With the season halfway behind us, it was time to measure ourselves against the 2nd place team in the division. The Misfits had a good record entering this one so we expected a tight game. It was an early start time and we were left somewhat scrambling for bodies again. Once the game started though we had a complete squad of 10 plus a couple of DHs.
George was the starting pitcher and he struggled a bit out there. The Misfits scored 4 in the top of the 1st to put us in a quick hole. We came back with 2 in the bottom of the 1st, Iain and Pat with RBI hits. Let's give credit to the Misfits, on paper, they are a team we should dominate. But softball is not played on paper. They were well-coordinated, and they had a crafty pitcher on the hill. Save for a couple of Hounds, we weren't really getting great swings on her pitches.
George got through the 2nd before falling into trouble again in the 3rd inning. His command was just not there and Cap made the decision to make a change. Wink came on in relief and he immediately threw water on a kindling fire. We got 1 in the bottom of the 3rd before taking the lead in the bottom of the 5th, Karim and Mano with RBIs. We added another in the 6th and would have had more if not for an inexplicably bad call by the umpire on a play at the plate. It was the culmination of a series of bad calls he had made throughout the game, and Cap let his frustration get the best of him. He chewed the ump out a bit before being warned into silence.
We took a 7-4 lead into the top of the 7th, but that lead would not last. The Misfits put 3 on the board aided by some Hounds' miscues. However, we were able to contain the damage and the game went into the bottom of the last inning tied at 7-7. JT, WInk, and Karim hit back-to-back-to-back singles, setting up bases loaded and no outs. Our dugout was buzzing with anticipation but the next two batters were not able to advance the winning run. Now it was all up to MikePa who came to bat with two outs and a chance to be the hero. He calmly stroked a base hit up the middle to drive in JT with the winning run. Best.Win.of.The.Season. Final Score: Hounds 8, Misfits 7.
We have now built a well-deserved two-game lead in the standings. Hopefully having that cushion will allow us to continue to play loose as we prepare for the 2nd season. No, I do not think it is too early to start mentioning the "P" word.
