Continuing to show resilience after Friday’s lopsided defeat at the hands of Wall St. Journal, the DC Bullets once again rebounded Monday evening to secure their second playoff berth in the three-year history of the New York Media Softball League. Monday’s 6-1 triumph over The Daily Beast has the comic-makers in the fourth and final playoff spot, and they’re in striking distance of the three seed.
SS and team captain Adam Schlagman (1-2, run) and 3B Mike Lorah (2-2, 2 runs) got the offense started with back-to-back singles in the bottom of the first. An RBI groundout by LF Jay Kogan (1-2, run, RBI) brought Schlagman home, and Lorah crossed the plate after two more base hits by RF Brian Cunningham (2-2, run) and DH Larry LP Vollano (2-2, double, run, 4 RBI).
Despite consecutive singles to start the second inning, by 3B Adam Staffaroni (1-2) and CF-LF Andrew Arnold (1-2), three successive fly balls kept the Bullets from adding to their score. CF Neil Hiremath’s (0-0, BB) two-out walk accounted for the team’s only third inning baserunner. Fortunately, ace pitcher Larry Ganem and the Bullet defense held the line.
Kogan, Arnold and, with twilight quickly stealing away any visibility during the final inning, Hiremath each made several terrific running catches to prevent extra base hits deep in the outfield alleys. Lorah snared a liner off the infield dirt, RF Pat Brosseau charged in to take away a flare into short right, and Schlagman’s solid shortstop defense continued as usual.
The Beast, benefited by a trio of athletic ringers when several of their regular teammates were unable to attend the game, finally tallied a run in the top of the fourth on a long double to right center field. However, the Bullets came back in the bottom of the frame and put the game away. Lorah, Kogan and Cunningham all singled to load the bases, and LP continued his outstanding clutch hitting with runners on base. His double into center scored all three runs. Moving over to third on Pat Brosseau’s (1-2, double) own two-bagger, LP trotted home to score on 2B Erin Dawald’s (0-2, RBI) run-scoring fielder’s choice. Two groundouts sent the game to the fifth, and with light quickly becoming a scarcity, the teams agreed that the inning would have to be the game’s last. Three batters and three fly outs later, the Bullets raised their NYMSL record to 4-4 (10-7 overall).
Game Notes:
The Bullets square off against #3 playoff seed BusinessWeek (field conditions pending) Thursday night, and then wrap up their non-league schedule Friday evening against Abrams.
The current New York Media Softball League playoff standings (courtesy of CelebStoner): High Times 7-1, Wall St. Journal 6-1, Business Week 5-3, DC Bullets 4-4. WNYC comes in at 3-6, and in their own inaugural NYMSL season, the Daily Beast 0-10.
