Defense wins pennants, but the DC Bullets found evidence that you still need to hit during Saturday morning’s game against the Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal put up a three spot in the second inning, but only managed to add on three more runs during the entire game. Needing only to average a run per inning, the Bullets found their offense sputtering in an untimely manner.
Despite two first inning singles by 3B Mike Lorah (1-3) and DH Larry “LP” Vollano (1-3), the Bullets were turned away without scoring. In the second, back to back singles by SCF Nel Yomtov (2-3, run) and LF Andrew Arnold (2-3, run) set up SS Adam Schlagman’s (2-3, 2 RBI) two run triple. With none out, Schlagman was held at third. A pop out to short, a line to third and a soft fly to left stranded the inning’s third run. In the third, C Sal Cipriano (1-4, run), P Doug Harrison (1-3) and RF Pat Brosseau (2-3, RBI) sandwiched singles around two outs, pushing across a third run.
The fourth inning had the Bullets turned away without a score, though not without some controversy, as the Journal’s first baseman moved into the baseline to field a wide throw and knocked Bullets’ 1B Laura Demoreuille (0-3) away from the bag, preventing her from perhaps beating the throw. The following hitter, CF Neil Hiremath (0-1) seemed to beat out an infield roller when the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag, but the umpire admitted that he couldn’t see the angle and was forced to call Neil out. Frustrated, the Bullets folded in order in the fifth and couldn’t push across either base runner that they earned in the sixth inning (one singles by Brosseau and Yomtov). The stage was set for a big rally in the seventh – one that ended with more controversy.
Following Schlagman’s lead-off single, Demoreuille grounded into a fielder’s choice to short. A line single into left by SCF Joel Press (1-2) moved Laura to second and brought the tying run to the plate with one out. 2B Erin Dawald’s (0-3) ground ball to the middle drew the Journal’s shortstop into a collision with Demoreuille, who was called out for interference. Though it was the correct call (and might’ve prevented a step-on-second,-throw-to-first double play), the Bullets were disappointed to have their runner deflected from the base path twice in the game. With two out and their frustration at a season high, Cipriano chased a high pitch and was retired for the final out.
Final score: Wall Street Journal 6, DC Bullets 3. The Bullets record is now 3-4 (1-2 in New York Media Softball League play).
Games Notes:
Following their 13-run assault on The Daily Beast, the Bullets mustered only 13 hits Saturday afternoon.
After finishing the 2008 season 0-2 in day games and dropping Saturday’s tilt, the Bullets are happy to have only evening games remaining.
Local fans can come out to see the Bullets look for revenge against the (good guys, really, the Bullets’ irritation had nothing to do with them) Wall Street Journal this Monday evening at 7:00 on Hecksher Field #2 in Central Park.
