Sunday afternoon (after, fittingly, a one-day rain delay), the DC Bullets played their final softball games of the 2009 summer. As the fourth and final seed in the New York Media Softball League playoff bracket, not much was expected of the Bullets, and indeed, the first tilt against regular season (and eventual playoff) champion Wall St. Journal didn’t go well for the comic book makers. In the fifth, SS Adam Schlagman (2-4, run, 2 RBI) singled home Mike Lorah (2-3, run); SCF Doug Harrison (2-2, RBI) drove in RF Brian Cunningham (2-4, run) in the sixth, after Brian’s long triple to left; and in the seventh, Schlagman drove 3B Adam Staffaroni (1-2, run) home one batter before CF Andrew Arnold (2-4, run, 3 RBI, HR) crushed a long home run to drive in three more. DC’s six-run total was topped by Wall St. Journal’s eight-run fourth inning alone, as the 18-6 final tally sent the Bullets to the “consolation” game to play the loser of the High Times-BusinessWeek game.

With BusinessWeek’s triumph over the Bonghitters, the Bullets still had to match up against the 2008 NYMSL champions in the consolation game. Having split the regular season series at a game apiece and knowing it would be their final softball game of the summer, both teams were prepared to have some fun and give their best efforts. The Bullets won the coin toss to be the home team.

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After securing their spot as the #4 seed in the New York Media Softball League playoffs, the DC Bullets suffered a letdown in their final two games, both against #3 seed BusinessWeek. Following last Thursday’s 12-8 loss, the Bullets finally (after three re-schedulings for weather) concluded their 2009 season with a rematch against BW this past Tuesday.

The 10-3 loss wound up not being much of a contest. While BW scored five runs over the first two innings, the comic book makers batted the minimum number of hitters. The only base runner, Editor Brian Cunningham (1-2, BB, run), who singled leading off the second, was erased on a double-play grounder.

Director of Direct Sales Vince Letterio (1-2, run, RBI) singled with one away in the bottom of the third, and letterer Sal Cipriano (1-2, RBI) hammered a double into left field to plate the run. But missed opportunities followed: In the fourth, Associate Editor Adam Schlagman (2-3) and your humble blogger Mike Lorah (1-3) both singled to open the frame, but three outs ensued. In the sixth, Marketing Publications Representative Rickey Purdin worked a lead-off walk, and moved to second on Schlagman’s two-out single, but Lorah’s pop-up ended the threat.

To the Bullets’ credit, the pitching (Manager, Editorial Admin Larry Ganem) and defense rose to the occasion, keeping BusinessWeek from further scoring through the fifth inning. Schlagman had a diving stop and threw out a runner at first from his backside, while Jay Kogan and Letterio both made a terrific running catchs in the outfield alleys. In the sixth, however, the big BW bats rose up again, doubling their score with a five-run outburst. A few close plays – if my glove was an inch longer or Adam an inch taller – might’ve limited the damage, but the bounces weren’t going DC’s way that inning.

The Bullets trailed 10-1 going into the last half of the seventh. Looking to save a little face and show some fight, Disney’s (thankfully under contract with the Bullets through season’s end!) Doug Harrison (1-3, run) got things started with a base hit, and Brian Cunningham took a base on balls. Another knock by Accounting Coordinator, Edit Admin Larry “LP” Vollano (1-3, RBI) drove Doug home, and letterer Pat Brosseau (1-2) singled to load the bases with no outs. After a line-out to short, Vince Letterio’s fielder’s choice scored Brian, but erased Pat (who executed a nasty take-out slide!). A final pop-up ended the rally and the Bullets’ 2009 regular season schedule.

The Bullets finish 2009 with a 10-9 record, including their 4-6 mark against the more competitive teams of the NYMSL. The team next matches up against NYMSL #1 seed (either High Times or Wall St. Journal, pending WSJ’s final game against WNYC) on Saturday, September 12^th at 1:00pm on the Hecksher Fields in Central Park. Comic fans are encouraged to come out and support them Bullets as they try to upset the standings and bring home the NYMSL title.

The Bullets and the Bonghitters split the season series, with the Bullets winning 5-4 and the High Times squad taking the rematch 10-1. Wall St. Journal topped the Bullets twice, 6-3 and 14-6. The winner plays immediately afterward against the victor of the BusinessWeek-Wall St. Journal/High Times match-up that will be occurring simultaneously on the neighboring field. Losers go to the consolation game.

The DC Bullets lost a golden opportunity to move up in the New York Media Softball League standings Thursday evening, dropping a 12-8 decision to BusinessWeek in both squad’s semi-final league game.  They’ll square off again Tuesday at 5:30 in Central Park, North Meadow, Field #3, in each team’s final game of the regular season.

Thursday evening, The Bullets jumped out to the early lead, with 3B Mike Lorah (3-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI, 2 doubles, walk) driving a two-out double into the right field corner. RF Brian Cunningham’s (2-4, 2 runs, RBI) RBI single drove Lorah in, and Brian alertly took second on the throw home. DH Larry “LP” Vollano (2-2, run, 5 RBI, home run, sac fly) tacked a second run on with a single, scoring Brian. In the bottom of the first, BusinessWeek served immediate notice that they would not go quietly, as their lead-off hitter drilled a long home run to left field. Two more runs plated for BW, but DC escaped the inning when, with one out and runners on first and second, Lorah and 1B Joel Press (0-2) hooked up for a 5-3 double play.

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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).

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By Sal “The Bagman” Cipriano

After losing to arch nemesis Marvel, DC was determined to turn it around this week. Not only for pride, but for survival. On Thursday, the Bullets did just that as they won one of their more well-rounded games this year, beating NYMSL opponent WNYC to stay in the playoff hunt. The very next day a different kind of challenge presented itself: the good-natured gang of Archie Comics!

Last year, DC walloped a depleted Riverdale team (their only run produced by a lent Bullet!). This year, though, it was DC that put out the depleted team as the game fell on a “Summer Friday” leaving the Bullets with only 4 faithful players: Captain Adam Schlagman, Andrew “Armadilla” Arnold, Neil “Hotfoot” Hiremath, and Sal “Bagman” Cipriano . To make up the difference, the Captain brought down his two roommates, Cipriano brought in teammates from another league, Hiremath coaxed his girlfriend into catching, and Archie lent us two players, returning the favor from last year.

The Archie team, with added players and new team jerseys, looked like a mean bunch this year, causing some worry on the Bullet bench. Archie came out swinging, too, and after a couple of minor gaffs on the Bullets part, pushed across their first run. The DC and friends team was not deterred, however, and sent ten of its twelve players to the plate in the bottom of the inning, scoring six runs in the process! The next two innings saw an additional 11 runs cross the plate sealing the Riverdale gang’s fate for good. Kudos to them, though, for keeping the spirit and fight till the end, as they scored 12 runs to make their case as an improved team! When all was said and done the traditional comic book slugfest ended in a solid 22-12 win for the Bullets.

The teams shared laughs, stories, and beers afterwards showing all that comic book rivalries can be left in the funny books and on the field. Special thanks to our ringers: Miguella Mark-Carew, Ian Parfrey, Bill Vernick, Havelock Hewes, Stanley Fong, Danny Minchala, Suzannah Rowntree, and Danny No.2 for their contributions.

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by Joel Press

With only weeks to go in the 2009 NY Media Softball League season, the DC Bullets have a lot of rained out games to make up. But none loomed larger than this past Thursday’s must-win game against WNYC Radio. With memories of their 11 inning loss to Manhattan’s NPR affiliate back in June still fresh in their minds, the Bullets took the field under a rare cloud free Thursday, seeking redemption (and a .500 record in league play).

Behind the pitching of Larry “Tim Wakefield’s got nuthin’ on me” Ganem, the Bullets shut down WNYC’s offense in the top of the first. Then in the bottom of the first, the Bullets struck. Getting things started with a leadoff single was coach Adam “I work on Summer Fridays” Schlagman (4 for 4, 3 Runs, 2 RBI) followed by third baseman Mike “I’m off to Cooperstown, someone else do the writeup” Lorah (2 for 4, 2 Runs, 2 RBI). The Bullets drew first blood on a sac fly by outfielder Pat “The Bat” Brosseau (2 for 3, 1 Run, 3 RBI), and second blood (if there is such a thing) on a triple by outfielder Brian “I ain’t lyin’” Cunningham (2 for 3, 1 Run, 3 RBI), giving them an early 3-run cushion to work with.

Ganem and the Bullets would hold WNYC scoreless in their half of the second inning, after which DC struck again, scoring 4 more runs in the bottom of the second behind, all with two outs, behind RBI singles by Schlagman, Lorah, outfielder Jay “Make ‘em pay” Kogan (3 for 4, 1 Run, 1 RBI), and Brosseau, giving the Bullets a comfortable 7 run lead.

WNYC was able to push across one run in the top of the third, but it would prove to be their only run scored in the game, as Ganem and the Bullets would shut down WNYC’s offense with stellar, if not always graceful, defensive plays.

The Bullets managed another 5 runs in the game, scoring 2 in the bottom of the fifth and another 3 in the bottom of the sixth, to notch a 12-1 victory and bring their record to 9-6 (3-3 in NYMSL play). With only 4 league games remaining (2 in each of the next 2 weeks), the Bullets have a tentative grasp on 4th place and the league’s final playoff spot. Next up are some tough customers in Business Week (4-3 in NYMSL play) on Thursday and Wall Street Journal (5-1 in NYMSL play) on Friday.

Game Notes:

by Michael C Lorah

A big hand for Joel Press, stepping in to do the game recap this week, fans!  Anything defamatory in the above can be addressed to the DC Legal department, care of Joel.

As I understand it, the Bullets nailed down another win on Friday evening, topping Archie Comics, and running their mark to 10-6 (yet still 3-3 in NYMSL play).  I was, as Joel stated, touring the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown that day and missed the game, so I have no idea the score or if anybody’s going to hand me a recap of it.  I’ll post it if I get it.

Thursday afternoon, teams representing both DC Comics and Marvel Comics assembled in Central Park to settle things the way things are meant to be settled: on the softball field. Although both team play in separate leagues and the game didn’t count toward anybody’s playoff hopes, you’d find few in either dugout who regarded the contest as less than the most important game of the summer.

Despite their lead-off hitter being gunned down by DC’s legal eagles, LF Jay Kogan and 2B Joel Press, trying to stretch a single into more, the Marvel squad put together a string of hits and pushed two runs across in the first. DC responded with some small ball in the bottom of the frame, with 3B Mike Lorah (2-2, 2 runs, RBI) beating out an infield single, going first-to-third on SCF Doug Harrison’s (1-2) flare into short right center, and coming home on Kogan’s (1-1, run, RBI) sacrifice fly to left.

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Thursday afternoon, the DC Bullets matched up against Air America in a non-league softball game. Though the DC squad’s bats again struggled to push runs across the plate, outstanding glove work continues to keep the team in games.

After a lead-off single by Air America in the first, SS Adam Schlagman cut off a grounder that seemed headed into center field. The Captain stepped on second and threw through to first base where Nel Yomtov (2-3) squeezed the throw to complete the twin-killing. Air America’s three-hitter then scorched a rocket toward right field, but CNap, Christine Napolitano (2-3), made a spectacular short-hop pick and got the out at first. With two amazing defensive plays, the Bullets looked to capitalize on the momentum and take an early lead.

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The Bullets matched up against a squad from Magnetic Theatre on Saturday afternoon in Central Park. There were plenty of laughs and a lot of stat padding, though not much in the way of competitive game play. By the second inning, the Bullets add a five-runs-per-inning limit to their half of each frame, and three times in six turns at bat, the run-cap ended the inning before Magnetic Theatre could obtain that elusive third out. In the fourth and fifth innings, the Bullets made a combined two outs, but the theatre crew did finally turn the Bullets away scoreless in the top of the seventh.

Among the (many) offensive highlights:

SS Adam Schlagman posted a 5-5 game, with two homers, five runs scored and five RBI.

P Mike Lorah was 4-5, three runs scored, one RBI.

3B-LF Nel Yomtov drove in three and scored twice, while collecting three hits in his five plate appearances.

LF-3B Andrew Arnold homered to start his 4-5 day, as he collected two runs scored and three RBI.

RF-2B Sal Cipriano accumulated three hits in five appearances, including a double, a run scored and 2 RBI.

The afternoon’s most dramatic moment came when the comedic crew from Magnetic Theatre faced a two-out situation with runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh inning. One out from a rare slow-pitch softball shutout, the Theatre squad cheered rowdily when a flare into center field dropped for a two-run double, scoring their first (and only) runs of the day.

With the 23-2 win, the Bullets record is 7-5 (2-3 in New York Media League action).

Game Notes:

Given their trouble finding players for Saturday’s game, the Bullets would like to extend a hearty thanks to “Friends of DC” Ryan and James for their contributions, and to Jen, Chrissy and Rafael of the Magnetic Theatre for coming over to play with the opposition for the afternoon.

The Bullets New York Media Softball League schedule resumes 5:30pm Thursday afternoon at Central Park’s North Meadow, Field #2.

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.

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Last Friday afternoon, the DC Bullets had a chance to make a big move in the New York Media Softball League standings, as they matched up against the High Times Bonghitters on the Great Lawn in Central Park.  Just two weeks prior, the Bullets had come up big in a 5-4 nail-biting win over the High Times gang.  Things didn’t go so well in the rematch.

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The Bullets came into Thursday evening’s game against The Onion playing some of their best softball of the year, coming off back-to-back gutty wins over High Times and Vanity Fair.  Vastly improved defense, with a focus on making routine plays, cutting of balls in the alley and hitting the cut-off man, has been the biggest reason for the Bullets’ strong play this summer, a marked improvement over last year’s inconsistent play.  Fortunately for The Onion, the 2009 edition of the DC Bullets still has a little of 2008 left in it.

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The DC Bullets softball squad returned to action Tuesday against Vanity Fair in Central Park’s North Meadow making a fashion statement with their new uniforms, sporting a Batman/baseball design (seen above) created by Andy Kubert (thanks, Andy)! As the game started, the preponderance of June rainouts may have left the Bullets’ bats in a funk, but some solid defense and a couple baserunning blunders by the Variety crew opened the door for the Bullets to seize an extra-inning victory. If they could just get the bats on track…

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Written by Sal “The Bagman” Cipriano

After a frustrating loss to the Wall Street Journal a couple of weeks ago, the DC Bullets were anxious to get back on the field and redeem themselves. Unfortunately, the next week and a half turned into a scene from Blade Runner as rain constantly poured down on NYC, consequently canceling the next three games. Hurt and deflated, the Bullets could only wait for the weather to provide any sort of opening. Finally, after even more rain made a mess of their home field earlier that morning, the DC team were back to New York Media League action this past Thursday; this time against a vaunted, talented High Times team. Considered one of league’s two best teams (along with BusinessWeek) the Bullets were wary, but came in ready for the challenge. And a challenge it would be, too, as they were missing two of their power bats: Third Baseman Mike Lorah and rookie DH LP Vollano. They also started the game with 9 players instead of the required 10, and by the time the second inning was over the sweet leaf-loving Bonghitters were up by three runs.

The Bullets got it going in the bottom of the second, though, as Left Fielder Andrew “The Armadilla” Arnold (1-3, Run) and Second Baseman Christine “CNAP” Napolitano (1-2) got on with one-out base hits. Arnold then scored on a single to centerfield by Catcher Sal “Bagman” Cipriano (2-2, RBI, BB).

The Bullets were on the board, and now had a full complement of players, which allowed their defense to close up tightly. From the third inning on, DC’s favorite sons and daughters did not commit an error, a frequent thorn in their sides, with Team Captain Adam Schlagman (3-3, 2 runs, triple) leading the way with one spectacular play after another at short! The third inning ended with two crazy plays as Right Fielder Rickey Purdin (1-2, double) snagged a sun drenched ball at the last second, followed by a sliding catch from the Bagman on a foul pop by the Times’ best hitter!

Those outs seemed to fire DC up as the Bullets loaded up for their biggest offensive inning of the evening. The Captain started it off with a single, and immediately scored on Left Fielder Vince Letterio’s (1-3, run, RBI) hard hit triple over the opposing left fielder’s head! Right Fielder Pat “Two Scoops” Brosseau’s (1-2, 2 RBI, sac fly) RBI grounder scored Letterio, and a third run was added by Third Baseman Joel “The” Press “Man” (1-3, RBI) scoring Rover Dougie Harrison (1-1, run). The Bullets led after that third inning, 4-3.

Both teams put up goose eggs in the 4^th, but in the top of the fifth, a Bonghitter smoked a solo home run, tying the game. Ace Bullets Pitcher Larry Ganem (1-3) shook it off though, and retired the next batters. The bottom of the fifth showed off the Bullets resilience with Schlagman lacing a triple, and scoring one out later on Brosseau’s sac fly.

The Bullets again led by one going into the sixth, but the two teams traded off zeroes for a third time in the game. The pressure was now on as Ganem took the mound in the top of the seventh, 3 outs away from DC’s biggest win in the last couple of years. The first out came easy, but the second required Captain Schlagman to make the web gem play of the game with a diving stop of a smashed grounder that was destined for center field, but instead found itself in his glove and consequently into First Baseman Laura Demoreuille’s (0-1) sure handed mitt! One out away, but the Bonghitters seemed determined to do what they do best, no not that, win! The next two men got on second and third, but they were going no where else as a fly ball fell into Center Fielder Neil Hiremath’s (0-2) glove! Put it in the books, the Bullets win!

Final score:

5-4 for the DC Bullets over the High Times Bonghitters. A hard earned victory for a gritty, gutty team that’s gelling well under pressure, and truly beginning to put a disappointing 2008 season behind them. The Bullets pull up at .500 (4-4, 2-2 in league games) and will look to improve that further in their next game.

Game notes:

The pitching and defense in this is game were stellar. Captain Schlagman continues to show the way in the field playing a superb short stop. The tandem of Ganem pitching to Cipriano has also meshed well over the last year, and this year they’ve really shown it holding the Daily Beast to 5 runs, and High Times to 4. If the team can continue this way, they can easily make it to the playoffs.

This Thursday, July 2^nd, DC are home against the Seamless Web. Can the Bullets break through their web? Come find out at Central Park’s North Meadow, field 2, at 5:30PM!

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.

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It’s been suggested to me that perhaps readers might like to know what roles the members of the DC Bullets play in readers’ favorite comics, so I’ve cluttered this week’s write-up with an abundance of people’s titles.

The DC Bullets were scheduled for a split squad game on Thursday, June 4^th, but nasty weather during the week turned Central Park’s North Meadow into an inhospitable mud pit. Fortunately, the Bullets’ second game of the day, their second game of their New York Media League schedule, pitted them against The Daily Beast at the recycled tire-based Baruch field.

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Lots and lots and lots of extra softball.

If nothing else, the Bullets are getting lots of practice as they warm up for the summer months. Complementing their usual Thursday games, the Bullets opened the New York Media Softball League season on Monday against New York Public Radio’s WNYC. After Thursday’s nine-inning affair against Scholastic, the Bullets were looking to put this one away early to get their NYML season off to a strong start.

With two outs in the first, the Bullets put together a quick two-run rally, with singles by LF Jay Kogan (3-5, 2 runs) and 3B Mike Lorah (2-4, 2 runs, RBI) setting up DH Larry “LP” Vollano’s (2-5, 5 RBI) two-run double. WNYC knotted the score at two in the bottom of the first, but Lorah’s sacrifice fly scored SS Adam Schlagman (2-5, 2 runs, RBI) to retake the lead after three innings.

Both teams traded four spots in the fourth inning, with a single by CF Andrew Arnold (2-2, run, double), double by RF Pat Brosseau (1-2, run, double) and a walk to 2B Christine Napolitano (0-4, BB, run) loading the bases with only one out. SCF Brian Cunningham (0-1, RBI) lofted a sacrifice fly, and LF Rickey Purdin (2-2, run, RBI), P Larry Ganem (3-5, RBI) and Schlagman all wrapped two-out RBI singles to pick the Bullets up.

However, single runs by WNYC in the fifth and sixth innings gave the radio team a one run lead going into the seventh and final inning. After a pop out, single and fielder’s choice set up a tying run on first base with two out scenario, back-to-back two-out singles by Kogan and Lorah loaded the bases. Seizing the spotlight, LP Vollano crushed a double to deep center field, clearing the bases and spotting the Bullets a two run lead. In the bottom of the seventh, WNYC found themselves in similar straights, down to their last out with runners on second and third. Unfortunately for the DC squad, WNYC’s top hitter was due up, and his smoking line drive down the left field line easily tied the scored. However, a quick Purdin to Arnold (who’d rushed over from center field to assist with the play) to Schlagman to C Sal Cipriano (1-3) cut down WNYC’s slugger at home plate, preserving the tie.

Yes, for the second consecutive game, the Bullets were going into extra innings. Alas for our valiant heroes, the extra baseball seems to have worn them out. Over a four inning span from the eighth through until the final inning, the eleventh, the Bullets mustered just three measly singles (Purdin, Ganem and Cipriano) and never advanced a runner past second base. Leading off the bottom of the eleventh, one of WNYC’s speedsters got into a floater and hammered it into the right centerfield gap for a walk-off, game-ending home run.

Final tally: DC Bullets 10, WNYC 11.

The Bullets record is 2-3 (0-1 in NYML play)

Game Notes:

Despite the late-game offensive funk, the Bullets showed impressive defense. Two runners cut down at home plate on relays from the outfield, a headlong diving catch in left field by Andrew Arnold, a lunging line drive snagged by Lorah, and a juggling, “seat” catch by Brosseau kept the team in the game late into the evening.

Please check out the gorgeous graphic that will adorn the back of the new DC Bullets jerseys (which I’m promised we’ll have before the season ends), courtesy of Mr. Andy Kubert. Thanks a ton, Andy!

Local fans are encouraged to see the Bullets next in action in one of TWO locations! Can the team that can barely win with all their players handle the rigors of a split squad game? Come see Thursday evening at 5:30, as the Bullets take on The Daily Beast in NYML action at the Baruch field (somewhere in east Hell, down in the Houston/FDR vicinity) or against Abrams Books at Field 2 in Central Park’s North Meadow.

The Scholastic softball team is nicknamed “The Red Dogs”, in reference to their famous cartoon icon Clifford, though at Thursday’s misting, overcast softball game, perhaps they’d be better nicknamed the “Captain Cliffords”. Once again, the Bullets massive roster came to the rescue of a short-handed opponent. With Scholastic’s squad decimated by this weekend’s impending Book Expo and an apparent fear of wet weather, four Red Dogs were joined by Bullet stalwarts Jeff Boison, Adam Staffaroni, Erin Dawald, Rickey Purdin and Jerry Cerza.

The Bullets team proper jumped to an early lead, with 3B Mike Lorah (4-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, triple) looping a two-out, opposite field triple onto the right field line to score CF Vince Letterio (1-5, two FC, 2 runs) and SCF Doug Harrison (3-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, home run). After the Red Dogs tied the score in top two, P Larry Ganem (3-5, 1 run, 3 RBI, double) doubled, 2B Doc Lauren Fries (3-5, 2 runs) singled, and both came around to score later in the inning. Later Fries and C Sal Cipriano (2-5, run) opened the fourth with singles. Lauren came home on RF Neil Hiremath’s (1-5, run, RBI) fielder’s choice grounder when the throw home was late. Sal then scored on SS Adam Schlagman (3-5, 2 RBI, sac fly) sacrifice fly. Three more singles from LF Andrew Arnold (1-6, run, RBI), Letterio and Lorah produced two more runs. In the last of the sixth inning, Harrison cranked a home run with Vince on first base, and Lorah and 1B Joel “Happy 40th, sorry we couldn’t win one for ya” Press (2-5, run, double) later touched the plate on Ganem’s two-run single.

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It’s been a long-standing tradition of the DC Bullets softball team to fail both offensively and defensively early in games, setting the stage for inspiring, late-inning rallies that often come up a few runs short. During last Thursday’s game against The Nation, the Bullets broke type with a fast start, but would they still need a late run to pull out a victory?

The Bullets struck quickly in the first, with center fielder Andrew Arnold (2-3, 2 triples, 2 runs, RBI) hammering a one-out triple, and Doug Harrison (3-3, HR, 3 runs, 3 RBI) – just activated from the DL and patrolling short center – launched a mammoth two-run homer in his first AB of 2009. Third baseman Mike Lorah (3-3, triple, 3 runs) tripled and scored on a foul pop by outfielder Vince Letterio (2-2, Sac Fly, HR, 2 runs, 4 RBI). Four consecutive two-out singles produced one more run, and the Bullets were out to a quick 4-0 lead.

After Lorah (pitching the first when both of the scheduled pitchers were late to the field) and Dan Didio (1-3) retired The Nation 1-2-3 in the first two innings, the opposition strung together three hits in the third, trimming the Bullet’s lead to 4-1 after three full innings.

Larry Ganem (2-2, Sac Fly, run, 2 RBI) took the mound from the tiring Didio and shut down The Nation in the fourth, setting the stage for the Bullets to add to their lead. Harrison, Lorah and Letterio led off the bottom of the fourth with singles, and Adam Staffaroni (3-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI) cashed in two runs with a base knock of his own. Ganem’s sac fly and back-to-back singles by OF Joel Press (3-3, triple, run, 2 RBI) and C Sal Cipriano (2-3, RBI) tacked on a fourth run.

Leading 8-1, the Bullets surrendered another run to The Nation in the fifth; however, true to form, a late offensive run by the DC bats put the game out of reach. Too many offensive stars in the bottom of the fifth to name them all: RF Brian Cunningham (2-2, HR, run, RBI) whaled a solo homer, Arnold added a second triple, Letterio blasted a three-run roundtripper, and Press punctuated the onslaught with a two-run triple. The fourteen-run explosion marked the Bullets’ best inning of the young season. After quickly turning away The Nation in turn in the top of the sixth (and with time expiring on the field permit), the Bullets headed to the bar with a stunning 22-2 rout of The Nation.

The Bullets record stands at 2-1 (0-0 in league play)

Game Notes:

An impressive 18 Bullets made it to Thursday’s game, including Harrison, Rickey Purdin (1-2, run), Cunningham and Laura Demoreuille (1-2, run, RBI) who made their 2009 in-game debuts. Demoreuille’s sterling defense at first base was welcome.

The Bullets are above the .500 mark for the first time in the tenure of manager Adam Schlagman. Have the Bullets finally responded to Schlagman’s “leadership,” or has Schlagman simply learned to front-load the schedule with winnable games?

And finally, a reporter and photographer from The New York Times covered the Bullets’ game against the Paris Review several weeks back. Though there’s little mention of the team in the article, there were pictures of the team in The Times (see above for the most self-promoting image).

Area fans are encouraged to come out to Central Park’s North Meadow Field #2 to watch the Bullets take on the undefeated Scholastic Red Dogs this Thursday evening at 5:30pm.

The grey sky threatened rain most of the day, and perhaps trusting the evidence at their fingertips, most of the Popular Science squad elected to remain ensconced indoors. As a consequence, Thursday afternoon’s softball game became more of an intramural effort, with three members of Popular Science joined by a whopping six Bullets and one good Samaritan who happened to be present at the field. The Bullets still fielded a full ten-person squad.

Despite both teams’ line-ups being from the DC roster, the Popular Science team continued a trend of early inning offensive onslaughts against the Bullets’ pitching. The Bullets’ own Adam Staffaroni highlighted Popular Science’s first inning with a two-RBI triple. One of the Science’s own players slammed a two-run homer in the second, and the Bullets quickly found themselves in an eight-run hole after two innings, trailing 8-0.

In the third inning, however, Popular Science’s fill-in starting pitcher, one Dan DiDio, began to tire. Perhaps it was the jetlag from his trip to Bristol. Perhaps it was those achy old limbs. Whatever the cause, the Bullets surged back with a three-run home run from Joel Press and two-run jack from Adam Schlagman. DiDio helped his cause, getting back one run for Popular Science when he notched an RBI single in the fifth after the Bullets’ third baseman (who may have been the author of this post, but he did go 3-3 with 2 runs at the plate, so there!) threw a possible inning-ending groundball into right field to extend the frame.

Going to the bottom of the fifth, with time of the Bullets’ field permit dwindling, the Bullets trailed 9-8. The bottom of the fifth opened with back-to-back-to-back singles, loading the bases with no outs and bringing up the top of the Bullets’ order. Lead-off hitter Schlagman’s fly ball to deep left field allowed runners to tag up from both second and third bases, tying the game and leaving the winning run only feet away. Left fielder Vince Letterio decided that Schlagman’s strategy worked once, and so he followed with a fly to deep left field. The throw home was late, and the Bullets rallied for their first win of 2009.

Final score: DC Bullets 10, Popular Science 9. DC Bullets record 1-1 (0-0 in league play).