Thursday, May 24, 2012

Are You Freakin' Kidding Me?!

Mother Nature has now claimed a full 40% of the Bullets' schedule. Today's game with Wall St. Journal is rescheduled for August.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Bullets 6, Mother Nature 3

Tonight's game against The Paris Review has been rained out.

Cross your fingers for Thursday night's match-up against Wall St. Journal.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Bullets Top Newsweek/Daily Beast with Late Run

The DC Bullets' scheduled New York Media Softball League opener against WNYC was postponed due to rain last Thursday, so the Bullets instead opened their NYMSL 2012 campaign against Newsweek/Daily Beast this Thursday on North Meadow #2. After a see-saw affair - through four-and-a-half innings, each team had two leads and Newsbeast plated four runs in the top of the fifth to forge an 8-8 tie - the Bullets closed out the game in dramatic fashion. Sixteen hitters came to the plate in the last of the fifth, ten runs scored, and the comic book makers came away with an 18-8 win.

Newsbeast opened the scoring with two runs in the first. Putting together good at-bats against Joel Press, they ripped a couple doubles into the outfield alleys, worked in a few singles, and ran the bases well. The Bullets responded in the bottom half. After Pat Brosseau popped up and Vince Letterio grounded out, three consecutive Bullets worked walks to load the bases. Mike Lorah, Nel Yomtov and John Choi were aboard when Sal Cipriano lined a single to left to plate one run, and then Christine Napolitano hammered a double down the left field line to plate two more, giving the Bullets a 3-2 lead.

Newsbeast took back the lead with two more runs in the second, and held their one-run edge into the third. Joel Press led off the Bullet second with a base hit, and one out later, Blake Kobashigawa slammed a double to right center. But Laura Demoreuille popped up on the infield and Dan Bertoldi took a called third strike to leave both runners in scoring position.

DC, however, retook the lead with a commanding last of the third. Rick Warmack lined a single to left, Mike beat out an infield single, and both moved up a base on an overthrow. Nel Yomtov sliced a double to right field, plating both runs, giving DC the lead again. After John flew out, Sal, Lalida Musso and Brian Cunningham singled in sequence, with Lalida's hit scoring Nel. Batting with the bases loaded, Joel doubled to add two more runs, capping a five-run frame. With two runners in scoring position, Jay Kogan popped up and Allison Klein grounded out, as Newsbeast again prevented further damage.

Making it possible to retake the lead, Joel's pitching and the Bullet defense stamped out Newsbeast rallies in the third and fourth innings. The Newsbeast fourth inning was notable defensively, as Vince Letterio ran across half the North Meadow to snap up a flare into shallow center field just inches above the grass. One out later, with runners on first and second, Mike fielded a high chopper at third. With no time to throw to first, Mike swung around and tagged the runner from second coming into third base - except he tagged with the glove and the ball was in his bare hand, anticipating the throw. It worked out for DC, as the baserunner couldn't see where the ball was and stepped off the base, where Mike applied a proper tag for the out. Otherwise, Joel induced routine fly ball after routine fly ball; credit to Rick (a member of the Bullets' West Coast team, joining the East Coast squad for the day, as did recurring cast member Lalida - a pleasure to have you both for the day), Kevin Schwoer and Pat for handling everything hit their way.

A Newsbeast pitching change seemed to throw the Bullet offense a curve in the fifth, as the once-torrid bats went down in order - Danielle Yannetta grounded to short, Pat popped up to third, and Vince grounded to third, and Newsbeast seized the momentum in the top of the fifth. Four runs crossed, as the Newsbeast bats came to life, knotting the score at 8 apiece.

With one inning to see the new Newsbeast pitcher at work, the Bullets sized her up in the fifth - in a big way. Mike, John, Nel and Sal all batted twice in the inning - and the first three of those hitters reached both times. Overall, the first five hitters reached, then three more, then five more between each out. Sal had a two-run double and CNap an RBI single; Kevin flared an base-scoring hit into right center, and Blake drove home two runs as well. Dan worked a two-out walk, and immediately after, Rick drove home two more with his second hit of the day. Nel added an RBI hit and John took a bases-loaded walk. In the end, it added up to ten runs.

With the game starting slightly late, a little too much downtime between innings as both squads figured out defenses and threw the ball around, and a ten-run explosion in the bottom of the fifth, the game ended after only five innings, as the 7:00 permit holders stirred restlessly near the field. The victory starts the Bullets' NYMSL season off with a win - a well-played, back-and-forth win. The 2012 NYMSL season looks like it's going to be a fun one.

The Bullets (5-1, 1-0 NYMSL) square off against The Paris Review next Monday, 6pm, on North Meadow #10, then it's back in NYMSL action on Thursday, as Wall St. Journal visits North Meadow #2.

Bullet Box*:
RCF Pat Brosseau - 0-2 / C Dan Bertoldi - 0-1, R, BB
LCF Vince Letterio - 0-2 / LF Rick Warmack - 2-2, 2 R, 2 RBI
3B Mike Lorah - 3-3, 3 R, BB
SS Nel Yomtov - 3-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, double, BB
DH John Choi - 1-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB
1B Sal Cipriano - 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, double
RCF Christine Napolitano - 2-2, R, 3 RBI, double / 2B Lalida Musso - 1-1, R, RBI
RF Brian Cunningham - 1-3
P Joel Press - 3-3, R, 2 RBI, double
LF Kevin Schwoer - 1-2, R, RBI / LCF Jay Kogan 0-1
RF Blake Kobashigawa - 2-2, R, 2 RBI, double / 2B Allison Klein - 0-1
1B Laura Demoreuille 0-2 / C Danielle Yannetta 0-1

*Reminder that NYMSL games have a 12-person line-up limit, so batters rotate in some slots.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Sunned Out? - NYMSL Opener with WNYC a Wash

Despite a sunny sky and balmy temperatures, the Park service let us know today that, in light of Wednesday night's storm, North Meadow #2 wasn't ready for softball action. Thursday's New York Media Softball League opener against WNYC will be rescheduled for later this summer.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

New York Mag Defeats Bullets in Slugfest

After last Thursday evening's rainout, the team returned to action Tuesday night (in a light drizzle) against New York magazine. Taking advantage of cozy dimensions at James J. Walker Park, both teams ran up the score. However, riding a fourteen-run third inning, New York came out on top, besting the Bullets 19-14.

If you need reminding or have never seen Walker Park, here's what you need to know: the fence is only 200 feet from home plate and is about twenty-five feet high. Due to their field's dimensions, New York's ground rules require only three outfielders and limit each team to three over-the-fence home runs. The host also plays a nine-inning game.

For a game that totaled 33 runs, the first inning began quietly. After the first two Bullets were retired, John Choi blasted a high floater over the left field fence onto Leroy St. Jay grounded out to end the first. New York's #3 hitter also slammed a ball out of the field, except he did so after singles by both of the hitters ahead of him in the line-up. The Bullets trailed 3-1 after one inning.

Second inning: Pat Brosseau ripped a single back through the middle, moved to second on Allison Dugas's groundout, and scored when Vince Letterio hammered a double off the base of the fence. It was only the first display the offensive showing Vince had in store for the evening. He moved to third on Joel Press's single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Larry Ganem. The Bullets turned New York away in the bottom of the second, and added on a run in the third. Sal Cipriano doubled with one out and, after Mike Lorah was robbed of a base hit by the shortstop ranging far into the hole and throwing a bullet to first, came around to score on John's single. Jay added another hit before Pat's fielder's choice brought New York to the plate for their third-inning licks.

And they scored fourteen runs. That's really all there is to say about it. Oh, twelve of those runs scored with two outs. A solid 95% of the at-bats ended with line drives scorched cleanly into a hole somewhere on the field. I think the Bullets were victimized by two bad hops, but the opposition simply pummeled the comic book makers for a solid half hour (or so it seemed).

But DC's a resilient squad. Vince and Joel singled to start the fourth, and Vince came home on Larry's fielder's choice. Dan and Nel added singles to score Larry.

Five runs scored in the fifth, started with Mike lining a single through the middle, nearly decapitating the pitcher. John launched another home run, and then Jay followed suit. They simply couldn't contain their powerful swings, so that whole wait-until-you've-baserunners-'cause-you-only-get-three-homers theory of hitting was lost on them. Two outs later, Vince doubled again, Joel singled, and Larry sliced a ball into the right field corner with a check-swing, scoring both runners. New York got one back that inning.

Nel doubled to right field leading off the sixth and, one out later, moved to third on Mike's single. John singled off the fence, scoring Nel. Then Jay flew out to left, and Mike, losing track of the outs, got doubled off second base.

Both teams went scoreless in the seventh, with Vince's single being DC's only baserunner.

In the eighth, Dan Bertoldi and Nel singled with one out, and Sal created a early season contender for play of the year. First, awesome because Sal lined a bullet down the right field line. Who's ever seen Sal hit to center field, much less right field? Second, awesome because Dan held up at third and Sal charged into second, and for one scary moment, Nel was standing next to NY's shortstop with no base to go to! Fortunately for the Bullets, the catcher had moved away from the plate to back-up the throw back to the infield and Dan ran home before anybody could get into position to cover, and Nel moved up to third base. Nel went home on Mike's infield single for the inning's second run, but consecutive groundouts by John and Jay stalled the rally.

Pat and Vince singled in the ninth, but neither reached home, sticking the Bullets with their first loss of the 2012 season and first ever (in only three games, admittedly) loss on Walker Field. There are some positives: DC scored in seven of nine innings, including crooked numbers in four of nine. NY scored in four of eight, and crooked numbers only twice. But man, that fourteen-run frame - that's a tough one of overcome! It was a great game against a fun team, and I know the entire Bullets squad is looking forward to the rematch.

Defensive highlights included rightfielder Pat Brosseau, in his last game as a single man (congrats, Pat!), stealing away a sure double with a leaping, twisting, reaching-behind-him snare of a laserbeam line drive to close out the bottom of the eighth, giving DC one more shot at tying things up. Shortstop Nel Yomtov pulled down an over-the-shoulder flare in shallow center field. Third baseman Mike Lorah scored two difficult plays: a charging scoop-and-throw of a trickling grounder, and a backhand stab of a scorcher down the line. The latter play wouldn't have resulted in an out, however, if first baseman Sal Cipriano hadn't dug out a very low throw, making it a nifty defensive moment on both ends of the infield. Credit to leftfielder Jay Kogan and centerfielder Vince Letterio for playing Walker Field's absurdly shallow fence very well, minimizing extra bases as much as possible.

The Bullets (4-1) meet WNYC on North Meadow #2 this Thursday (weather pending) in their first New York Media Softball League game of the 2012 season.

Bullet Box:
1B Sal Cipriano - 2-5, R, RBI, two doubles
3B Mike Lorah - 3-5, R, RBI
DH John Choi - 4-5, 2 R, 5 RBI, two home runs
LF Jay Kogan - 2-5, R, RBI, home run
RF Pat Brosseau - 2-5, R
C Allison Dugas-Behan - 0-5
CF Vince Letterio - 5-5, 3 R, RBI, two doubles
2B Joel Press - 3-5, R
P Larry Ganem - 1-4, R, 4 RBI, double, sac fly
2B/RF Dan Bertoldi - 2-4, R
SS Nel Yomtov - 3-4, 2 R, double, RBI

Thursday, May 3, 2012

It's Not tru, Game Canceled

Today's match-up with truTV has been canceled due to rain saturation on the North Meadow. No rescheduling will occur for this non-league game.

Next week, the Bullets have two games, Tuesday vs. NY Magazine on Walker Field, and our first NYMSL tilt vs. WNYC on our own North Meadow field #2 on Thursday. Come catch a game!