Wednesday evening, the DC Comics staff was treated to an office-side concert by Sir Paul McCartney. Apparently the man who sang of being a Paperback Writer gave the Bullet softball team a charge, as they came out swinging against Random House at Thursday evening’s softball game.

The DC squad and Random House traded solo runs in the first. SS Adam Schlagman bobbled a two-out grounder, letting the Random House run score in the top of the first, but the Captain Let It Be and quickly made amends for the error. One batter after his gaff, his diving snare in shallow left field ended the frame, and Schlagman’s (1-3, run, triple) three-bag knock into right center set up the Bullets’ first run in the bottom of the inning. 3B-1B Mike “The Nickname Hack” Lorah (3-3, 2 runs, 4 RBI, HR) drove Schlagman home with a ground single through the left side. RF-3B-CF Adam “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” Staffaroni (1-3) followed with a base hit, but the Random House team got out of the inning with a pop-out and LF-3B-SS Andrew “No, seriously, read Adventures in Cartooning” Arnold’s (1-3) line out.

P Larry “Live and Let Die” Ganem (1-2) knocked a single to center in the second, but both teams came away with goose eggs. In the third, however, Ganem pitched one of his finest innings, allowing only one ball into fair territory. Working around a single, Ganem got the Random House team to pop out in foul territory twice and got a fouled third strike from the opposition’s top slugger. C Sal “Bagman, he’ll always just be the Bagman” Cipriano (1-2, run) came around to score after a lead-off single in the third. 2B Christine “CNap” Napolitano’s (0-2) grounder moved Sal into scoring position, and LF Nel “Super-Soldier” Yomtov (2-2, run, RBI) drove him home with a knock to shallow center.

Up 2-1, the Bullets put the Random House Band on the Run in the fourth. After Mike Lorah beat out an infield single and Adam Staff lined out sharply to shortstop on the hardest hit ball of the game, the Bullets hammered three homers in a span of four hitters. RF Pat “Still Dreams of Trinity Pages” Brosseau (2-3, run, 2 RBI, HR) launched a ball opposite field, over the right fielder to score Lorah and himself. Two hitters later, 1B Joel “The Nickname Police” Press (1-3, run, RBI, HR) and RF-CF Jeff “Thankful for his off-season trade” Boison (1-2, run, RBI, HR) went back-to-back into the gap in left center field. Splitting the outfielders with their drives, both men chugged around and slid in at home just ahead of the relay. Props to the aggressive third base coaching of Nel “Calculated Risks” Yomtov.

Neither team scored in the fifth, and Random House’s clean-up hitter slugged a long home run to left field in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 6-2, favoring the Bullets. The Bullets got the run back and more in the last of the sixth. Singles by Nel and CF Neil “Mother Nature’s Son” Hiremath (1-3, run) set up Mike Lorah’s three-run jack to right field. Larry Ganem finished up the complete game win with a three up-three down top of the seventh, wrapping up the game with a comebacker to the mound and two infield pops.

With the 9-2 win, the Bullets are Getting Better and improve to 6-5 (2-3 in the New York Media League).

Games Notes:

Doc Lauren Fries (0-2) didn’t get into the main write up, but credit must be given for her strong outfield play. She tracked down several long flies that squashed Random House rallies.

Thanks to Random House for hanging around after the game for some extra softball action. It was a good time.

The Bullets are back on the field tomorrow, Central Park’s Great Lawn, Field #3 at 3pm. Come out and support. You may get to meet my new foster dog.

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