Danny & Margaret Voted Team MVPs

Congratulations to Margaret and Danny for being voted 2008 Fall Season MVPs.

Hounds Win Best Team Spirit Award and $100.00 for Make-A-Wish

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The league recently informed me that our team won the Best Team Spirit Award for this season, along with a $100.00 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America.

Anyone that was in our dugout this season knows that our team is certainly deserving of this award. We always supported each other and never got too down. The awards were voted on by all the teams in the league so someone else must have taken notice.

So cheers to you Hounds for having that great team spirit and for helping out Make-A-Wish!

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Semi-Final: Hounds lose 7-6; season over

The Hounds lost tonight in their semi-final playoff game 7-6. The game was at Riverbank State Park, where we had been 2–0 coming in. Things started out great as we took a 5–2 lead early. However, it would not be enough as our opponents (Foul Balls) chipped away and eventually won it in their last at–bat.

Even though our season is over, we Hounds should hold our heads high because we played some great ball this season and stayed classy all the way through. We know we have to improve our fundamentals heading into the off–season if we are to improve on this season.

Team Stats: Regular Season 2008

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Team Photo Fall 2008

Game 6: Hounds United

For game 6 it was back to Roosevelt Island on a Sunday afternoon (re–scheduled). We were all pumped to play as our playoff destiny hung in the balance. Our opponents, who were winless heading into this final game, didn't feel the same way. All but two of them didn't bother to show. 

With the game won by forfeit, we decided to play an intra–squad game. We let the one dude that had shown up from the other team play with us. He turned out to be a rather chatty fellow, and we quickly had a nickname for him: Rulestradamus.

It was a fun afternoon capped by some suds at Black Finn.

Game 5: Hounds thrash Rock Out 27–5

Back to Riverbank for what was the most fun game yet. Taking on something called Rock Out With Your Zog Out, we knew we had to win to stay alive in the playoff chase. When we saw the opposing team stumble drunkly into our dugout, their girls hit on our guys and argue with the umpire before the game started, we knew we had a good chance to win. 

Amy took the mound and overcame her pre–game jitters to pitch a 1,2,3 top of the first. After that, it was full throttle for the Hounds, who scored something like 16 runs in the first two innings. The defense was also stellar. There were so many big plays made in this game by Hounds that it would be impossible to list them all. Most importantly, we kept on adding runs after taking the lead, which is what we hadn't done in our last loss.

The win ensured we control our own destiny heading into our last game. A win, and we're in. A loss, and we're most likely out.

Game 4: Hounds lose a heartbreaker, 11–10

The venue for game 4 was Pony Field on Roosevelt Island. Aside from the inconvenience of having to get to the island, this was a really good field. Also, this was our only day game of the season, played at noon on a beautiful Sunday. Our opponent was a team called Sporting Wood, and as the Hounds glanced over at the opposing dugout, they became confident of victory. Perhaps a little too much.

The Hounds jumped out to a lead but failed to score more than a few runs each inning. Despite leading throughout the game, I had a nagging feeling our lack of a "killer instinct" would come back to haunt us. We took the field in the bottom of the last inning leading by 2 runs. What happened next can only be described as a fluke. Batter after batter got on base without hitting the ball out of the infield. We got bad bounces galore and by the time Wood's opposite–field hitting slugger came up with the winning run at 2nd, most of us knew it was over. Indeed,  Ron Howard proceeded to smack a game–winning single to right. Game Over, Hounds lose 11–10.

Pictures from Game 3

Game 3: Hounds lose 17–14, 1st loss of the season

Back at Colonel Charles Young field for Game 3, the Hounds took on Nice Assets. This would be the Hounds' first game as the "home" team. Unfortunately, things did not go that well. Right from the 1st inning, Nice Assets jumped out to a big lead. The Hounds were just not playing very well defensively and their bats were sleeping. Give credit to Nice Assets too, who had a well–rounded team. In the 3rd inning, the score was 12–1, and it looked like this game would be a whitewash.

Then the Hounds came alive. Mounting a comeback of epic proportions, the team rallied to make it a 3–run game with the tying run at the plate and two outs in the bottom of the last inning. Unfortunately, that would be as far as it goes as a fly out to right ended the game and dashed the Hounds' hopes of winning. The team was left wondering what might have been had they only played better in the early innings. Final result: Hounds lose 17–14.

Game 2: Hounds win 22–20

For game 2, we headed out to the fields at Colonel Charles Young Park in Harlem. Still pumped about playing phenomenal defense on the pristine field at Riverbank State Park in Game 1, the Hounds would be in for a rude awakening. 

Our opponents were a team called Kenny Show, and no one could know the slugfest that would lie ahead. The Hounds jumped out to a big lead in the first couple of innings, and it looked like we would coast to another victory. Offensively, everyone was part of the party.

With our ace pitcher Margaret not around, the Hounds turned to their captain George to pitch. Unfortunately, George had some control problems and the condition of the field didn't help the defense out much. Slowly but surely what was a 12–run lead evaporated to a 3–run lead heading into the bottom of the last inning. Kenny Show would add on another run and have the winning run at the plate with two outs. Then Rueben made what could be the most important play for the Hounds all season. Kenny Show's batter hit a line drive to left, and just as it looked like that would be the game–winning hit, Rueben dove and made a spectacular catch. Game Over, Hounds win 22–20.

Game 1: Hounds win 5–1

It was a great night for softball as the Hounds took the field for the first time ever. There was some confusion getting the lineup together, but everything eventually worked out. We played a team called Who's On First, and when one of their sluggers launched a ball over the right field wall, it looked like it would be a long night. Thankfully though, that only counted as a ground rule double as per the rules of the field.

We fell behind 1–0 early and it stayed that way for a couple of innings. Then the bats came alive, with Mega, Nate, and Danny being at the heart of the rally. Eventually we put 5 on the board and the pitching and defense took care of the rest. Margaret pitched a gem, throwing nary a bad pitch. Juiena dazzled with her glove, you could literally hear the wind being knocked out of our opponents on one double play she turned. The game went by really quickly and we played all 7 innings. The final result: a 5–1 victory for the Hounds in the all–important first game.