoped their fortunes might turn around in the second half of the doubleheader, but Triple Play had shaken the cobwebs off their bats and scored a max six in the first inning. Storm put up three, which was as many runs as they scored in the first six innings of the first game, so things looked good. Unfortunately, Triple Play put up a second max six in the third pulling away. Storm bats finally woke up in the sixth with seven runs, mostly with two outs. It was too little too late as Storm lost 16-12.

Storm bats came alive as Storm crushed the Coulas Bonecrushers

Storm bats came alive as Storm crushed the Coulas Bonecrushers. They put up the max six in three of the first four innings (and somehow put up a goose egg in the second). Storm would put up another six in the sixth on their way to a 27-8 victory. Every player got a hit, every player scored a run. Bob hit two home runs. Tony hit a home run and reached base every at bat. Shawn and Greg also had perfect nights at the plate. Storm’s offense was on full display throughout the game (except the second inning) and it truly was a team effort.

Storm was also solid on the other side of the ball getting good pitching and timely defense to keep Coulas off the board in five out of seven innings.

The Storm put on a dominant offensive performance, combining for 39 hits and 27 runs across 50 total at-bats.

Team Offensive Breakdown

• Hits: 39 total (27 singles, 8 doubles, 0 triples, 4 home runs)
• Team Batting Average (AVG): .765 (39 hits in 51 at-bats).
• Team On-Base Percentage (OBP): .769 (40 times on base in 52 plate appearances).
• Team Slugging Percentage (SLG): 1.157 (52 total bases in 50 at-bats).
• Team OPS: 1.926 (Combined OBP and SLG).

Top Overall Performers

• Bob: Generated the highest overall power and production, leading the team with a 2.800 OPS, a 2.000 Slugging Percentage, and 2 home runs.
• Duran: Anchored the top of the order with a team-high 5 RBIs, alongside a 2.600 OPS and 1 home run.
• Tony: Posted a flawless 1.000 Batting Average while driving in 4 runs on 4 hits, including a home run, for a 2.600 OPS.

• Greg: Maintained a perfect 1.000 AVG / 1.000 OBP, collecting 3 singles and 1 double to drive in 4 runs.
• Shawn: Recorded a perfect 1.000 AVG / 1.000 OBP with 3 singles, 1 double.

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The Hanet Heat are cooled by the Rain of The Storm

Hanet’s name might be Heat, but there has been very little warmth at any of the games Storm has played this season. Storm’s games have been cold and rainy. Thankfully, Storm’s bats heated up and rained down a deluge of runs on the Heat to win their fourth consecutive game.

The game started close as Storm put up three in the first. Hanet took the lead quickly in the bottom of the first scoring four. Storm’s bats heated up in the second. The killer Bs at the bottom of the order (Brad and Brian) started things off and Mills launched a three run homer to close it out. Hanet was blanked in the bottom of the inning, and Storm took a 9-4 lead to the third.

The third inning saw Storm extend their lead to 11-5 before the deluge really rained down in the fourth inning. Mills hit a triple in the middle of a steady stream of singles, and Storm put up their second max 6 of the game. 

Hanet tried to get back into the game in the fifth with five runs, but the damage had already been done. Storm won 20-13. 

Overall Team Performance Summary

• Total Roster: 11 players.
• Total Hits (H): 27 hits.
• Total Runs (R): 20 runs.
• Total Home Runs (HR): 1 home runs.
• Total Runs Created (RC): 26 runs created.

Top Individual Performers

• Stephen Mills: Led the team with 9 Total Bases (TB), 9 Runs Created (RC), 5 RBIs, and a 4.000 OPS. He recorded 1 double, 1 triple, and 1 home run.
• Bob Peppler: Achieved a perfect 1.000 Batting Average (AVG) and 1.000 OBP going 4-for-4 at the plate, scoring 2 runs, and recording 4 total bases.
• Brad MacDougall: Logged a perfect 1.000 AVG, 1.000 OBP, and 1.000 SLG, going 3-for-3 with 1 walk and 1 run.

Key Observations

• Elite Power Production: Stephen Mills accounted for roughly 35% of the team's total runs created (\(9\) out of \(26\)).
• Lineup Core Strength: The middle of the lineup (spots 3, 4, and 5) was highly efficient, combining for 9 hits and 15 runs created.
• Bottom-Order Value: Brad MacDougall (BO 9) and Brian McLean (BO 10) provided heavy production from the bottom of the order, combining for 6 hi
• Plate Discipline: No players recorded a strikeout (K).

Inning Summary

                1 2 3 4 5 6 Final

Storm         3 6 2 6 0 3 20

Hanet Heat 4 0 1 2 5 1 13

Storm Bats Thaw in Fourth

Storm bats started out cold in more ways than one. The temperature was colder than it has any right to be in May, but also Storm's first three batters were back on the bench before Jeff had time to get his pitcher’s mask on. Greenthumb wasn’t suffering from the same affliction and was able to put up three runs in the bottom half of the first frame. 

Storm’s bats started to thaw in the top of the second, scoring two on a bases loaded single before the inning fizzled out. Greenthumb matched Storm’s two runs in the second kept their lead at three.

The third looked like it was going to be a repeat of the first, but Mills hit a two out triple that seemed to ignite some fire in Storm. Storm managed to score three runs and get themselves back in the game. Or at least, that’s how it seemed. But Greenthumb had other plans and scored the max six to increase their lead to 11-5.

Just when it seemed like Greenthumb was pulling away, Storm’s bats woke up like a bear coming out of hibernation. Duran clobbered a grand slam and suddenly Storm was back in the game. They put up a max six and the game was tied. Storm carried that momentum to defense and blanked Greenthumb making it a brand new game after 4.

The geese were in full flight laying eggs in the fifth inning, and each team managed only a single run in the sixth, which meant it all came down to the seventh inning. Suddenly Storm remembered how to hit and they started the inning with eight consecutive hits. Storm eventually called the inning after scoring seven runs to make sure they had enough time to finish the game. After two quick outs, Greenthumb made it interesting by loading the bases, but they ran out of stream and Storm held on to a 19-12 victory. 

Storm unloads on Expos

The Storm absolutely brought the thunder in this one, turning the baseball field into a metaphorical slip-and-slide for The Expos. While the Expos tried to keep things interesting with a respectable 4-run burst in the 5th, the Storm responded by putting up a massive 10-spot in the 6th, essentially deciding that "mercy" wasn't in their vocabulary today.

Game Summary: The Defensive Optional Invitational

In a game where "pitching" was clearly more of a suggestion than a requirement, Storm absolutely dismantled The Expos with a final score of 29-10.

The Expos actually started with a pulse, putting up 3 runs in the first inning. Unfortunately, Storm responded by treating the baseball like a personal grievance, racking up 18 runs in the first three innings alone. By the time the 6th inning rolled around, Storm decided that 19 runs wasn't quite enough of a cushion and hung a casual 10-spot on the scoreboard just to be safe.

Player Highlights (or Lowlights):

• Joey and Bob: These two were clearly playing a different game, combining for 6 runs and 8 RBIs. 
• Rene: Went 4-for-4 and scored 4 times. Rene was basically living on the basepaths; the Expos should have started charging him rent.
• Mills: He managed to strike out and have a sacrifice in the same game he hit a Grand Slam HR, proving that you can indeed do it all.
• The Expos Pitching Staff: Currently in witness protection.

Inning Breakdown

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total
Expos	3	0	3	0	4	0	-	10
Storm	6	6	6	1	0	10	-	29