In what has now become an annual event, the Raiders held an invitational tournament for D comp teams, as an opportunity for the less experienced or talented among us to get vital match-play practice and sharpen our skills against sides of our own level. It's an extremely friendly, relaxed affair, but it's still a proper competitive day of playing. They field several sides of their own, and invite entries from the more clubbable lower division teams. Such as the Loan Wolves. This time it was being held as a fund-raiser for the GB Women's softball team ahead of the European Championships. So our entry fees went to this good cause, there was a raffle, and they had T shirts for sale. I can't resist a good T shirt, so am now the proud owner of a Great Britain Softball shirt.
The tournament takes place at Wandsworth Common. Each team had four games, which for us fell as two set of back-to-back matches with a break. Rules were slightly more relaxed than in the league, and there was the quirky "buy back" rule in effect. Each team gets one opportunity per game to buy the umpire a beer in exchange for rewinding and undoing a play which has just happened - a catch isn't dropped, a batter hasn't struck out or whatever after all. But the player who's got the reprieve does have to wear comedy bunny ears for the rest of the inning...
We were a bit short-handed, but we had Mark from the Homers joining us for the day plus a stray female player from one of the other teams each game. First up we took on the Meteors (heavily fortified with spare Raiders), and won. Then we came up against one of the Raiders sides and didn't do so well. After our hour off, we faced another Raiders team. This time we came up with the goods, even with a lot of us playing in unfamiliar positions. This was the game where Gabi got hit by a nasty one to the knee. She was moved to Catcher, to give her a chance to recover out of the line of fire, but was almost immediately hit in the face by a ricochet off the bat.
The final game was against the Tornadoes. The game went our way, as we batted ourselves into a strong position. The final inning saw them with three minutes to overturn a sixteen-point lead, and as a heavy shower started to fall the game came to an end.
We headed over the road to Dexter's, where negotiating the service and getting our two-for-one deal vouchers honoured was a bit of a trial, but we tucked in to our pub food and bottled beer happily as we discussed the day's play. We fielded and pitched well, but more importantly our batting was consistent throughout the team all day - that was probably the heart of our success.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Loan Wolves 11 - 36 Base Jumpers
A couple of plays missed by the umpires maybe did us no favours last night, but I think Kevin was right when he said we were mainly undone by not having played a game in three weeks. We didn't manage to capitalise enough on a sterling pitching performace from Kate, Wolf batting wasn't strong enough overall to keep us in contention, and the Jumpers' lead crept up inning by inning. By the time the seventh inning came around, and the Finsbury Park mosquitoes came out to feast on us in the twilight, it was too late for us to rally.
Still, we aren't even halfway through the season and we can take what we've learned from this to help ourselves prepare for the games to come. There's a Raiders' Invitational tourney on sunday, which should be a good opportunity to clean the rust off and take a whetstone to our competitive edge. There's a lot of the summer ahead of us, and a a lot more games to look forward to, before season's end.
Still, we aren't even halfway through the season and we can take what we've learned from this to help ourselves prepare for the games to come. There's a Raiders' Invitational tourney on sunday, which should be a good opportunity to clean the rust off and take a whetstone to our competitive edge. There's a lot of the summer ahead of us, and a a lot more games to look forward to, before season's end.
Base Jumpers 36 vs Loan Wolves 11 - Highs/Lows/Lessons Learned
While we wait for Andy's match report....
Low Point: Loads of big high hits in right field which went way over my head. Not much I could do about those, except run faster to get to the ball.It was that one line drive that went past Donnacha that I'm really gutted about though. Clearly in the right position and right place....but it dribbled between my feet. Pooh!
High Point: Managing to get to base on every hit (Kate pointed this one out to me whilst in the pub, thanks Katie). Also my line drive which went somewhere towards 3rd base...obviously I wasn't looking ;)
Lessons Learned: Back up, back up, back up!!!!!
Low Point: Loads of big high hits in right field which went way over my head. Not much I could do about those, except run faster to get to the ball.It was that one line drive that went past Donnacha that I'm really gutted about though. Clearly in the right position and right place....but it dribbled between my feet. Pooh!
High Point: Managing to get to base on every hit (Kate pointed this one out to me whilst in the pub, thanks Katie). Also my line drive which went somewhere towards 3rd base...obviously I wasn't looking ;)
Lessons Learned: Back up, back up, back up!!!!!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Training day
We had a really good training session last night. It's a week with no match for us, so we got together with some friends from the Meteors, and Mark and Paul of the Homers, for a training session. Excellent coaching from Ian and Dan of the Meteors' highest level team, and a good atmosphere as we spent several hours throwing, catching, batting and doing lots of running round. Which, obviously, raised a bit of a thirst. So we went to the pub for a cold beer or two afterwards. I found myself talking wiith tigger and Julian about the restructuring at work. It's ironic that the only remaining Wolves in the library are at risk in this restructuring when the team's done more than any management initiative to foster inter-site communication and staff team bonding.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Raiders Red 26 Loan Wolves 2 - Highs/Lows/Lessons Learned
Raiders Red are a good side, as they ought to be when they're top of the table with six straight wins. Their infield is very tight but we never got to see how the outfield played and I think their hitting was smart and consistent rather than big. Still....they'll beat every other team they play, some by a greater margin than last night.
Lows: not a great game at SS. If throws aren't caught, it's probably my fault.
Highs: an outfield catch, realising the hit was too shallow to be taken by Joel/Libs.
Lessons Learned: my batting has been atrocious since the Tecumshes match. An obsession with RF perhaps? How many foul hits have I done in the last few weeks? I need to take my batting back to basics and start from scratch.
Lows: not a great game at SS. If throws aren't caught, it's probably my fault.
Highs: an outfield catch, realising the hit was too shallow to be taken by Joel/Libs.
Lessons Learned: my batting has been atrocious since the Tecumshes match. An obsession with RF perhaps? How many foul hits have I done in the last few weeks? I need to take my batting back to basics and start from scratch.
Monday, June 01, 2009
St Urbain's Horsemen 11 - 7 Loan Wolves
Blinded by the light
Last week's match was a bright and sunny occasion. No, literally. The sun defined how this game went. We were on that dreaded Primrose Hill pitch again, and the clear, hot evening meant that the setting sun was right in our faces all night.
the Horsemen played their home advantage wisely, setting an unorthodox outfield to intercept runaway downhill hits, and a couple of Wolf slips in the field let them build a small lead in the first inning. We tightened our grip in the field, but we kept finding ourselves undone at bat by the ball falling unseen out of a blinding red sun. Anythign you could hit, you couldn't see. anything you could see, you couldn't hit. We made runs somehow, including Kevin riding his luck around the bases on a series of overthrows, but couldn't quite score enough to get ahead.
Still, it was no doubt a character-building experience, and we're all looking forward to the rematch at Finsbury.
[Sorry I didn't post this earlier - was away from a computer till today][
Last week's match was a bright and sunny occasion. No, literally. The sun defined how this game went. We were on that dreaded Primrose Hill pitch again, and the clear, hot evening meant that the setting sun was right in our faces all night.
the Horsemen played their home advantage wisely, setting an unorthodox outfield to intercept runaway downhill hits, and a couple of Wolf slips in the field let them build a small lead in the first inning. We tightened our grip in the field, but we kept finding ourselves undone at bat by the ball falling unseen out of a blinding red sun. Anythign you could hit, you couldn't see. anything you could see, you couldn't hit. We made runs somehow, including Kevin riding his luck around the bases on a series of overthrows, but couldn't quite score enough to get ahead.
Still, it was no doubt a character-building experience, and we're all looking forward to the rematch at Finsbury.
[Sorry I didn't post this earlier - was away from a computer till today][
Friday, May 29, 2009
St Urbain's Horseman 11 Loan Wolves 7 - Lessons Learned
Whilst we're waiting for Andy's match report......
Lows: the female shortstop dinked a hit high, to the side, which maybe I should have dived for, just in case any amateur photographers were around. If I'd missed it, and I probably would've done, it would have been a home run hit.
Highs: bit embarrassed about the home run, I assumed I was only getting 2nd from a dead ball. But they threw it and the gloves were off so to speak. Couple of reasonable outfield catches.
Lessons learned: we'll beat these guys at Finsbury easily, if we'd fielded as we could have all game, it'd have been hard for them to have scored all game. It's not sour grapes either, but something has to be done on that pitch when the sun's up - can't they switch it round and have a makeshift diamond?
Lows: the female shortstop dinked a hit high, to the side, which maybe I should have dived for, just in case any amateur photographers were around. If I'd missed it, and I probably would've done, it would have been a home run hit.
Highs: bit embarrassed about the home run, I assumed I was only getting 2nd from a dead ball. But they threw it and the gloves were off so to speak. Couple of reasonable outfield catches.
Lessons learned: we'll beat these guys at Finsbury easily, if we'd fielded as we could have all game, it'd have been hard for them to have scored all game. It's not sour grapes either, but something has to be done on that pitch when the sun's up - can't they switch it round and have a makeshift diamond?
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Silver for the Black and Gold
Yesterday was the annual Superball softball tournament. Split into two parallel tourneys, for A and B competition (the top end) and C and D comp (teams like us). Early start at Richmond Old Deer Park, as the lower-grade competition starts early and is mostly over by the time the hgher division teams start. I got up early, packed my bag, dashed into Sainsbury's to buy whatever random snack food was on special offer on my way to the station and set off. Getting as far as Streatham Hill before train delays put an extra half an hour on the journey.
I got there just in time for the first game, aganst a combined Meteors team. We had a great start, and won it 11 - 4. It was fun and set us up for the day. All the teams we played were stronger than us, on paper at least. Some of them were defnitely out of our league. In both senses. But we did OK, punching at least at our own weight. The group stage is followed by a semi-final - for the Cup or the Plate, depending on if you finished in the top or bottom of the draw. We faced off against the Squares for the Plate semi, and worked together for a deserved victory. We were in our first ever final in a tournament. Vs the Mets again, as it happened. The Homers (who wear black and orange to our orange and black) were in the Cup final. Paul from the Homers said: "let's make it an orange and black clean sweep!". Which basically put the mockers on the thing, as we both lost. But still, we were in a final. Admittedly we had a couple of ringers from the Mob, playing in some games. But still, at least 80% of the team in every game was Wolf. And we were filling in the fund-raising quiz that our ex-Wolf friend Ben had put together throughout the day, which was a bit of fun. More so when we were told that we'd got 100% right and won first prize of a new softball bat. We may be D comp on the field, but we're A comp when it comes to trivia.
It was a fun day with lovely sunny weather, a beautiful setting, lots of laughs. I think we tired by the end of the day - we haven't had to reserve our strength for a final before, though. Sadly, Matt took another visit to Purple Heart Corner, needing stitches in his hand after getting hit in his ungloved hand going for an outfield catch. He made it back from A&E to cheer us on in the final, though.
Some of the team stayed around to watch the A comp final, but I made my way over to my friends' place for a meal and a DVD. A very civilised and much appreciated end to a day which made a good break after last week at work.
I got there just in time for the first game, aganst a combined Meteors team. We had a great start, and won it 11 - 4. It was fun and set us up for the day. All the teams we played were stronger than us, on paper at least. Some of them were defnitely out of our league. In both senses. But we did OK, punching at least at our own weight. The group stage is followed by a semi-final - for the Cup or the Plate, depending on if you finished in the top or bottom of the draw. We faced off against the Squares for the Plate semi, and worked together for a deserved victory. We were in our first ever final in a tournament. Vs the Mets again, as it happened. The Homers (who wear black and orange to our orange and black) were in the Cup final. Paul from the Homers said: "let's make it an orange and black clean sweep!". Which basically put the mockers on the thing, as we both lost. But still, we were in a final. Admittedly we had a couple of ringers from the Mob, playing in some games. But still, at least 80% of the team in every game was Wolf. And we were filling in the fund-raising quiz that our ex-Wolf friend Ben had put together throughout the day, which was a bit of fun. More so when we were told that we'd got 100% right and won first prize of a new softball bat. We may be D comp on the field, but we're A comp when it comes to trivia.
It was a fun day with lovely sunny weather, a beautiful setting, lots of laughs. I think we tired by the end of the day - we haven't had to reserve our strength for a final before, though. Sadly, Matt took another visit to Purple Heart Corner, needing stitches in his hand after getting hit in his ungloved hand going for an outfield catch. He made it back from A&E to cheer us on in the final, though.
Some of the team stayed around to watch the A comp final, but I made my way over to my friends' place for a meal and a DVD. A very civilised and much appreciated end to a day which made a good break after last week at work.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Loan Wolves vs Intellect; Highs, Lows, Lessons Learned
Lows: awful, awful batting. The worst I can remember. Didn't hit past the infield once, surprised I never got out more than once, though I think I got others out.
Highs: first catch of the game. It was pretty simple though. Also, anticipating a deflection from Joel to pick up an infield hit, then throw it hard to Vic. Thumping their runner going to 2nd on the head for a tag was neat too.
Lessons Learned: The positional changes worked; the infield just need to calm it down. Usually there's plenty of time to make the throw with the forced runner.
Highs: first catch of the game. It was pretty simple though. Also, anticipating a deflection from Joel to pick up an infield hit, then throw it hard to Vic. Thumping their runner going to 2nd on the head for a tag was neat too.
Lessons Learned: The positional changes worked; the infield just need to calm it down. Usually there's plenty of time to make the throw with the forced runner.
Loan Wolves 15 - 10 Intellect
At lunchtime today, one of my colleagues was going out to the shops and asked if I wanted anything from Marks and Spencer. I remembered that they do some rather nice up-market wine gums, and asked for a packet. Figured that the team would appreciate them this evening.
The Loan Wolves' relationship with wine gums goes back to our first ever league win. They've been our favourite sugar-fix pick-me-up and morale booster ever since. M&S ones are especially good as they have that extra colour, the grape flavoured white ones.
Anyway, on to the game.
Intellect, a new side, turned out to have some big hitters, and their fielding was of a very high standard for an inexperienced team. Their pitcher did them credit too. But we were able to use the three years' experience we've picked up to take the win, scoring consistently and making the outs when we needed them. We had the confidence that came from having a good pitcher - Kate did a great job.
After not the best start to a week at work, I really enjoyed being on the field in the sun and batting. And eating wine gums.
The Loan Wolves' relationship with wine gums goes back to our first ever league win. They've been our favourite sugar-fix pick-me-up and morale booster ever since. M&S ones are especially good as they have that extra colour, the grape flavoured white ones.
Anyway, on to the game.
Intellect, a new side, turned out to have some big hitters, and their fielding was of a very high standard for an inexperienced team. Their pitcher did them credit too. But we were able to use the three years' experience we've picked up to take the win, scoring consistently and making the outs when we needed them. We had the confidence that came from having a good pitcher - Kate did a great job.
After not the best start to a week at work, I really enjoyed being on the field in the sun and batting. And eating wine gums.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Base Jumpers versus Loan Wolves May 12 2009
Low Point: My batting - not choosing the right one to hit
High Point: Some strikeouts and throws to first
What I have learned: Try not to lose heart. Make sure I go for the pitch that is right for me
High Point: Some strikeouts and throws to first
What I have learned: Try not to lose heart. Make sure I go for the pitch that is right for me
Highs/Lows/Lessons Learned - Loan Wolves vs Base Jumpers
Low: coming up to bat once, hits straight off the top of the bat. I get to 1 but Olivia's out at 2.
High: simple outfield catch, a 'cat and mouse' game with 2nd base that apparently got our runner to 1 - I don't remember the second part of this.
Lessons Learned: we need to shrug this one off, put it down as a bad day at the office. But there's plenty to improve - batting, in particular. Maybe we're not doing something right with the order, I don't know.
High: simple outfield catch, a 'cat and mouse' game with 2nd base that apparently got our runner to 1 - I don't remember the second part of this.
Lessons Learned: we need to shrug this one off, put it down as a bad day at the office. But there's plenty to improve - batting, in particular. Maybe we're not doing something right with the order, I don't know.
Base Jumpers 21 - Loan Wolves 4
Some days are better than others
We were away to the Base Jumpers, a new but not inexperienced team, at Primrose Hill. It's a pitch we've done badly on before, slanting away downhill and with the setting sun in the batters' eyes. Sunglasses don't help - they just make everything that isn't the sun look darker.
And it was a dark evening for the Wolves. We didn't manage to read the pitcher's deliveries, and time and time again we didn't manage to parlay base hits into runs. Fair play to a Jumpers fielding side which made five double plays over the course of the game, but I think we all felt we'd not done our best work last night.
There were still some positives - sterling commitment by Julian, pitching in adversity, some good hits to keep morale up and keep us in the game. And there was a nice moment when a little dog wandered up and Kevin threw a ball for it to fetch.
It's easy to blame the "unlucky" pitch, but I must admit when I saw carrion crows pecking around the outfield after the match it summed the whole thing up for me.
We were away to the Base Jumpers, a new but not inexperienced team, at Primrose Hill. It's a pitch we've done badly on before, slanting away downhill and with the setting sun in the batters' eyes. Sunglasses don't help - they just make everything that isn't the sun look darker.
And it was a dark evening for the Wolves. We didn't manage to read the pitcher's deliveries, and time and time again we didn't manage to parlay base hits into runs. Fair play to a Jumpers fielding side which made five double plays over the course of the game, but I think we all felt we'd not done our best work last night.
There were still some positives - sterling commitment by Julian, pitching in adversity, some good hits to keep morale up and keep us in the game. And there was a nice moment when a little dog wandered up and Kevin threw a ball for it to fetch.
It's easy to blame the "unlucky" pitch, but I must admit when I saw carrion crows pecking around the outfield after the match it summed the whole thing up for me.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
More Wolves good news...
Mike and I got engaged whilst we were on holiday in Spain!! Expect a very bouncy Vic at the next match.
xx
xx
Loan Wolves vs Tecumsehs - Highs and Lows
Can't think of another game where as a team we had so many highs. Everyone played really well, everyone contributed.
Low: attempting to beat their left-hander to first with the ball in hand; not realising he was lightning quick.
High: the winning hit. Talk about pressure! Though I have to thank Andy/Manjiv for getting on base in the first place.
Low: attempting to beat their left-hander to first with the ball in hand; not realising he was lightning quick.
High: the winning hit. Talk about pressure! Though I have to thank Andy/Manjiv for getting on base in the first place.
Loan Wolves 15 - 13 Tecumsehs
"Winning is the most fun you can have in sports!". Kevin, after the match.
Was at a management course today. Brought my kit and bat with me, and attempted to nonchalantly stow it in a corner.
Changed into softball gear and headed to Finsbury Park afterwards for our match against the Tecumsehs. We warmed up and practised for a bit beforehand, and prepared for the game.
And it was quite a game. Close, low-scoring start, with us building a reasonable lead. Good fielding and steady, effective batting did that for us. Then the dreaded One Bad Inning saw the Tecumsehs score seven and take the lead, due in part to our fumbles. Then we had a 'mare of an inning - three up, three down, no more runs scored. Short Stop Kevin rallied us, though, and we returned the favour next inning. But we still couldn't claw the lead back from them in our turn at bat. Another tense defensive inning ensued. Another shut out. So it came to our turn at bat again. Nail-biting tension as we lost two outs. Manjiv kept her head and batted her way onto base. Then Kevin came up to bat. And did us proud with a big hit bringing two base runners home with him and ending the match.
A great team performance, with Julian's pitching at its heart. I think we all played up to our abilities and, though we sometimes fumbled, we didn't make many tactical errors. For myself, fielding at Third I didn't have an outstanding game - I let myself be wrong-footed by the shorter distance to the batter than at Second, and misjudged a couple of balls. On the other hand, I batted 1.000 and made three runs - so that went pretty well. Looking forward to tomorrow's e-access meeting at the main library - news of a Loan Wolves win always seems to spread fast...
Was at a management course today. Brought my kit and bat with me, and attempted to nonchalantly stow it in a corner.
Changed into softball gear and headed to Finsbury Park afterwards for our match against the Tecumsehs. We warmed up and practised for a bit beforehand, and prepared for the game.
And it was quite a game. Close, low-scoring start, with us building a reasonable lead. Good fielding and steady, effective batting did that for us. Then the dreaded One Bad Inning saw the Tecumsehs score seven and take the lead, due in part to our fumbles. Then we had a 'mare of an inning - three up, three down, no more runs scored. Short Stop Kevin rallied us, though, and we returned the favour next inning. But we still couldn't claw the lead back from them in our turn at bat. Another tense defensive inning ensued. Another shut out. So it came to our turn at bat again. Nail-biting tension as we lost two outs. Manjiv kept her head and batted her way onto base. Then Kevin came up to bat. And did us proud with a big hit bringing two base runners home with him and ending the match.
A great team performance, with Julian's pitching at its heart. I think we all played up to our abilities and, though we sometimes fumbled, we didn't make many tactical errors. For myself, fielding at Third I didn't have an outstanding game - I let myself be wrong-footed by the shorter distance to the batter than at Second, and misjudged a couple of balls. On the other hand, I batted 1.000 and made three runs - so that went pretty well. Looking forward to tomorrow's e-access meeting at the main library - news of a Loan Wolves win always seems to spread fast...
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Moment of the Match
Moments:
Kates superb pitching - 1 walk, 1 strike out
Blasey's outfield catch
Kev's home run (including 2 slip ups)
3rd - Vic's base hit
2nd - Don's throw to 2nd to get the out
Winner - Kev's Gary-esque catch
Good game but we hit too many to the pitcher, SS and 3rd causing many to get out at 1st.
Ground fielding was difficult due to the wet grass.
The look on Liz's face when she found out as Gaby was late she'd be 1st base.
Kates superb pitching - 1 walk, 1 strike out
Blasey's outfield catch
Kev's home run (including 2 slip ups)
3rd - Vic's base hit
2nd - Don's throw to 2nd to get the out
Winner - Kev's Gary-esque catch
Good game but we hit too many to the pitcher, SS and 3rd causing many to get out at 1st.
Ground fielding was difficult due to the wet grass.
The look on Liz's face when she found out as Gaby was late she'd be 1st base.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
My best game so far
The training over the past few months obviously paid off, as yesterday's game was definitely my best so far. Some great catches, no strike-outs and a couple of really good hits.
Of course, this meant I was in the game a lot more and made some really stupid mistakes! Catching the ball and forgetting to step on the plate at third. Running hell for leather for second with the ball still in the air, only to see it caught and finding myself out.
And then there was the wet grass - slipping and sliding all over the place and falling sideways like a tree going for a low ball to my right (and missing it as a result).
Bring on First Ball and some more game practice I can take out on Intellect (alas, due to next week's Devo concert and a union meeting the following week, I miss the next two matches).
Of course, this meant I was in the game a lot more and made some really stupid mistakes! Catching the ball and forgetting to step on the plate at third. Running hell for leather for second with the ball still in the air, only to see it caught and finding myself out.
And then there was the wet grass - slipping and sliding all over the place and falling sideways like a tree going for a low ball to my right (and missing it as a result).
Bring on First Ball and some more game practice I can take out on Intellect (alas, due to next week's Devo concert and a union meeting the following week, I miss the next two matches).
Raiders Red v Loan Wolves - Low Point, High Point
Time to resurrect our tradition of reflecting back on the night before with our highs and lows. Remember, finish on a high!
Low Point - missing a ground ball as it bounced past me missing the opportunity to get one of their speedier runners out. I knew it was going to come my way but I wasn't able to stop it. Oh, and getting cold and wet. This is a summer game darn it!
High Point - Getting a monster hit and finally making it to 1st after two failed attempts.
The most-impressive-dive-of-the-night award must go to Kevin for his superb catches and the grace and skill displayed when he got his home run despite falling over at 1st and having to dive head first to home.
Go Wolves!
Low Point - missing a ground ball as it bounced past me missing the opportunity to get one of their speedier runners out. I knew it was going to come my way but I wasn't able to stop it. Oh, and getting cold and wet. This is a summer game darn it!
High Point - Getting a monster hit and finally making it to 1st after two failed attempts.
The most-impressive-dive-of-the-night award must go to Kevin for his superb catches and the grace and skill displayed when he got his home run despite falling over at 1st and having to dive head first to home.
Go Wolves!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
