In a stirring start to their fourth season, the Empty Pitchers served fitting tribute to America's pastime, vanquishing the rule-mongers of Fontana's Bar in the first game, 9-2, and pulling out a stirring 6-5 comeback win in the second game.
In the early game, the Pitchers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, posting three in the first and tacking on another three in the second by playing consistent small ball and stringing together just enough singles to push runs across the plate. The team's D also looked impressive for its first game of the fall.
David proved himself to be the team's clear No. 1, blanking Fontana's over the first four innings and providing himself some offensive firepower at the plate, with a 4-for-4 game. Alex also had an impressive fall debut, going 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.
In Game 2, with Damian on the mound and visions of last season's shutout dancing in his head, reality at the dusty Coleman Oval looked decidedly more grim. The Pitchers jumped out to an early lead, before giving up three runs in the third, and finding themselves down by a run with just two outs left in the bottom of the 7th.
With a runner on second, heavy hitter Lisa stepped to the plate. Her time in the cages had already paid off with a pair of earlier RBIs, and she did it again - hitting a perfectly-placed single up the middle, driving in David as the tying run. The crowd went wild; upon arriving at first, cool-as-a-cucumber Lisa was only interested in knowing how many outs there were.
After giving up a run in the top of the 8th, the top of the order pulled through for the Pitchers, with Felix leading off with a single, Damian breaking out of his mini-slump with a single, Julie drawing a walk and Greg Being Greg crushing a line drive to the right field fence (completing a perfect 6-for-6 day) and driving two runners in to win the game.
As exhilarating as the wins may have been, there were even greater thrills to be found post-game at Jeremy's. Besides bathroom floods that threatened the team table and pick-up games of Apples to Apples, there has been a recent installation of an old-school Donkey Kong machine at the bar. (Replacing that crap Galaga game.)
If you haven't instantly streamed "The King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters," on Netflix by now, I don't know what you're waiting for.
Next game: First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the Oval, on Saturday, Sept. 18, for what is sure to be a tougher matchup against Sub & Heroes. I will be using whatever bat Lisa is using.
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