Barracudas 17 - 16 Loan Wolves
We ventured into southern waters last night, to engage in a bit of game fishing against the fearsome Barracudas. They’re a strong team, and very, very competitive - it’s the nasty sharp pointy teeth, you know. An internet search for hints on how to defeat barracudas had suggested using “tube lures” to hook them, and then administering gaff hooks to the backs of their heads. Neither of which would be legal in our league, I’m sure.
The weather at Clapham was hot and sunny, which confused us all after recent weeks. Ben and his dad turned up to support us, which was nice of them. They certainly turned up to a good game.
The game commenced, and we managed to get ahead early on. Even though the ‘Cudas had some hard hitters, we didn’t let them get ahead of us. Determined fielding, good base running, and another solid pitching performance from Julian, kept us in the game. Despite them being a much stronger side than us on paper, the seventh and final innings saw the sides level. We managed not to add to our total. Their turn at bat. We fielded aggressively, and managed to hold them, making two outs, until one of them made a big hit to the outfield, which would easily get their runners round. Or would have done, if Kevin hadn’t swooped in, dived, rolled, and come up with the ball safely caught!
A tied game. A pretty good result for us; holding a much more experienced side to a draw, and gaining an extra point which should set us in good stead in the battle against relegation.
Sadly, it was not to be. Softball is an American sport, and the notion of being satisfied with a hard-fought draw is anathema to its ruling bodies. All teams had recently been reminded that in the event of a tie, extra innings must be played to decide the game (with runners on bases at start of innings to increase the chance of scoring). Sort of a penalty shoot-out equivalent. Unluckily, the Barracudas were better placed in their batting order at the end of the seventh inning than us for this kind of thing, and we couldn’t stop them scraping the one run they needed for victory.
It really was a shame. We had played a much stronger team to a standstill, and earned the draw, but we came away with nothing from the encounter. Well, maybe a little more confidence in ourselves, in advance of next week’s final game - the home match with the Tornadoes. That one could be the decider on whether we stay up.
After drinks, I set off home, happy in the knowledge that I was one Tube stop and a bus ride away from the end of my road - a big advantage for me of playing at Clapham. Except it turned out that last night they were re-surfacing the roads around Clapham Common station, and thus had cancelled all the bus services from there. It took me fifteen minutes to find a stop for buses to Brixton, and I had to wait there for another fifteen minutes, outside a dodgy all-night off-licence. With my bat slung under my shoulder. Eventually got to Brixton, and from there to home, rather late.
The weather at Clapham was hot and sunny, which confused us all after recent weeks. Ben and his dad turned up to support us, which was nice of them. They certainly turned up to a good game.
The game commenced, and we managed to get ahead early on. Even though the ‘Cudas had some hard hitters, we didn’t let them get ahead of us. Determined fielding, good base running, and another solid pitching performance from Julian, kept us in the game. Despite them being a much stronger side than us on paper, the seventh and final innings saw the sides level. We managed not to add to our total. Their turn at bat. We fielded aggressively, and managed to hold them, making two outs, until one of them made a big hit to the outfield, which would easily get their runners round. Or would have done, if Kevin hadn’t swooped in, dived, rolled, and come up with the ball safely caught!
A tied game. A pretty good result for us; holding a much more experienced side to a draw, and gaining an extra point which should set us in good stead in the battle against relegation.
Sadly, it was not to be. Softball is an American sport, and the notion of being satisfied with a hard-fought draw is anathema to its ruling bodies. All teams had recently been reminded that in the event of a tie, extra innings must be played to decide the game (with runners on bases at start of innings to increase the chance of scoring). Sort of a penalty shoot-out equivalent. Unluckily, the Barracudas were better placed in their batting order at the end of the seventh inning than us for this kind of thing, and we couldn’t stop them scraping the one run they needed for victory.
It really was a shame. We had played a much stronger team to a standstill, and earned the draw, but we came away with nothing from the encounter. Well, maybe a little more confidence in ourselves, in advance of next week’s final game - the home match with the Tornadoes. That one could be the decider on whether we stay up.
After drinks, I set off home, happy in the knowledge that I was one Tube stop and a bus ride away from the end of my road - a big advantage for me of playing at Clapham. Except it turned out that last night they were re-surfacing the roads around Clapham Common station, and thus had cancelled all the bus services from there. It took me fifteen minutes to find a stop for buses to Brixton, and I had to wait there for another fifteen minutes, outside a dodgy all-night off-licence. With my bat slung under my shoulder. Eventually got to Brixton, and from there to home, rather late.