Harmony Sea Kittens (1-0 MSCR Monroe League) pounced upon a group of unsuspecting Wisco Kids at Olbrich Park last night, drawing a great deal of first blood (passersby were amazed) en route to a 19-8 victory.
Man-Aaron Jossart opens the 2018 season with a double to left-center. After playing only one game between 2013 and 2017, Jossart hammered 5 extra-base hits- including 2 homers- in just 12 at-bats last summer. A key element in the team’s 2012 title run, when he played a career-high nine games, the Cats hope to see The Man Aaron they know as Man-Aaron on the diamond regularly in 2018!
A week after the Cats’ scheduled opener was postponed due to torrential rain, the team was twitchy and ready to pounce at the first opportunity. Man-Aaron Jossart opened the 2018 proceedings with a double to left, and after an out, Dan Dynam-Oele and Jess “Nan*” Schultz produced run-scoring singles. Two more hits loaded the bases, and Joe Hennessy’s first swing of the season produced a line-drive grand slam over the center field fence. Seven batters into the game, Sea Kittens had a commanding 6-0 lead. Boom Boom Magyera and Laura Hewitt followed with hits, and Zen Master Rowe- the Sea Kitten starting pitcher- opened his 2018 campaign with a trademark hustle double to plate two more and spot himself an 8-0 advantage.
The Sea Kitten defense and Rowe showed more rust than the bats did after the 7-month offseason. Both scuffled through the first inning as the Kids tried to right themselves after the Kitten attack. A pair of walks and minor fielding miscues provided opportunity for Wisco to plate 3 runs, but Harmony capped the rally there.
Curtis gestures.
Getting back to work on offense, Mama Cat O’Brien flipped a single to left-center to open the second, advance to third on a Dynam-Oele double, and scampered home on a groundout by Jess Schultz. The Polish Puma, Alex Latzka, laced a single to score Dynam-Oele. Hennessy followed with a booming triple to right-center, scoring Latzka and dashing home on an errant throw to push the Sea Kitten advantage to 12-3.
Sea Kitten Grand Slams
Smokin’ Joe Litchfield 8-26-2010
Detroit Josh Ghena (2) 6-5-2013
Dan Dynam-Oele 6-22-2016
Mercury Stevens 7-13-2016
Joe Hennessy 8-31-206
Joe Hennessy 5-16-2016
While the Zen Master continued to find and lose his command of the strike zone, the Kitten defense backed him with some solid work, including two assists from Man-Aaron Jossart from left-center field- one paired with Mama Cat to double a runner off first and another to cut down an over-eager Kid trying to advance to third. Jami Hauer, Hennessy, Dynam-Oele, and Katherine Ropes Curtis also completed a 9-6-5-2 relay to cut down some Kid trying to get home safely after a teammate knocked a double to the right-center fence.
“Stop distracting me, Alex. I can’t catch the ball when you’re talking.” -the unflappable Zen Master to Latzka (in the dugout), after dropping a return throw from Curtis
Harmony pushed its lead to 16-3 with a four-run 4th, notching 5 straight hits to open the frame. Given a chance to bat with the bases loaded for a second time, Hennessy sensed the opportunity to match Sea Kitten legend Detroit Josh Ghena’s fabled two-grand-slam-game, but swung wildly, harmlessly, and haplessly at the first pitch before putting for an 11-foot infield single. The Kids rallied for a few respectability runs, but Los Gatitos were in cruise control, and went the 6th and final inning came, Rowe locked down and induced a pop-up and two swinging strikeouts to seal the deal.
Game Notes
The 8-run first inning outburst was the second-biggest Sea Kitten first inning since scoring 10 in the first in a 13-9 win over Lombardino’s June 9, 2010- the second game in Sea Kitten history!
Sea Kittens are 53-7 all-time when scoring more than 10 runs
Going back to Fall 2017, the last 4 Sea Kitten wins have been by more than 10 runs
NEXT UP: vs. Mickey’s Bomb Squad (1-0) in a battle of week 1 winners. Game time 6:30 PM , Olbrich Field 3. I think this Mickey’s team were league runners-up in 2017, and play solid softball.
Two Sea Kitten minor-leaguers eager to take in next week’s 6:30 PM action vs Mickey’s Bomb Squad. Their buddy Renzo’s mom handles 3B for the squad!
Salmon Snacks
Man-Aaron for two outfield assists, and Dan and Erin for being in position to receive the throws
Jami-Joe-Dan-Katherine for a fine coed relay to nab a runner at the plate!
Joe, Dan, and Alex combined to go 12-12 with 3 2B, 1 3B, and 2 HR, plus 9 runs scored and 10 RBI
Jess for collecting an RBI in all three opportunities she batted with a runner in scoring position
vs 
Wisco
Man-Aaron for two outfield assists, and Dan and Erin for being in position to receive the throws
Jami-Joe-Dan-Katherine for a fine coed relay to nab a runner at the plate!
Joe, Dan, and Alex combined to go 12-12 with 3 2B, 1 3B, and 2 HR, plus 9 runs scored and 10 RBI
Jess for collecting an RBI in all three opportunities she batted with a runner in scoring position