Zog: Team MVPs

The voting is closed and the people have spoken. The Hounds MVPs for the Zog 2010 Spring/Summer league have been chosen. The winners are definitely worthy of the honor. So without further adieu, the winners are:

Gotham City: Hounds Survive the Crucible

After another solid regular season, it was time for the Hounds to get back on the field and pursue the ultimate goal. Following a bye week, the playoffs were upon us and we knew we had to say goodbye to the blowout victories. All the teams remaining looked pretty solid, and the double elimination format provided for much suspense. The weather was perfect and the fields were pristine, and we showed up focused. Our plan was to sweep our first two games which would take us directly to the World Series the following weekend. After lineups were exchanged, it was time to play ball.

For Game 1, we were facing a team called America's Most Wanted. The name was fitting because a couple of their guys definitely looked like they had a conviction or two. But all in all, they were a classy and scrappy team that conducted themselves well throughout. They were away team and up to bat first. Our starting pitcher was our ace, Margaret, so we knew we would have a chance to win the game. In the top of the first, AMW put 1 run on the board assisted by a couple of Hounds errors. The inning could have been a lot worse though, so at least we contained the damage. In the bottom of the first, the top of the order got us on the board with three quick runs– Iain, Dave, and Karim with the RBIs. From there, we shut out AMW, with Margaret working out of a couple of jams. 3 runs is all we would need but we continued to pour it on offensively. Iain was again the horse, going 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs. Entering the bottom of the 5th, we were up 9-1 and were feeling very good about our chances. Jason T. and Iain singled then Dave stepped up to the plate and hit a 3-run bomb that would end the game on mercy rule. AMW looked a little shell shocked. Final Score: Hounds 12, AMW 1. 

That victory took us to Game 2 which was a showdown with the other team in the winner's bracket, Grass Stains. They were a team that we didn't get to face this season, but they beat us fair and square once last season, so we knew they must have a pretty good team. Again we were the home team, and the manager saw no need to change much from the previous game. Margaret again got the ball and in the first, Grass Stains were able to string together some hits and score some runs. Let's give them credit, they made some solid contact, nothing more to it. We entered the bottom of the first down 0-4. In the bottom of the inning, we countered with 2 runs, Schimmy and Dave driving them in. We could have scored more in the inning, but Grass Stains made some nifty defensive plays on some well-hit balls. Unfortunately, our bats went silent in this game after the 1st and we were blanked in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th. Meanwhile, Margaret and the defense kept us in the game, making this one a very tense affair. We would tack on a run in the 6th, and we entered our last licks down 3-7. The first two hitters of the inning flew out but then Iain singled and Dave walked. We had something going, and Alan then stepped up and stroked a clutch single. Unfortunately, the Big Fella took a gamble that didn't pay off, and was called out trying to go 1st to 3rd on a single. Despite the protests from some quarters, it was the correct call and our rally and the game were both over. Now we were the ones shell-shocked and we knew next game was do-or-die. Final Score: Hounds 4, Grass Stains 7.

That loss took us to a re-match in Game 3 with AMW that will go down as a classic game in Hounds history. One game in which the winner advances to the championship, and the loser goes home. Both teams were feeling the effects of being out all day in the sun. We felt good coming in having mercied AMW just hours earlier. However, they were full of fighting spirit and would give us everything we could handle. Margaret again took the ball, and continued her consistent form. AMW scored 2 in the 1st off a long home run. We were quiet in the 1st and 2nd, and mustered a scoring threat that was squelched in the 3rd. Again we went out quietly in the bottom of the 4th, and in the top of the 5th, AMW would add on two runs. Now we were down 0-4, and showing no signs of life. Things began to look a little bleak. But we never got too down on ourselves and we knew all we needed was for a thing or two to go our way and we could be right back in this thing. Our fans and bench were providing raucous support, and that pulled us from of the depths of despair. In the bottom of the 5th, MikePa drove in Pat to finally put us on the board, and we could sense some momentum building. We closed out AMW 1-2-3 in the top of the 6th, and we knew we were running out of chances. Iain led off the frame with a single, and Dave followed with a walk. Jason T. then stroked a single but Iain was thrown out at the plate. Now, we had runners on 2nd and 3rd with only one out. Schimmy then followed with a single to score Dave. Pat followed up with an RBI single, and all of a sudden we were in very good shape. Then the key play might have been a walk that Wink drew which allowed Margaret to also walk and drove in 2 runs. AMW's pitcher lost his composure a bit and Mike and Cindy also got on through BBs. At the end of the inning, we were up 7-4 and had a chance to close them out in the next inning. AMW would score a meaningless run in the 7th to make it close, but a fly ball to left ended the game. We were all happy but we were also mentally and physically drained after the roller coaster ride of emotions. Final Score: Hounds 7, AMW 5.

Let's give credit to our team, we showed tons of heart in pulling this one out. Our players put egos aside and drew the important walks that gave us the grip on this ballgame. We are very much alive after being on life support for a very brief period. We have a tall order next week, but I am confident we will give it our all and I like our chances.

Zog: Vote for Team MVPs

We're still soaking up the glory of our dominating championship performance, and it's a good time to select the team MVPs. There are a lot of candidates to choose from, a testament to the balance of our squad. Here is a look at the final regular season stats if you need some help making a decision. Please vote for one male and one female Hound. And remember, this for Zog League only. Winners get a nifty piece of Hounds swag.

Team MVPs(1 Male, 1 Female)
	Alan
	Amy
	Cindy
	Claudia
	Dave
	George
	Iain
	Jason C.
	Juiena
	Karim
	Margaret
	Mike
	Mega
	Murph
	Push
	Wink
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Zog: Hounds Repeat

The finale of the Zog Spring/Summer 2010 season brought us to Riverbank State Park and a championship showdown with Who's On First. These were the last two division champs squaring off in what was expected to be a close game. WOF had beaten us the last two times we played them, but we knew there were circumstances which prevented us from being at our best on those occasions. Our opponents came into the game very confident, one might even say cocky. But what they didn't know is that the Hounds were confident too, it was just a quiet confidence that we exuded. The setting was Riverbank State Park, also known as Hounds Field. The weather was perfect after threats of rain. After some pre-game gamesmanship by your humble Captain, it was time to play ball.

WOF was the away team and as such were up to bat first. Our starting pitcher was Juiena, who had been rock solid for us all season long and was coming off a strong performance in the semi. In the first, we were a bit jittery and committed a couple of miscues that allowed WOF to put two runs on the board. We controlled the damage though and got out of a potentially big inning. Now it was our turn to bat and the offense got right to work. MikePa drew a walk before Iain drove him in with a triple. Dave followed with an RBI double, and just like that, the score was tied. Next, WOF gifted Mega the dreaded 4 pitch walk which allowed Juiena to also walk. The Cap then stroked a 2-RBI single before being called out on a questionable baserunning decision. Wink drove in a run too and now we were up 5-2 after the first. After an uneventful 2nd inning, we blew the game open with some fantastic hitting. We would score 11 in the 3rd, with the entire lineup getting in on the fun. Pretty much everyone had a good offensive game but some of the standouts were MikePa(2-3, 2 BB, RBI, 3 RS) Cindy(3-4, BB, RBI, 3 RS), Iain(4-5, 4 RBI, 4 RS), Dave(4-4, 5 RBI, 3 RS), Juiena(2-3, BB, 2 RBI, 3 RS), and WInk(4-4, 3 RBI, 2 RS). 

Once we took the big lead, WOF started to come apart at the seams. We kept our focus though and followed up with multiple runs in the 4th and the 5th, and all the while Juiena maintained dominance over the opponents' hitters. Her high-arc stuff was working really well and her command was impeccable. WOF had little answer for her but did have one nice little moment when one of their ladies hit a solo homer. But the game was well in hand at that point and it would hardly matter. We could sense that victory was imminent and our dugout became quite boisterous aided by some wonderful support from our fans. Our defensive highlights had to be Murph and Dave turning a 5-5-3 double play, MikePa making some nice grabs in the outfield, and Iain & Cindy working the solid middle infield combo. 

In the final inning, WOF was able to muster nothing as they appeared like they just wanted the game over with. And who could blame them as it was a dominating performance from start to finish from the Hounds. The game ended on a simple 5-3 putout from Iain to Dave, and for the second season in a row, we were the last team standing. Final Score: Hounds 24, Who's On First 5.

Needless to say, the victory was exhilarating and some raucous celebration ensued. More on that in a minute. But now is a good time to reflect on what we have accomplished. We have won two championships back-to-back in dominating fashion. Hard to believe it, but we were only 3-2 at one point this season. We closed the season out with a 9-game winning streak, with almost all of those victories coming by double digits. We have put yet another rivalry to bed, as there can be no rivalry with a team that one beats by 19 runs– in a championship game, no less. We faced down a pitcher who gave us trouble in the regular season only to come out and throttle him in the playoffs, a la ZooMass last season. OK, WOF made a couple of errors, but the reality is, we hit really well all night and pretty much the entire second half of the season. We should all be very proud of ourselves because Lord knows we put a lot of hard work into this. We are a formidable opponent for anybody right now and it's time to start thinking about bumping up a division. We have proven everything we can prove in Casual Division. This Fall, prepare for a new challenge.

After the game, The Hounds entourage headed over to Dinosaur BBQ for the championship celebration. The food was plenty and the beverages flowed as we enjoyed the spoils of victory. It was a memorable night for all.

Zog Semi Final: Hounds Lay Down the Gauntlet

The 2nd season has arrived and the Zog single-elimination tournament is always a gut-wrenching affair. The Hounds had finished the season in first place and we earned a bye straight into the semi-final round. Awaiting us in the opposing dugout were the Maroons, upset winners in the wild card round, but a team we have had little difficulty with in the past. The turnout was fantastic and we had nearly our entire squad present. The location was DeWitt Clinton Field, a place where we have always played well. The weather was near perfect even if the night air was a bit thick. After the two captains exchanged pre-game pleasantries, it was time to play ball.

Juiena got the ball as starting pitcher and she closed down the Maroons 1-2-3 in the top of the first. Now it was our turn to bat and we were feeling very confident. Maroons gifted a four-pitch walk to MikePa to start the inning, which allowed Cindy to also walk. Iain then followed up with a 2-RBI triple. The Cap got lucky on a fly to right and turned it into a 3-run homer. We were up 6-0 and we were off to the races. In the 3rd we would add 5 more runs to really put Maroons in a deep hole. The heart of the order came up very big in the game with Iain(2-4, HR, 3 RBI), Dave(2-4, RBI, 2 RS), Mega(3-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 RS), Juiena(3-3, BB, 4 RS), George(3-4, HR, 5 RBI, 3 RS), Wink(2-4, HR, 6 RBI, 2 RS) and Push(2-3, RBI) all either scoring or driving in at least one run. Meanwhile, Juiena was cruising and Maroons were having much difficulty stringing together hits. In the later innings, we switched things up somewhat defensively and unfortunately, there were some miscues. That allowed Maroons to tack on some runs but the result was never really in question. Juiena closed them out in the 7th to make it yet another Hounds blowout victory. Final Score: Hounds 18, Maroons 5.

I like the aggressiveness we showed today. We are playing excellent ball but we still have one more hurdle to climb. We must stay hungry and focused heading into this last game. It won't be easy but I know we can do it.

Gotham City: Final Regular Season Player Stats

The final player stats have been compiled and it was a solid all-around season for the Hounds. Iain won the batting title for the 2nd season in a row, hitting an unreal .862. He also set new Central Park Hounds records in Home Runs and RBIs to also win the triple crown. MikePa gave him a run for his money in the Batting Average department, hitting an impressive .810. Pat was having a monster season until it was derailed a bit by absence, but he still finished among the team leaders in the triple crown categories.

For the ladies, Schimmy had the highest average but did not have enough ABs to qualify. Cindy and Jessie hit over .400, but the batting average leader was Camille at .472. She also scored 8 runs and had a very solid On Base Percentage of .591. 

On the pitching side, Margaret dominated, posting an unbelievable 1.94 ERA. That's unreal for this type of softball. Whether it was starting or relieving, she was money in the bank. Amy had an impressive outing, perhaps something to watch for in the future. Pat and Wink stepped up to pitch and did admirably.

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Gotham City: Hounds Sweep Their Way to First

It was a glorious day in Central Park as the Hounds headed over to Heckscher Field to close out the regular season. The league re-arranged the schedule so that in the final week of the season, teams with similar records were facing off with one another. That was a much welcome change as we were somewhat tired of pounding our opponents into submission. In the opposing dugout was the first-place, sole undefeated team remaining in the league, I'd Hit That. 

In Game 1, Margaret took the ball and she delivered her usual ace performance. She closed down IHT in a scoreless top of the first. Next, we were up to bat, and Jason T. led off the game with a walk. Cindy followed with a single, and Iain drove them both in with a double. Dave had an RBI triple in the inning as well, and we were off to a good start. Let's give credit to IHT, they were actually a pretty solid ballclub. They fought back with two in the 2nd, then MikePa answered with a two-run homer. That made the score 5-2 and IHT would never get closer. We played brilliant defense, looking like a well-oiled machine out there. Margaret continued to throw strikes, so much so that the umpires were even singing her praises. We also exposed the weak spots in IHT's defense, and capitalized on their mistakes. They tacked on a meaningless run in the final inning before we closed the game out. Final Score: Hounds 9, I'd Hit That 4.

For Game 2, we came up to bat first. MikePa led off with a triple, and George drove him in on a 6-3. Camille then stroked a single before Iain stepped up and hit a 2-run homer. Wink took the ball looking to build on his previous outing, and he was effective, keeping the ball in the strike zone for the most part, and putting us in a position to win the game. IHT did have a big inning in the top of the first, but that was not entirely the Winkster's doing. We did have some defensive slip-ups which gave IHT extra outs and kept the inning going. We would tie the game in the 3rd, with the top of the order again doing most of the damage. After a quiet 4th, the game was tied 7-7 entering the top of the 5th. Diana led off the inning, and she calmly hit a clutch single to left. The dugout was going nuts and everyone was on the edge of their seats as we all knew how important this game was for us. MikePa followed with a single, and next the Captain drew a walk which drove in the go-ahead run. We were primed for a big inning, and that's exactly what happened. Iain, Dave, Jason C, and Push each had RBIs, with the highlight of the inning being Dave tagging up and scoring on a weak flare that was caught on the lip of the left field grass. Nice hustle, big fella. With that, we were up 12-7, and Margaret came in to relieve Wink who was in line for his 2nd victory of the season. There was little doubt that she would close the door, and for the last out, the ball fittingly passed through the Cy Young winner's(Margaret) and the MVP's(Iain) hands before settling into Dave's glove to close out the game. Final Score: Hounds 12, I'd Hit That 7.

Lots of good news after these games, as sweeping I'd Hit That means that we have finished the season in first place and have clinched a first round playoff bye. So no Gotham City until August 21st which will be the championship round. I am told it will be a double-elimination style tournament. We head into the playoffs playing our best ball of the season and I am confident we can progress very far. Please keep in mind that while we have been fortunate in not having any rain-outs so far, rain could still delay the August 21 championship round so please try to keep the following weekends open as well for now just in case. We are going to need our full-stregth squad to win this thing. Onward to Glory, Hounds.

ALL-STAR GAME

It would be a long day of softball for some Hounds as Iain, Cindy, Amy, Dave and The Cap took part in the first annual Gotham City All-Star Game. Teams were split up with no particular rhyme or reason, but that hardly mattered, although there was some inevitable pre-game drama. Certain teams didn't want to be paired up with others, but after cooler heads prevailed, a fun and harmonious time was had by all. The Hounds were part of the West All-Stars and we were in full-force as Jason C, MikePa, Diana, Push, and Camille all stayed to support their teammates and provide some much-needed libations. As the refreshments were plentiful, exact details of the game are cloudy, but both 7-inning games were well-played, low scoring affairs. Amy was starting pitcher of the 2nd game, and she did quite well, holding the East All-Stars to only one run. The East and West All-Stars would split the two games, and afterwards everyone was softballed-out and ready to call it a day.