Storm strolling down Broadway

The game started with some spectacle. Mills struck out looking as the first batter in the game. Luckily his daughter wasn’t there yet! .Craig hit a fly ball with two outs, that was so high birds were diving out of the way,  but nobody moved. The ball eventually returned to earth and hit the ground. At this point, Craig and the runners advanced one base, but since there were two outs, Joey and Brad could have scored while the ball was orbiting the atmosphere. Everyone ended up stranded.

Storm decided it’s more fun if you actually score in the second. They put up four runs. Joey’s woes running the bases continued though, as he half slid, half fell into third uprooting the base and taking it with him. He was called safe.

Storm scored four more in the fourth. In the fifth they opened it up, batting through the order and scoring more runs in the inning than they had in the game so far. Mills hit what might have been an inside the park home run, but Storm had forgotten to courtesy run for Brian, so he had to settle for a double. Bob managed to avoid being the first and third out in the inning by launching a solo home run.

Defensively, Storm was on their game. Most plays were made, and Jeff and Brad took multiple shots at going around the horn for a double play before finally getting one.

It was a solid outing from Storm as they won 19-12.

Notable Boxscores:

Mills - 3 for 4 STRUCK OUT LOOKING, 3 runs, 4RBI

Duran - 2 for 4, 3 runs, 4 RBI

Jeff - 3 for 4, 4 runs, 2 RBI

Brian - 3 for 3, 3 runs, RBI

Boxscore
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total
Broadway	4	0	0	0	4	4	0	12
Storm	0	4	0	4	9	2	x	19

Strong defence leads to cold Brew offence

Storm played like they had a pool party to get to like in the good old days where five o'clock games were singles and there was someone who had a pool.

Mills fouled out to catcher on first pitch, but Storm turned it on after that. They batted through the order scoring five with a Duran triple and Joey turning a triple into a single on a ball off the fence.

Mills made a great catch in the bottom of the first and then dove after he caught it to really sell it. It was the first of a number of great catches by Mills and the entire outfield this game.

In the 4th, Mills hit an inside the park home run to kick off a six run inning that was capped off by Lance's two run lancerbeam home run over the fence. He was able to cut through the wind that had kept both Joey's and Craig's smashes in the park. 

Storm played solid defence through to the end and won 14-7. 

Notable Boxscores:

Lance - 4 for 5, HR, 2 doubles, 3RBI, 2 runs

Five guys went 3 for 5, but if everyone’s doing it it’s not that notable!

Boxscore
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total
Storm	5	0	0	6	2	1	0	14
The Crew	0	4	0	0	1	0	2	7

Buellers no day off for Storm

 After beating two rivals in back to back fashion on Sunday, Storm came in riding high. The Buellers were not looking to be skipped over on the schedule, though, and they came out of the gates engines blazing. They scored four in the top of the first. Storm managed to get them all back in the bottom of the 1st, scoring five with the help of a 2 run blast by Rene and  two run single by Brian.

In the second, Storm would extend their lead powered by a two run blast by Joey, and Storm led 8-5 after 2. The offence for both teams played hooky through the next two innings, as each team only scored one run total across the frames meaning it was 9-6 at the end of four.

Storm started hitting again in the fifth. They put up five runs. Who knows how many Storm could have gotten as the first two outs were handed to the Buellers by Bob and Joey’s home run outs. Storm had extended their lead to 14-6 and it looked like they would cruise to the end. 

It was too early to plan a victory parade,, though, as the Buellers crashed their plans  and scored three in the top of the sixth bringing them to within 5. In the bottom of the 6th, Joey either had no faith in The Buellers relay ability or no faith in Jeff’s hitting ability, because with two outs he adamantly waved Bob home who got thrown out fairly easily ending the inning. Storm’s defence was able to shut down the Buellers in the top of the 7th and Storm held on to win.

Storm’s defence played another fairly solid game, though three different instances saw balls hit the ground in the outfield and then somehow get through the outfielder. But for the most part the defence was excellent highlighted by a superb running and leaping catch by Craig. The offence was also firing on all cylinders as the team hit well top to bottom again.

Notable Boxscores:

Joey - 3 for 4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR, Home Run OUT

Duran - 3 for 4, 3 runs

Brian - 3 for 4, 2 RBI

Lance - 2 for 3, 2 runs, 2 RBI

Jeff - 2 for 3, RBI

Rene - 2 for 4, 3RBI

Boxscore
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total
Buellers	4	1	0	1	0	3	0	9
Storm	5	3	0	1	5	0	x	14

Storm roll over Hanet

Storm brought some heat and Hanet melted under the pressure during the second game of the doubleheader. 

Jeff picked up where he left off against the Falcons, blanking Hanet in the first two innings. During those frames Storm brought the offence, putting up the maximum six in the first inning fueled by home runs from Duran and Craig. They put up two more in the 2nd to take an 8-0 lead into the third. 

Al took over on the mound and didn’t miss a beat as he blanked Hanet in his first frame. The Hanet batters were looking pretty plastic at the plate up until that point in the game. Storm added three more in the third to go up 11-0. 

Hanet got on the board and made it a game with three in the fourth, but Storm responded with four more to stretch the lead to 15-3. They would score in each of the final frames and win 21-6.

The defence was a highlight again. Craig made a couple of great catches in the first two innings that helped Storm keep Hanet off the board, and the defence generally made the plays they should. 

It was a great way to cap off a doubleheader against two traditionally tough teams.

Notable Boxscores:

Duran - 3 for 4, HR, 3 RBI, 3 runs

Rene - 3 for 4, HR, 3 runs, 2 RBI

Joey - 4 for 4, 2 runs. 2 RBI

Craig - 3 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs

Ken - 3 for 3, 3 runs, 2 RBI

Brad - 2 for 3, 3 runs

Boxscore
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total
Hanet	0	0	0	3	2	0	1	6
Storm	6	2	3	4	4	2	x	21

Falcons fly like geese and lay eggs for the first five innings

What a difference a week makes. Last Sunday night the Falcons were smacking the ball around seemingly at will. With Jeff on the mound they launched three consecutive solo home runs delaying the game because all the balls were gone. This Sunday, the Falcons couldn't seem to hit. They were recorded out quickly in the first two innings before loading the bases (two walks) in the third. But a ground ball to Rene turned into a 3rd to home double play and the Falcons were put down without a run. They wouldn’t even threaten again until the sixth when they finally managed to squeak one run across the plate. That was all they would manage offensively. Whether they were just out of it, or whether Jeff had spent a lot of time watching game tape and coming up with a new strategic game plan will be determined the next time the teams play.

Storm played well on all sides of the ball. Defensively they played well. Mostly. In the first, there was a questionable moment when a fly ball just past second base caused Ken to wait at the edge of the dirt. Mills ran from the fence in just missing it. This caused Ken to quip, “I thought Mills was fast.” After that, though, Storm was solid. 

Offensively, Storm was firing on all cylinders as top to bottom the team was hitting well. Some members of the team were hitting too well. Lance launched yet another home run out, and Kevin, who has been off to an incredible start, hit one off the yellow and over the fence for a home run out. Storm also had two well timed home runs that counted from Joey. 

In football they say, “on any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team.” Apparently this is also true in slo-pitch. Except it should read, “on any given Sunday, any team can absolutely slaughter any other team.” Whether the Falcons had an off day or were just trying to see if they enjoyed giving out spankings or receiving spankings more remains to be seen. But this given Sunday brought  sweet revenge for Storm.

Notable Boxscores:

Joey - 5 for 5, 2 home runs, 8 RBI, 4 runs

Rene -  5 for 5, 4 runs, 3 RBI

Duran - 4 for 4, 4 runs, RBI

Bob - 4 for 4, 3 RBI, triple, 3 runs

Brad - 4 for 4, 2 RBI, 2 runs

Jeff - 4 for 4, 3 runs, 2 doubles

Craig - 3 for 4, 4 RBI, 2 runs

Boxscore
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Total
Storm	6	0	6	4	4	3	3	26
Falcons	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1