It's not easy to scrape together a softball team for a Sunday nooner, so first of all, a big Bullet thank you to Jake Schwartz, Cid Rivera, Ian Parfrey and Michelle Lang to joining DC this weekend. The comic book makers squared off against SNY, television home of the New York Mets, at noon Sunday on Great Lawn #7 in Central Park. And perhaps it was a boost from DC's ringers (combined 13-20, 10 runs scored, 13 RBI, a double, two triples and a home run) or perhaps SNY rusty bats (their first game of the summer) or the absence of Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez, but DC put up one of their most convincing victories in an up-and-down season, walking away with a 23-3 triumph.
DC scored all the runs they'd need in the top of the first. Mike Lorah and Jake Schwartz each grounded singles through the middle, and Cid Rivera followed with an RBI base knock. After Ian Parfrey smoked a two-run double, Captain Sal Cipriano smacked a laser beam directly SNY's top-drawer third baseman and Blake Kobashigawa grounded to third for the second out. However, Brittany Holzherr lined a two-out RBI single to left to score Ian before Nel Yomtov bounced into an inning-ending fielder's choice. Battling Ian on the mount for DC, SNY put runners on base, but failed to push them across. With a runner on first, Ian induced back-to-back routine fielder's choices to third to work through a scoreless first.
Michelle Lang, the Impulsive Kid Flash David Pina and Taylor Esposito went down in order in the second and SNY posted their first run of the afternoon in the bottom half, cutting DC's lead to 4-1 after two frames.
Fortunately for the comic book makers, the top of their line-up wasn't through doing damage. Mike bounced another single into center to start the third. SNY's first baseman made a nice backhand play on Jake's opposite-way grounder and went to second for a force play and the first out, but Cid picked his teammate up with a long home run to dead center field. Ian and Sal singled, before Ian was erased on Blake's unassisted-to-third fielder's choice for the second out. Once again, Britt came through with another two-out RBI, driving a base hit to center to plate Sal. Nel lined out to second to close the three-run barrage. And SNY went down scoreless, giving the Bullets a chance to take real control of the game in the fourth.
Which is exactly what they did. Twelve batters came to the plate, including Michelle twice, as DC scored seven times in the fourth. Michelle and Taylor singled around David's fielder's choice, and Mike's third base hit of the afternoon loaded the bases. Jake and Cid both singled to score three runs, and after Ian's fielder's choice, Sal added an RBI single and then Blake smoked a two-run triple over the center fielder's head. Britt, the two-out devastator, walked on four pitches, and Nel had her back, slicing an RBI hit to left to score Blake. Michelle lined out to right to end the carnage.
SNY tallied a second run in the last of the fourth, DC took a commanding 14-2 lead into the fifth. However, SNY then managed to cut that lead slightly, as the Bullets managed only one baserunner - Mike's two-out single - and SNY pushed across a third run in their half.
SNY, however, didn't score again (fielder's choice and pop-ups continually stalling their offensive efforts), and DC kept tacking on. In the sixth, it was all two-out magic. After Cid grounded to third (with SNY's first baseman making a highlight reel stretch to corral a wide throw - yeah, his foot probably came off the base, but the effort deserved the out) and Ian flew out to center, Sal, Blake, Britt, Nel and Michelle all singled in sequence to score three more runs (credit runs to the first three, RBIs to Britt and Michelle with a run scoring on an overthrow after Michelle's hit).
DC batted around again in the top of the seventh, for six more runs. After Taylor popped up, the Bullets unleashed an extra-base hit assault against SNY's relief pitcher. Mike tripled to center and Jake tripled to right. Cid reached on an infield single, and Ian belted a two-run triple of his own. After Sal walked, Blake flew out to shallow left. With two down, Britt and Nel both drew walks to force home another run, and Michelle capped the rally with a run-scoring base hit.
Ian shut down SNY 1-2-3 in the last of the seventh, getting the final two hitters on sky-high pops to Nel in short left field.
8-6 (3-5 NYMSL), the DC Comics Bullets next game is against the Marvel Comics Avengers in the grudgematch of the summer. However, we're off this week - the Marvel game is next Thursday, August 8, on the Bullets' home field, North Meadow #2.
Bullet Box:
3B Mike Lorah - 5-5, 3 R, triple
LF Jake Schwartz - 3-5, 4 R, 2 RBI, triple
CF Cid Rivera - 4-5, 3 R, 5 RBI, home run
P Ian Parfrey - 3-5, 3 R, 4 RBI, double, triple
1B Sal Cipriano - 3-4, 4 R, RBI, BB
SS Blake Kobashigawa - 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, triple
2B Brittany Holzherr - 3-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB
SCF Nel Yomtov - 2-4, 2 RBI, BB
RF Michelle Lang - 3-5, 2 RBI
C David Pina - 0-5, R
C Taylor Esposito - 1-4, R
Bullet Player of the Game: Cid Rivera
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