Sunday, May 31

Bankers’ Pockets Empty Against Dodgers

Wilkinson –  Aidan M. and the SPN Dodgers played Ebenezer Scrooge to SBS’ Bob Cratchit Sunday afternoon in a game shortened to five innings due to inclement weather.  Aidan was virtually a one man show as he no-hit the Bankers while accounting for the Dodgers only run with a solo homer to left in the top of the fourth.

            With two other close games against SPN, SBS knew it’d be in for a dogfight Sunday.  Despite the lack of hits, the game didn’t lack excitement.  While the “Preacher,” Christian Guignard, couldn’t find a functional rain dance to keep the thunder and lightning away (a passing thunderstorm forced a 40 minute rain delay), he was able to keep the Dodgers off the basepaths.  After an assist off a hard grounder in the first, Guignard made a highlight reel play as he corralled a deflected hopping grounder, which Andrew Roberts had knocked down on the line at first, and then threw to Roberts for the 3-4-3 out.  K-Vick took the momentum and followed up with his third K in two innings. 

            Unfortunately, Aidan M.’s heat was equally as stifling as Thomas Hodgkins was the only SBS player to see the top side of first base in the first frames when he rapped a sharp grounder to second that the fielder couldn’t handle.  Vickers struck out the side in the third and the Bankers appeared ready to strike.  Matt Gilboy drew a walk and then advanced to second on a picture perfect sacrifice bunt by Joseph Grant that he nearly beat out for a single.  Gilboy was stranded however as Aidan struck out the next two batters.

            Shaking off Aidan M.’s homer in the fourth, SBS continued to flash the leather, hoping that the proverbial lightning would strike their bats like some freak bolt on Roy Hobbs’ Wonderboy in The Natural.  After a lead-off double to the wall by Adam G., Vickers struck out a Dodger before Noah M. advanced to the plate.  Noah roped a hard liner to center that appeared as if it would fall in for an RBI.  Making his best attempt to get on ESPN’s Top 10 nominee list, Thomas Hodgkins put a hard charge on the ball and caught it off his shoestrings.  Certain that the ball would drop, Adam G. left for home before tagging.  Incredulous, all he could do was turn and watch Hodgkins’ throw reach Matt Gilboy at third for the twin killing.

            As both pitchers approached the 85 pitch maximum, hitters on both teams were licking their lips like wolves at a sheep convention.  Mother Nature reared her ugly head once again, though, this time drenching the field beyond repair and sending the Dodgers home with a five inning, 1-0 win.  Meanwhile, unlike the Cratchits in A Christmas Carol, the game ended with SBS starving for more and having to hope for a better result tomorrow against Pape.