On a crisp August evening, it was time for the Hounds to take the field at DeWitt Clinton for our first playoff game in Division 1. The opponents were Chico's, a team we have had trouble figuring out. We came into the game feeling good about our chances though and excited about the opportunity. With our ace pitcher Iain on the mound, we felt we could keep the game close and maybe even pull off the upset.
We came to bat first as the away team and were able to get some hits in the first inning, but were not able to put up any runs on the board. Chico's came to bat and promptly put up 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st. We would finally get on the board in the top of the 3rd on an RBI single from Iain, but the difficulty we were having just to get that one run did not bode well for the future. Sure enough, Chico's pitcher kept our hitters off balance the whole game and we were unable to muster any significant rallies against him. Meanwhile, their offense continued to put up runs here and there, aided by some Hounds miscues. We kept the faith though, believing we could turn it around right up until the last inning, but it was not meant to be. A simple 1-3 comebacker ended the game and our season. Final Score: Hounds 1, Chico's 6.
Before anything else, we must tip our cap to Chico's. They are a really solid ballclub, they have a very good pitcher, and they made some really nice plays defensively to keep us off the board. They are also not as obnoxious as some of our other opponents in this league, and I find myself almost rooting for them to win the whole thing. We must also acknowledge the work of our pitcher, Iain. He did very well to keep this potent Chico's offense at bay, and really, only about 2 of the 6 runs that scored off him were actually earned runs. He kept us in the game, but we were just not able to muster enough to get him the win. To top it off, he went 3 for 3 and had our lone RBI in the game. He deserves special recognition for his contributions. Props, kid.
Our season is now over and the long off-season is now underway. It has become pretty clear that as presently constituted, pulling off a championship in this D1 is going to be a very tall order for us. Perhaps the answer is to drop down a division, perhaps the answer is to re-tool and get back at it. There is plenty of time to reflect on this, but one thing I know for sure is that the Hounds will rise again.
