Swingers in nail biter

The mantle weighs heavy. The 100% record and the pressure of maintaining it has really been getting to the Swingers and last nights big crowd of EIGHT really put the pressure on (that excludes the couple of park crazies who stopped by in the 4th inning for a gander).

Swingers elected to field first and when the Orphans where ready listening to their pre-match chatter, we knew we were in for a tough game as the east coast Yankee accent was more common than a fine English lilt or Aussie twang.













Orphans get ready to bat in the first inning


Fordy before the game had been wandering as lonely as a cloud after his trip to Glasto', quietly whistling the theme to the Magic Roundabout, we’re still not sure if he’s fully back from that field in Devon.










Fordy Prepares to Pitch, in a zen like trance!

Orphans though have loaded the top of the order and some good batting and hitting to right field allows them to get three runs. Fordy though makes a nice return catch.

Our turn to bat. Fordy maintaining his Karma gets a safe base hit as Orphans out field shows they are a bit mean. The Edge back from a Swingers absence returns the right field hitting favour and smashes a huge homer. 2 runs. Amanda and Coach are out, Becs batting technique this season seems to be leave the first pitch no matter what. However she then hit a hum-dinger on the second. Rob T kept his safe hitting going getting, but the power was unlike with a couple of misses and we were out. 3-2.

The second inning and the Orphans racked up the pressure, continuing to hit to right field the added two homers in the inning. In the third inning we wouldn’t get done so easily again. A good catch from Coach at centre field, a walk from the Space Cadet, some nice short stop work from Edge, and an out at first from the Space Cadet, meant that despite two homers they only scored 4 in the inning.

Our turn and Mr Reliable up, Delaney, clearly put off by the throw Kieran fails to get to the base, well he got there, but missed it as the throw from their short stop would have taken his head off. Confusion reigned; I called him out, Becs sent him back. All sorted and we carried on. Pebble was swinging but missing. Kitch up, and my normal reliable base hit. I forewent my usual air shot as Rob had stolen my thunder in the first inning. Sadly Fordy up next up was out at one. Their short stop had started the game well. (But there are tantrums ahead.)

The third inning and we swapped the outfield around, me to right field. First hit straight to me, Oh! F**k I dropped it, but made the stop and restricted the runner to second. The shame. Twice in two games! However Edge at short stop got an out. Then so close to a second, (a great save from Becs stopped over throws), then Delaney came up with a great double play to save my shame. The runner from 2nd to 3rd tagged and a sharp throw to first. Phew! A shut out. Now time to get back in it.

However our misfiring batting from last week returned. Edge hit two foul, Amanda despite her hit was out at first and Becs was just having a bad day.

Bottom of the third and 7-2 to the Orphans. Gulp!

The Orphans where batting well by now. Picking Fordy’s pitches and leaving the bad ones. He let slip a walk to first. However they where hitting well. Again trying to hit to our weaker outfielders. Edge though tagged their short stop out at second, Oh! He wasn’t happy. Fordy made another out at first, so despite some erratic pitching he was getting his fair share of outs. (I must be feeling as light headed as he was, two match reports two Fordy compliments!) However Orphans where getting more homers and more runs another 4. Top of the 4th and 11 – 2.

Our bat and some moral boosting words from Becs! Honest they where! Really! Yes that Becs!

Rob T up, another reliable hit and he got to second. A hit from Power to first and finally we had some runners. Delaney’s hit though only managed to get Power out at second and guess what the throw to first nearly took his head off. This time though he just clipped the base. Had he offended the oppo short stop of something. He does everyone else so why not! Pebble was getting more practice in I think Ian Renn’s happy snapping was getting to her. Hoff though got his hit with his usual unconventional batting technique. Fordy then got the hit to bring Delaney and Hoff home. The Space Cadet launched a space oddity. However the Orphans have a good outfield and it took some speedy work from the Hoff to get home.










The Hoff








Billy Whizz You decide

Amanda’s unlucky afternoon continued and we where out scoring 3. 11-5


The 5th inning was quiet. 1-1 run each. Fordy seemed to be finding his rhythm and Edge just kept making outs at short stop. Edge got home on a hit from the Coach, who then got a little excited and was out at first, despite running all the way to third, as Becs shelled out.

12 – 6 two innings left, could we repeat our comeback of last week?

Cue temper tantrum. Edge gets the over eager yank out at second, and the batting gloves go flying in a litany of foul language. Power helped the situation by cheering as loudly as possible, and complimenting the chap on his general good sportsmanship. Luckily he was too self-absorbed to notice. Apart from Erskine in the beer squad putting Fordy off and a tiny misfield by Hoff. We restricted Orphans to one run. 13 – 6 now is the time.

First up Christy makes it to first, helped by a poor throw from the clearly rattled short stop and is walked on a base. Delaney makes another hit, getting to second and getting Christy home. Pebble gets to first on a nice switch hit. Now the moment of controversy. Hoff I must apologise. I apologise, I sincerely do, this is an apology, it was still a strike, and you where then out on the foul ball. 2 runs, after the Edge fouls again! 13 – 8 and we’re at out best in the last inning.

Fordy, Edge and Delaney do the business in the infield getting three outs for no runs. Still 13 – 8, five runs for the tie and six for the win.

Coach gets a base hit, thanks to some juggling at first base. He hit the pad as their first base man was playing silly buggers. They tried it on, but I call a fair game! Becs gets the nerves jangling as she leaves another good first pitch, before smacking the next one over the short stop to get the Coach home. 13-9. Rob T keeps his hit count high and load two bases. Power, gets a break from the Umpire, it was over the knee I reckon on review, but it’s the last inning and we need the help. Shhhhhhhhhh! However she’s unlucky to only nick the next two.

Delaney up. If he wasn’t hitting big this week he was at least hitting safe. Rob and Becs home. 13 – 11 and the the tension is high. Pebble gets another nice hit. Delaney home at jet speed. 13 – 12. Kitch up, I swing at a wide one, but it’s straight past the pitchers ear ‘ole and I’m safe to first, Pebble to third. Erskine looks on happy, Fordy up and he’s not let us down on the hitting today. Although we where worried, as he walked the plate he was heard saying;

‘OOOOOOOOOOOH! MY GOD! I’M COMING DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWN!’

So he gets a couple of welcome balls and then leaves the third. Full count, so he’s got to swing at this one unless it’s really wide. He hits it but picks out the short stop and I’m out at second. 2 outs 1 run behind. Some accurate pitching by Orphans tempt Amanda into hitting, and the game is over. 13 – 12 and no one is blaming Fordy for his poor hit in the final inning with the tieing run on third. No one. Honest no one.

Final Score: Orphans 13 – Swingers 12

Your Swingers where

Chaps
Andy ‘Fordy’ Ford
The Edge
Ritchie ‘Coach’ Hepburn
Rob ‘The Hands’ Thompson
Kieran ‘I have a price on my head’ Delaney
Andrew ‘Kitch’ Kitchener
James ‘The Hoff’ Hough

Chapettes
Amanda 'Wazza' Warwick
Rebecca 'Feds' Feddema
Christy 'the Linford' Aylen
Claire ‘Power Ranger’ Power
Claire ‘Pebble’ Stones

The Beer Squad
Erskine
Amanda
Jacques (Amanda’s son)
Marcus
Ian Renn
Nick the Greek
Simmo (scorer)
Mrs Edge
2 park crazies in the fourth inning

MVP
Shared this week by our infield cordon or Edge and Delaney. Well played lads, accounted for most of our outs. Ably assisted by the skip herself and Fordy!


Your gutted intrepid reporter Kitch