Warning Track Power Hands OBI First Loss

OBI is now 3-1 after splitting this week with WTP (2-1-1). Game 1 was taken by OBI 13-9 and then WTP thumped OBI 3-14,,, run rule style. 

It will still be a few weeks before the newly reorganized lineup gets presented in its full glory,,, or in other words such as Nuta's, "Priorities..." Ok, one word...

The fun part is we hit well enough to score in double digits for a third game in a row. The not so fun part is we did not finish strong and scored 3 runs in 5 innings during the second game. 

Good News, Mario will be pitching to us this week as we face Midlife Crisis in a 615/715 doubleheader on Field 4. But I digress...

Game 1 highlighted by 4 players (Jakob, Armando, John, and Spillane) getting 3 hits. Interestingly, the latter 3 also had 3 RBIs a piece...  Armando led the way with 3 runs scored as well.

Game 2,,, VIP !!! Shhhhhhh,,, check out the hook while the DJ revolves it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE&index=10&list=PLJ3IXo8PGojtFXFl_Hul-j4Kn_zFmM0US

Maybe, I should have referenced instead, Can't Touch This by MC Hammer,,, Dang Pitcher as he gave up only 12 hits and 3 run over 5 innings. At least we figured out who is gonna be there for Week 3... Oh what the Hell !!! Hammer Time !!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCpCn0l4Wo

 In the Game, Matt scored 2 runs and Spillane 1. And some other players on the team did things that were entirely appropriate in the Victory Lane Sports Park environment,,, other than hit the softball. Clint and Paul each had 2 hits, Matt 3...

Here are the stats...

Season 5 Starts With a Bang and "Juan" More Hit

Old Buz was enjoying OBI's night at the plate so much, he let us score 5 more runs than needed during a Game 1 20-4 run rule of Blue Ballers. Though, officially we only score 1 run in the final inning instead of 7, we are including the stats for posterity...

Game two was just as offensive, and Blue Ballers made a game of it in Game 2 as OBI picked up the sweep with a 20-14 win.

The night highlight could have been the Top 3 hitters in the order (Nuta, Matt, and Jayse),,, between these three made a total of six out, hitting .727, scored 14 runs, and drove in 10.

Or it could have belonged to our new full time sub, Armando. His 4 hits were key as he hit directly in front the the 3 noted above.

Or it probably should belong to the new Murders Row (Juan, Spillane, and Clint),,, These three made but one out a piece, hit .875, scored 14 runs, and drove in 20 runners.

Instead, we will try not to ask for the following stat line from our most offensive player of the week:
Juan goes 7-8 (.875), scores 6 run, drive in 13, and hit wise had 1 single, 2 doubles and 4 Big Flies (2 each game)...  No pressure ;~)

After not rocking it for the past 4 seasons, the D2 level Defense gave us opportunities to continue innings that did  not come along till now in 2015. 

Keep it rollin' gents!!!

Stat Update !!!

Season 4 Stats Completed,,, plus YTD Stats...

Happy Monday !!!

As the Winds Blow, So Does OBI,,, All the Way Back into D2...

One Bad Inning is on the move,,, back to the Lower Division in Thursday Night Men's Softball at Victory Lane Sports Park.

This truism despite a productive offensive outing in the Season 4 Tournament where the team scored 27 runs in only two games. What seems a slightly above average outing to most was an explosion by Season 4 standards. Hell, we scored 5 runs just the week before...

The offense was potent this week and I think we can all agree that one factor was the key. The wind was blowing out at about 100mph forcing OFers to play deeper than normal as pop flies were warning track depth at times.

Irrespective of the wind direction, mostly we saw line drives off everyone's bat and that was good to see. Our defense, though not particularly spectacular, was solid as we typically play it.

Clint was super solid in Game 1 with a 4-4 effort and there three hits each by Jakob, Juan, Paul and Nuta. Game 2 was less offensive, in fact it was more about Juan's Big Fly and 7 RBIs than anything in our 11-13 loss.

With the move back to D2, a few changes have been made to our lineup. Ok, very few...

-- Jakob is moving to #1 spot in the order.
-- Matt is moving to #2 spot in the order. 
-- Jayse is moving to #3 spot in the order.

Week 1 we will be missing Jakob and John, but have Armando as a fill-in. Field 2 at 6:15 & 7:15 gents... Let's begin rebuilding our missing attribute(s) and prepare ourselves to return to D1 someday in the near future... Goooooo OBI...

No So Triumphant Return...

3-11 (and #8 seed) OBI layed two eggs this Thursday by taking it on the chin 4-15 and 1-12. The 5 runs scored in two games is a season low that will be tough to duplicate, fingers crossed. The two losses put us into a play-in game for the Season 4 tourney, which starts Thursday at 6:15 on field 1 vs. #9 see Murphy's Law.

Game 1 was all about hitting: 

• Our opponents hit consistently throughout the game, scoring 14 runs in 4 innings at bat.
• OBI had one hit that drove in a run.
• Michael returned from 2 week sabatical and tripled in 2 runs then scored on a ground out by Larry.
• Fourth run scored on a Sac Fly by John.
• OBI had 10 hits in their 5 innings at bat.
• Both Matt and Juan collected two.
• Nuta is recovering from a foul bat taken across the nose. As is a key subject in Major League Baseball, broken bats do enter the stands from time to time. Thus, all should be mindful of flying debris (but I digress).

Game 2 was all about hitting:

• Our opponents hit consistently throughout the game, scoring 12 runs in 5 innings at bat.
• OBI had five hits, total.
• JR raked two hits and scored the lone OBI run.
• Matt, Jayse and Michael each had one hit.
• Spillane, John, and Juan each had one plate appearance.
• Interestingly, the run was scored on a Fielders Choice by Larry.

  I think enough has been said about our lack of offense again.

Bring your $75 this week for Season 5. See ya there for the 6:15pm game on 1 !!!

12 Reasons Life Will Get Better

OBIers, take note of the 12 Reasons Life Will get better...

12 Players will pave the way into the future.
Last week, 11 Players felt momentum begin to crumble.
10 Baserunners stranded in Game 1.
Almost all 9 lives used up by Team Wear It.
Ain't (8) Gonna Play those guys no more... (Really?)
Scored 7 Runs in the double header.
6 Baserunners stranded in Game 2.
5 Gold Rings (sorry, had to do it).
4-ever and Never are a really long time.
Total of 3 players batting .500 or better through 6 games in season 4..
2 Wins There for the taking turned into losses.
1 Chance we Each have, every time we take a breath.

No matter your past victories or failures,
Standing up and giving you best each time you are given an opportunity,
That is what makes you the best you can be, in life, in softball, in your own heart.

Let's play OBI Softball from today forward. As Babe Ruth once said, "Never let the fear of striking out get in your way"... Just hit, baby...

And as I like to say "Be The Ball"...  However, the real quote goes like this,,, "There's a force in the universe that makes things happen; all you have to do is get in touch with it. Stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball." -Ty Webb  

Ok, am about cliched out. Is it August yet? Yes !!!

Flying Force are just Runnin' Fools in Disguise,,,

0-2 OBI Coach Michael Lee walked towards Field 1 this past Thursday with a bounce in his step. We were riding a 6 game losing streak and heading into a battle against a New opponent in 0-2 Flying Force.  And then there was Jeff, sitting in the dugout opposite J.R., and realization set in. Flying Force was simply Runnin' Fools renamed.

Pleasantries were exchanged and onward Matt and I marched, me cursing under my breath to no avail. We had two games to play, against a known opponent, and it was stinkin' hot on field 1 for the 6:15 game. Even when things change, they stay the same. C'est la vie (such is life for those who do not eat french toast)...

This weeks version of softball life was all about defense and timely hitting. We made the defensive plays we needed and hit just well enough to come from behind in game 1 and simply scratched and clawed our way to two victories in pitching duel fashion at 9-6 and 5-3.

Game 1 started with a Brent two-out Single driving in Nuta. Then, after The Force put up all 6 of their runs in the bottom of the 1st, Larry and Paul started some fireworks OBI-style by each Doubling. Then, Matt, Nuta, and Spillane singled to answer back and bring the score to 4-6.

After Brent's 300' Single (I mean his bat flip and HR trot looked good), Larry and JR singled as we pulled within 1 run. Tie the game we did in the top of the 4th after sickly Matt collected his second hit of the game, eventually scoring from 2B on a Deep Sac Fly by Jayse,,, to third base... Moving on,,, the score remained the same until the top of the 7th inning when OBI broke out on Singles by Jayse, Brent, Jakob,,, and, oh ya, a 2-run Triple by J.R. 

Defensively, after giving up 6 runs in the first, we held The Force scoreless in their final 6 at bats. We made the plays when we needed and Larry pitched extremely well the entire game.

Game 2 was another 7 inning affair. Again, good defense, not so good hitting (especially by the Force), and pitching were the difference in this game. After The Force put up a run in the top of the first. OBI went quietly into that dark night, 1,2,3...

OBI then put up back to back 2 spots over the next two innings and took a 4-1 lead after 3. Jayse, Michael, Larry and J.R. singled in the second. While it was Nuta and Spillane who singled and scored on Brent's double in the third inning.

The Force made it interesting scoring 2 in the top of the 5th inning. But, OBI was up to the task and pushed across a run in the bottom of the 6th. This insurance run made the difference and was the final tally of the double header, giving OBI the 5-3 win.

J.R. pitched game 2 and was as on point as Larry in game 1, giving up only 3 runs. Combined, the Lefty/Righty combo,,, errr, combined to give up only 9 runs over 14 innings. Even more impressive is the fact that over the final 13 innings, we gave up only 3 runs defensively.

This is where I bow to the pitching and defensive gods. Keep on Keepin' On !!!