[Fredslist] Gotham Softball Game 4

[Donald M. Bernstein]

Gotham Softball Game 4

    Last night, during the Gotham Bombers' fourth game this season, we faced a familiar scenario that unfortunately we knew too well from the past two years.  The "mercy rule."  It kicked in after the fifth inning, ending the game early.  Distraught and frustrated players shuffled off the field in humiliating defeat and moped.

    The good news though is that we were the mopees, not the mopers.  For the second incredible time this season, we steamrolled our way to another slaughter, whopping the Headliners in field # 8 in Central Park last night, 17-5.

    At the outset it looked like we might be handicapped because we didn't have a third woman.  So we could only field nine instead of ten players, and we were given an automatic out each time we reached the end of our batting order.  It didn't matter.  Our two girls, Carol Orlando and Darlene Fiscus did the job.

    We had plenty of batters hit the big ones last night and we counted more hits than Jenna Jameson's website.  Team Manager Craig Bruck, Anthony Orlando and Joe Spider Sciabaca all smacked triples.  Anthony seems to have a love affair with deep left field this season.  Marc Levine, Josh Fagin, Allan Tepper, Howard Bersch, Ross Intelisano, Fred Klein and Scott Bloom all hit, with Marc (yes, I think it was Marc) scoring the winning and final run. 

    And, at 50 years old, I hit the first home run of my life.  It wasn't a real out of the ballpark homer, but it did fall cleanly in center field.  So what if their fielders couldn't pick it up or throw it.  The way I score it, if you hit the ball and keep running without stopping until you get back to where you started, that's a home run, and oh baby did it feel good at the time, even if my legs are screaming today.

    Our infield especially was pumped and played a maddening game.  Marc, Anthony and Spider covered the left side like a fort.  Spider, true to his name, made a shoestring catch at shortstop, and with Anthony did a little soft shoe and juggling act to put a runner out at third.  Craig and Josh covered most of the outfield.  Josh robbed the other team of a run with a catch deep in left field, and Craig was ferocious as always, especially tearing around the bases.

    Fred pitched his heart out, as he does week after week, through the pain that is only getting worse, and pulled off a few strikeouts.  But that is this team.  We play our heart out each week.  New team member Alissa Ackerman said it best.  Alissa tore her rotator cuff and will have to have surgery.  She said she could play if we needed her but that it hurts to throw.  We told her that maybe she shouldn't play.  "I'll play for now," she said.  "C'mon, not playin' ball......that equates with death!"

    That's the Bombers team spirit!  Maybe not Give Me Softball or Give Me Death, but at least Give Me Softball Or Get Hurt Really Really Badly.

    We are 4-0.  And steamrollin'!
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