Recap
July 2, 2014
The Harmony Sea Kittens (0-7, 0-3 Buffalo League) let the AFSCME Ballerz (5-2, 2-1) slip away with a 5- victory on a cool but pleasant evening for softball at Olbrich Park.
Los Gatitos del Mar led the affair for more than five innings, staking a 2-0 lead with a 2-out rally in the first inning. Leda Nath ignited the rally with a sinking line drive single over shortstop that the Ballerz left fielder almost caught at his shoestrings, but the ball popped loose momentarily and was ruled a hit, over the objections of the AFSCME manager. Joe Hennessy followed with a single to center, and when Kristen Johnson rolled an infield single to third, the third baseman’s wild throw to first allowed Nath and Hennessy to race around to score.
Staked to a lead, Hennessy took the mound and command of the strike zone, and immediately put Dan “The Wall” Oele to work at the hot corner, and he played catch with first baseman Erin “The Glove” O’Brien throughout the night. Spurred by Oele & O’Brien, Hennessy’s five-strikeout/ zero-walk performance, and almost flawless defense all-around by the Kittens, the team held Ballerz scoreless through 4 innings.
But as has been the case for the Kittens through the 2014 campaign, hits were elusive and the Kittens only managed five in the six innings after the 2-out parade in the first. Three of the hits came in the fourth, when singles by Hennessy and Kyle Magyera set up runners on first and second for Oele, who banged a triple to the left field fence to score Magyera and O’Brien.
Meanwhile Ballerz started to chip at the Kittens’ lead in the fifth, a lead-off triple sparking a 2-run inning assisted by at least one unlucky hop. The hosts plated two more in the sixth, tying the game on a two-out inside-the-park homer on a pitch that appeared to be impossible to hit hard.
Magyera punched a single with one out in the 7th for the Kits, and Erin O’Brien drilled a one-strike pitch up the middle, but the ball banged off the pitcher’s leg, slowing its trip to center field enough for the Ballerz shortstop to grab it, tap second and double up O’Brien at first, standing Oele in the on-deck circle.
Stymied but still alive, lady luck again favored the Ballerz in the 7th, as its speedy leadoff batter in the inning popped a soft liner inside third that died in a pool of dust instead of completing its destined journey to Oele’s glove. The next batter also dribbled one down the line, and forced to hurry, Oele’s throw sailed O’Brien at first, and her recovery and throw to the plate was too late to nip the Ballerz speediest runner and he scored the decisive run.
After the “oh, dang” finish, a rainbow appeared over Olbrich Park, perhaps suggesting Ms. Luck felt remorse for her favoritism and is ready to dole her graces more equitably next week.
Next up
Harmony hosts Beaster’s Black Outs in a 7:30 matchup on Olbrich Field 3, July 10.
Game Notes
• The Kittens have led by 2 runs or more in 3 of the past 4 games
• Kyle’s 3-3 night at the plate was the first flawless night for a Kittens since Tom Cichosz went 4-4 May 28, his final game before heading to the DL.
• Tom C. has been cleared for batting in his rehab, but a return to game action is unlikely during the summer season
Salmon snacks
• Dan & Erin for a well-played game at 3rd and 1st
• Leda for running hard in the first-inning, sparking a rally and scoring the Kits’ first run.
• Joe for not walking anybody
• Kyle for a 3-3 night at the plate
Ballerz