The annual (not-so-serious) grudgematch between DC Comics
and Marvel Comics’ softball teams occurred Thursday evening on North Meadow #2
in Central Park. Both teams came out of the gate with a ferocious offensive
attack, but Larry Ganem and DC’s defense finally gained Marvel’s measure in the
fourth inning (it may have helped that Marvel started subbing in some of their
less potent hitters by the fifth) while DC’s all-in line-up (no man left out,
no substitutions) continued to push across runs en route to a dominating 23-9
win for DC.
The only small disagreement came before either team took
the field – the captains couldn’t agree on how they wanted to arrange their
line-ups for the game, so each team kept their own standard. Marvel played a
traditional 11-person line-up, starting their stars and then substituting in
other players later in the game. This configuration got the top of the line-up
to the plate more often, which concerned Bullet captain Sal Cipriano. DC’s
line-up went 15 people deep, with everyone batting and various players rotating
in and out of the defense – the top of the order wouldn’t, theoretically, bat
as often.
It turned out not to matter.
Marvel started the game with a bang, hammering home four
runs in the first, reminding the Bullets of their potency and ensuring DC would
take nothing for granted. The Bullets responded with a five-run, lead-taking outburst,
including three runs with two outs. Mike Lorah led off
the bottom of the first by smoking a triple to right center field, and he then
sprinted home on Andrew Arnold’s groundout to short. Kevin Schwoer crushed a
solo home run to center to cut Marvel’s lead in half. After Jay Kogan drew a
walk, Vince Letterio’s screaming line drive was pulled down by Marvel very
tall, and talented, third baseman. Neil Hiremath singled and Christine
Napolitano walked to load the bases with two down, and Sal Cipriano punched
home one run with a base hit to left. Blake Kobashigawa ended the scoring with
a two-run flare single into shallow right, putting DC up 5-4 after one
explosive inning.
Then both teams huddled under umbrellas and DC’s handy
tarp-across-the-dugout during a ten-minute downpour that delayed the game. The
remainder of the evening would be marked by light drizzle and a ten-pound,
sopping wet softball that was hard to throw and harder to crush.
After the game resumed, Marvel, undaunted, plated three
more runs in the second, retaking the lead. Responding with six runs of their
own, DC seized the lead and never trailed again. Joel Press and Andrew (2)
Marino singled. Taylor Esposito’s fielder’s choice (removing Andrew 2) and
Brittany Holzherr’s walk loaded the bases. Fashionista David Pina, rocking his
Flash underoos outside his pants, and Mike each drove him one run with base
hits. Andrew drove home two more runs with another single, and Kevin’s double
scored another Bullet run. Jay walked to reload the bases and Vince picked up a
sacrifice fly to shallow left field – with Andrew alertly tagging and racing
home when the left fielder had to slide to make the catch. After Neil walked,
CNap bounced into a fielder’s choice to cap the scoring.
Marvel doggedly battled back again, plating two more runs
in the third, making it a tight 11-9 game. DC put together a back-breaking
rally in the bottom half, and did it all with two outs. Sal lined to third and
Blake popped up to first. And then: singles by Larry and Joel, RBI double from
Andrew 2, RBI singles from Taylor and Britt, and a bases-loading single from
David. Then, despite Marvel’s strong offensive showing in the first three
innings, Mike ended most of the game’s drama, depositing a looping drive down
the right field line that went for a grand slam homer. Andrew nearly made it
back-to-back blasts with a bomb into left center, but Marvel’s left fielder
managed to run the drive down for the inning-ender. Still, the seven-run,
two-out showing put DC up 18-9 after three innings.
From there, things quieted down. Marvel didn’t score
again, despite a few threats. Kevin ran down a long, long fly ball somewhere
around 120th St. in the fifth, while Vince showed some impressive
range in center and Blake ranged far up the middle to snare a grounder, to help
Larry work through four frames of goose eggs.
For DC, in the fourth, Jay smoked a one-out double and
later scored on Neil’s line drive single to center. Moved into scoring position
by CNap’s second base on balls, Neil scored easily on Sal’s second RBI hit of
the afternoon. Joel and Taylor each reached on base hits in the fifth, and then
scored on RBI knocks from Britt and David. In the sixth, Kevin singled, took
second on a groundout, and scored on Vince’s liner into left.
9-6 (3-5 NYMSL), the DC Bullets have put up successive
20+ run outbursts. Can they keep the offense going against one of the New York
Media Softball League’s best hurlers? Find out next Monday, as the Bullets
battle WNYC on North Meadow #10. They need a few wins to climb back into the
NYMSL playoff picture.
Bullet Box
3B Mike Lorah – 3-4, 3 R, 5 RBI, triple, home run
SS Andrew Arnold – 1-4, R, 3 RBI
LF Kevin Schwoer – 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, double, home run
OF Jay Kogan – 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB, double
CF Vince Letterio – 1-3, 2 RBI, sac fly
CF Neil Hiremath – 2-2, 2 R, RBI, BB
SCF Christine Napolitano – 0-1, R, 2 BB
1B Sal Cipriano – 2-3, 2 RBI
3B/SS Blake Kobashigawa – 1-3, 2 RBI
P Larry Ganem – 1-3, R
RF Joel Press – 3-3, 3 R
C Andrew Marino – 2-3, R, RBI, double
C Taylor Esposito – 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI
2B Brittany Holzherr – 2-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
C David Pina – 3-3, 3 R, 2 RBI
Bullet of the Game: Mike Lorah
