Zog: Hounds Lose

There is no need to dwell on what happened out there tonight. We do need to learn from this though. I don't ever want to feel this way again and I hope none of you do either. It's one thing to lose, but to lose the way we did tonight should not be acceptable to us at this point. 

MAJA: Hounds Sweep; Snatch Victory From the Jaws of Defeat

Coming into the penultimate weekend of the regular season, the Hounds were looking to solidify their position at the top of the standings. In the opposing dugout was SCN, a cellar dwelling club with little left to play for but pride. After a brief weather-related delay, it was time to play ball...

Game 1

For the opener, George took the mound and asserted himself right from the start. The spinner was working and the control was also there. Defensively we were tight, and didn't allow SCN any extra outs or bases. On offense, we scored early and often. Dave and Amelia went 3 for 3 in the third and fourth spots respectively. Amelia had 5 RBIs in the game. Jason C. hit his third home run of the season, a solo shot. It all added up to a mercy victory in the 4th inning. Final Score: Hounds 11, SCN 1.

Game 2

This would prove to be the more exciting of the two games, perhaps our most exciting of the season. We came in with a lot of swagger after having mercied them, but our play was not up to par. Our bats fell silent for long periods and we weren't as tight on 'D' as in the first game. Let's give SCN credit though, they played us very tough. This was clearly their championship game. We exchanged runs before they strung together some solid hits and took a 6-5 lead into the top of the 6th. We were down to our last out of the game with no runners on when we suddenly staged a miraculous rally. Wink, Kari, and Jason all managed to get on base, albeit on bloops. Push was now up with the bases loaded and two outs. She came through with one of the most clutch hits of the year, a clean single to left that scored the tying run. Then our pitcher Prashant laced a fly ball to left that gave their outfielder all kinds of problems. It fell in for a 3 RBI triple and it looked like we were on our way to victory. 

George came into the game in relief, and this time, his control was not as sharp as in game one. He walked a couple, they scored a run, and the winning run was now at the plate with two outs. Luckily, their hitter hit a fly ball to left that was handled easily by Jason C. It was a real nail-biter. Final Score: Hounds 8, SCN 6.

11 and 1. I repeat ,11 and 1. It will all be for nothing though unless we keep playing good ball. We have been having some shaky moments the past few weeks. Let's come out next week with the goal of putting in two solid performances.

Pictures from game vs SCN (8/1/09)

Here are some great shots from our game today. Big up to all those who passed the camera around and made these happen.

Hounds Officially Registered for Zog Fall League

MAJA: Team Stats Through 10 Games; MVP Candidates

Here are the team stats through our first 10 games. Some real standouts have emerged:

1. Dave - The big guy is hitting for both average and power. Leads the team in both HRs and RBIs.

2. Iain - Hitting at a .722 clip, which leads the team. Has also flashed the leather big-time.

3. Jason T. - "Shoeless Jason" I call him. All he does is get on base, score runs, and cover tons of ground in the OF. Leads the team in hits(tied), runs scored, and base on balls.

4. Margaret - Where would we be without Maggie Ballgame. Her outstanding pitching and heads-up leadership have made us a much better team than if she wasn't around. Her ERA is a mind-boggling 2.67, unheard of in rec softball.

5. Hounds Team 'D' - The thing I am proudest of this season is our team defense. We have made so many outstanding defensive plays this season. Even when our bats weren't alive, our defense has carried the day.

(click to enlarge)

MAJA: Hounds Sweep the Defending Champs

Looking to keep the momentum going, the Hounds got up nice and early to play Double D's, the defending champs at Heckscher Field. Unfortunately, our opponents didn't share our punctualness and they didn't have enough people until about an hour after our games were scheduled to begin. Needless to say, the first game was called a forfeit.

For Game 2, they were barely able to field enough, but the game did get underway. The Skipper put Margaret back on the mound, seeing no need to stray from our winning formula. She continued her impeccable run of form and never let Double D's get a big rally. After a team defensive lapse in the 1st inning allowed them to score a questionable run, we proceeded to play that solid Hounds 'D' for the rest of the game. 

On offense, our bats were mostly quiet. The load was carried by the top of the order. Jason T. and George both went 3 for 3, and Amelia drove in 3 runs on 2 hits. We scored 4 runs total, and went into their last at-bat leading 4-2 with a runner on 3rd base and one out. Their hitter then proceeded to hit a comebacker to Margaret. She checked the runner at 3rd, and threw over to the firstbaseman Dave for the 2nd out. The not-very-fast runner at 3rd must not have known what type of team he was playing against, because he tried to score on the play. Dave threw a seed to the catcher Karim who was perfectly positioned, and the runner was out by a mile. Silly, silly man. Final Score: Hounds 4, Double D's 2. We finagled our way into the bar a little early, and after a torturous wait for the food, the promised subs, dogs, and pizza were delivered. It hit the spot.

Our record now stands at 9 and 1. I think it's pretty safe to say that we are in the playoffs. Now it's just a matter of sewing up a top seed and getting some kind of advantage. I've checked the schedule and it seems like our final two opponents are on the weaker end of the spectrum. Let's continue to dominate...

Zog: Team Stats after 10 Games

(Click to enlarge)