A Different World, Indeed

Much like the Yankees playing in their homer-happy new stadium, the Empty Pitchers struggled in their inaugural uptown contests, dropping back-to-back games against The Titans on Saturday, 13-2, and 17-6.

Bright spots were few and far between for the Pitchers, who were forced to endure watching a succession of their pitchers struggle to get into the modified-slow-pitch groove, as their hitters labored to find their stroke at the plate. Matters weren't aided any by the Titans, whose entire line-up adhered to an extraordinary plate discipline unlike any before witnessed in co-ed softball.

In the first game, Eric and Felix scored the game's lone runs in the bottom of the third, coming home on a single by Alicia and a fielder's choice by Debbie. David and Alex B. picked up the only other hits of the game, before play was mercifully halted by the Mercy Rule in the fourth inning.

The Pitchers showed more life in the second game, and even briefly took the lead in the top of the second inning, before being done in again by walks and the crippling "walk a guy in front of a girl, and the girl gets to walk too" rule. Alex B. hustled his way to a huge triple that scored two runs in the second, and Eric capped a perfect 3-for-3 day with a 2-run home run later in the inning. Danny also had a solid game, going 2-for-2 with a pair of perfectly-placed singles. The Mercy Rule may have again been enacted, but in Game 2, it didn't seem to carry with it quite the same stigma of pity as it did in Game 1.

Next week's game (as well as the week after), will likely both be 9 a.m. starts. The Pitchers have the defense needed to compete, their bats have already shown signs of life, and there's plenty of options available when it comes to solving their pitching dilemma...the key now is to turn the page on Opening Day and look ahead to their next chance for a "W."

Week 1 - Empty Pitchers vs. The Titans

Game 2 Box Score (4 innings)
4/25/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
EP     1  5  0  0  X  X  X   6
T      3  3  6  5  X  X  X   17

PLAYER      AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG  'On the Day'
EH  Eric     2  2  2   2   0  1.000  (3-3)
     Jason   -  -  -   -   -   .000  (0-2)
LF  Damian   2  0  1   0   0   .250  (1-4)
     Matt F. -  -  -   -   -   .000  (0-2)
CF  David    2  0  1   1   0   .500  (2-4)
RCF Matt J.  2  0  0   0   0   .000  (0-2)
P   Alicia   2  0  0   0   0   .250  (1-4)
SS  Felix    2  0  1   0   0   .667  (2-3)
1B  Raul     2  1  1   0   0   .500  (1-2)
C   Julie    2  0  0   0   0   .000  (0-3)
RF  Danny    2  1  2   0   0   .667  (2-3)
3B  Alex B.  2  1  1   2   0   .500  (2-4)
2B  Debbie   2  1  1   1   0   .250  (1-4)

2B - Felix (1); 3B - Alex B. (1)
Home Run - Eric (1)

Game 1 Box Score (3 innings)
4/25/2009

TEAM   1  2  3  4  5  6  7   FINAL
T      7  1  3  2  X  X  X   13
EP     0  0  2  X  X  X  X   2

PLAYER       AB  R  H  RBI  BB   AVG
2B  Debbie     2  0  0   1   0   .000
SS  Jason      2  0  0   0   0   .000
LF  David      2  0  1   0   0   .500
CF  Damian     2  0  0   0   0   .000
RCF Matt F.    2  0  0   0   0   .000
3B  Alex B.    2  0  1   0   0   .500
C   Julie      1  0  0   0   0   .000
1B  Danny      1  0  0   0   0   .000
P   Eric       1  1  1   0   0  1.000
EH  Felix      1  1  1   0   0  1.000
RF  Alicia     1  0  1   1   0  1.000

Moving on Up(town)

Opening Day is less than 12 hours away, and the Empty Pitchers are busy making preparations for their first season as a team in the A Different World Coed Softball league (several members of the team have played in the league previously).

Koach Korney has received numerous emails throughout this Friday from Pitchers inquiring about the color of the league-provided unis (charcoal gray), confirming directions to the field (make sure you're at the front of the 3 train), both of which she is taking to mean that a sharply-dressed, on-time team will await her at 145th and Lenox tomorrow morning.

As previously mentioned, HR Debbie, whose professional training has acclimated her to the rigors of paperwork and the need for follow-through in all things, will be batting lead-off and playing second base tomorrow. Her check for softball dues arrived - via snail mail - a full two business days ahead of the rest of the team's. Congratulations, Debbie!

Also of note, Julie redeemed her deadbeat fee-payer status by coming through in the clutch on Friday, making a lunchtime run to buy necessary equipment at Paragon Sports - apparently the sole Manhattan sporting-goods supplier that carries bases. Hopefully the Pitchers will get a chance to start putting some wear-and-tear into those bases tomorrow. If not, at least Julie got a quality lunch date out of the errand.

Julie's take on a B&B getaway...