Oh What a Day...
Greenville finally found their way back to the softball diamond on Monday night, and the team fought their way through an up and down evening te earn a split in the double header.
On a night where the Cowboys were having a rough first half, the Greenville bats acted as if they never had a 4 week break. The team cruised to a win in first game over Suncreek UMC. As the Cowboys heated up, the Greenville bats started to sputter, and it led to a loss in the second game against Chase Oaks.
"I was proud of the way our team fought on Monday," said Coach Brokaw. "It's not easy to take an entire month off between games, but they took it in stride."
The team welcomed 4 new faces to the fall season on Monday including Shane Tolleson, Cade Thompson, Brian Edwards, and Randy Way.
Greenville won the first game 15 -12, and Chase Oaks took the second game 17-7.
I am going to be honest with you on this one. I didn't have anyone keeping stats during the game, and the Cowboys were playing on Monday night so I don't have much. However, stay tuned for a mid week column about some of the high points of Monday as well as some pre game notes befor next weeks game at 8:30. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
The Bats Come Out for Greenville To Pull Back to .500
Greenville bounces back from their opening night loss to beat Christ the Servant 12 - 5 in the late game on Monday night. After scoring just 4 runs in their Fall season opener, Greenville broke out to score 12 runs and take the victory.
It was a night where many could be named as mvp for the game, but one person stood out. Shara Strickland was named player of the game. Not only did Shara keep the stats in the dugout, but she also served as Greenville's only fan. Shara waited out the late night and the cool temperatures to serve as the only moral support for the boys on the field. At one point she even noted how she wished she had a blanket since she had no friends to keep her mind off the cold.
On the field, it was the 2 cleanup spots that provided the extra pop in the lineup that Greenville needed. Dustin Swart busted out with his first homerun of the season, which brought in 3 runs. He also added a Sacrifice Fly to score another run. Batting in the 2nd cleanup spot, James Manley broke out for two run-scoring singles in the game, including the hit that started the scoring for the team. "I felt good tonight," noted James Manley. "I had some Captain Crunch before the game on the recommendation of Marty B, and I think it really helped." It was a great way for Manley to put last week behind him, as he got robbed of a grand slam in the final inning.
Making his first appearance of the season, John Garrett made his bid to be rookie of the year this Fall as he added a single and scored a run. Shane Collins continued his flawless record at the plate as he still has not been out in the first two games. He had two singles and a walk. Michael Shivers added two RBIs of his own. Bryan Brokaw and David Strickland both got their first hits of the fall in the contest, and they both drew a walk. Grant Glover made his debut as the starting catcher, but he had to be pulled out in the third inning with what they believe to be Thorasic Outlet Syndrome. Mike Mabry added an RBI as well in his first night back this fall. Clay Platt locked down the left sid of the field on defense and also added two singles and scored a run.
The team narrowly missed having two homeruns on the night, but as Shane Spencer placed one perfectly over the right fielder's head, the umpire ruled that he did not touch third base. Shane was able to keep the triple and drove in two runs in the process. Spencer also pitched his second complete game of the fall allowing only 3 earned runs. It could have been pitched in 4 innings, but instead of taking one pitch in the bottom of the 4th, Spencer swung at the first pitch and flied out leaving 12 seconds on the clock forcing one more inning. Spencer has now been blacklisted by the umpires, as it was the last game of the night. It is safe to say that Spencer won't be getting those calls on the corner anymore.
Next week the team has the week off due to Labor day, and they will be back for a double header on September 14th starting at 6:30.
It was a night where many could be named as mvp for the game, but one person stood out. Shara Strickland was named player of the game. Not only did Shara keep the stats in the dugout, but she also served as Greenville's only fan. Shara waited out the late night and the cool temperatures to serve as the only moral support for the boys on the field. At one point she even noted how she wished she had a blanket since she had no friends to keep her mind off the cold.
On the field, it was the 2 cleanup spots that provided the extra pop in the lineup that Greenville needed. Dustin Swart busted out with his first homerun of the season, which brought in 3 runs. He also added a Sacrifice Fly to score another run. Batting in the 2nd cleanup spot, James Manley broke out for two run-scoring singles in the game, including the hit that started the scoring for the team. "I felt good tonight," noted James Manley. "I had some Captain Crunch before the game on the recommendation of Marty B, and I think it really helped." It was a great way for Manley to put last week behind him, as he got robbed of a grand slam in the final inning.
Making his first appearance of the season, John Garrett made his bid to be rookie of the year this Fall as he added a single and scored a run. Shane Collins continued his flawless record at the plate as he still has not been out in the first two games. He had two singles and a walk. Michael Shivers added two RBIs of his own. Bryan Brokaw and David Strickland both got their first hits of the fall in the contest, and they both drew a walk. Grant Glover made his debut as the starting catcher, but he had to be pulled out in the third inning with what they believe to be Thorasic Outlet Syndrome. Mike Mabry added an RBI as well in his first night back this fall. Clay Platt locked down the left sid of the field on defense and also added two singles and scored a run.
The team narrowly missed having two homeruns on the night, but as Shane Spencer placed one perfectly over the right fielder's head, the umpire ruled that he did not touch third base. Shane was able to keep the triple and drove in two runs in the process. Spencer also pitched his second complete game of the fall allowing only 3 earned runs. It could have been pitched in 4 innings, but instead of taking one pitch in the bottom of the 4th, Spencer swung at the first pitch and flied out leaving 12 seconds on the clock forcing one more inning. Spencer has now been blacklisted by the umpires, as it was the last game of the night. It is safe to say that Spencer won't be getting those calls on the corner anymore.
Next week the team has the week off due to Labor day, and they will be back for a double header on September 14th starting at 6:30.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Greenville Set to Face Christ the Servant...Glover Nervous
After a shaky performance in game one of Fall Ball, the Greenville team looks to bounce back in game 2 tomorrow night at Ford Field 2. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 9:30. Greenville opened a season 0 and 1 for the first time since the team formed back in June 2009.
"I am excited to see how our team handles adversity," Coach Brokaw remarked after team batting practice Sunday afternoon. "We have never been in this situation before, but I think out team will rise to the occasion. We are getting some key players back tomorrow night, so we have that going for us."
Coach Brokaw declined to answer any questions about whether hitting coach Dustin Swart's job was in Jeapordy. After the poor offensive output last week, it caused some to speculate that Coach Swart would be replaced, but so far there has been no announcement to suggest that.
Shane Spencer is set to be the starting pitcher tomorrow night for the 2nd time in as many games. There was some controversy in last weeks game as Spencer tried to throw pitches from different parts of the field. Apparantly, the umpires have ruled that you must pitch from the pitching rubber. Pitching coach Mike Mabry said they have been working on it this week and it shouldn't be a problem again.
Tomorrow night's opponent is a relative unknown Christ the Servant. Having not played last week Christ the Servant really has a pure and perfect record of no wins and no losses. After last week's performance, they are not expecting the crowd to be large, so there are plenty of great seats available. Please call the ticket office or come out to Ford field tomorrow night if you wish to see Greenville take on Christ the Servant.
"I am excited to see how our team handles adversity," Coach Brokaw remarked after team batting practice Sunday afternoon. "We have never been in this situation before, but I think out team will rise to the occasion. We are getting some key players back tomorrow night, so we have that going for us."
Coach Brokaw declined to answer any questions about whether hitting coach Dustin Swart's job was in Jeapordy. After the poor offensive output last week, it caused some to speculate that Coach Swart would be replaced, but so far there has been no announcement to suggest that.
Shane Spencer is set to be the starting pitcher tomorrow night for the 2nd time in as many games. There was some controversy in last weeks game as Spencer tried to throw pitches from different parts of the field. Apparantly, the umpires have ruled that you must pitch from the pitching rubber. Pitching coach Mike Mabry said they have been working on it this week and it shouldn't be a problem again.
Tomorrow night's opponent is a relative unknown Christ the Servant. Having not played last week Christ the Servant really has a pure and perfect record of no wins and no losses. After last week's performance, they are not expecting the crowd to be large, so there are plenty of great seats available. Please call the ticket office or come out to Ford field tomorrow night if you wish to see Greenville take on Christ the Servant.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Greenville Gets the Call to the Majors...Greeted Rudely
Greenville was sent word last week by the league commissioner that they would be moving up to play in the Major Church League. It was exciting news for about a week. The first game of the fall season took place on Monday night, and Greenville found themselves a little rusty. Having a 6 week layoff between games proved to be too much for the Greenville Oakies to overcome. St. Jude Alpha dished out the first loss of the season for Greenville with the final score reading 14-4. It was the first time that the team has had to open a season on the road.
Michael Shivers, who spent the off season in the weight room every day working with strength and conditioning coach Shane Collins, stormed out of the locker room screaming, "Embarassing."
"It was a tough loss," said coach Brokaw. "We looked a little shell shocked, but we'll bounce back. I think the one thing that we proved is that we can play with these guys. We won't look so nervous next time."
It was clear that coach was on to something because it was more a case of missed opportunities. The team left men on base in several innings as well as hitting into two double plays. "I felt like we were one timely hit away from being right in the game all night. It just didn't happen," added right fielder Grant Glover. Glover spent the off season working with new hitting coach Dustin Swart, and it paid off with a hard line drive to left field. Swart also added a hit in all 4 of his at bats including a triple.
One player that may wish he had spent more time with Collins doing one more curl is James Manley. Manley just missed a grand slam homerun in the top of the sixth as the pitcher made a leaping grab to just barely rob Manley of the homerun. "I thought I really got the good part of the bat on it," said Manley. I guess luck was on their side, along with the field umpire.
It was mostly a case of the bats not showing up on Monday night. St. Jude's pitcher kept throwing moon balls to the plate, and the fighting Green Oakies kept swinging at it.
Next week brings a new challenge however, and it will only improve. In the summer, the team's bats didn't come alive until the second half. This is a team that always comes on strong as the season wears on. It is a challenge that this team can definitely handle.
Michael Shivers, who spent the off season in the weight room every day working with strength and conditioning coach Shane Collins, stormed out of the locker room screaming, "Embarassing."
"It was a tough loss," said coach Brokaw. "We looked a little shell shocked, but we'll bounce back. I think the one thing that we proved is that we can play with these guys. We won't look so nervous next time."
It was clear that coach was on to something because it was more a case of missed opportunities. The team left men on base in several innings as well as hitting into two double plays. "I felt like we were one timely hit away from being right in the game all night. It just didn't happen," added right fielder Grant Glover. Glover spent the off season working with new hitting coach Dustin Swart, and it paid off with a hard line drive to left field. Swart also added a hit in all 4 of his at bats including a triple.
One player that may wish he had spent more time with Collins doing one more curl is James Manley. Manley just missed a grand slam homerun in the top of the sixth as the pitcher made a leaping grab to just barely rob Manley of the homerun. "I thought I really got the good part of the bat on it," said Manley. I guess luck was on their side, along with the field umpire.
It was mostly a case of the bats not showing up on Monday night. St. Jude's pitcher kept throwing moon balls to the plate, and the fighting Green Oakies kept swinging at it.
Next week brings a new challenge however, and it will only improve. In the summer, the team's bats didn't come alive until the second half. This is a team that always comes on strong as the season wears on. It is a challenge that this team can definitely handle.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Greenville Overcomes Injuries, Missing Players, and Baseball Pants to Finish Season Strong
With another terrific output from the Greenville bats, the team finished the regular season with a 19-13 win over the Sons O Thunder in front of another sold out crowd out at ford field 3. Brokaw pitched his way to his second win of the season, and proved once again just how deep Greenville's farm system is.
It was a gutsy performance all around. It is no secret that injuries have hampered the team all year, but Monday proved to have other obstacles in the road for the team to climb including the following...
It was a gutsy performance all around. It is no secret that injuries have hampered the team all year, but Monday proved to have other obstacles in the road for the team to climb including the following...
- Sons O Thunder had 3 players wearing baseball pants, which beats the total of baseball pants faced all year in the other 7 games.
- Greenville pitching coach, Mike Mabry, was out of town on a scouting trip looking at a hot prospect pitcher in the Allen Bible Church minor league system.
- Brian Edwards and his mustache were in the Bahamas as he had to fulfill an obligation to his swimsuit modeling career.
- Randy Way was in training in Austin preparing to join the Coaching staff as the hitting coach for the playoffs.
- Clay Platt was tied up as he was on duty when Randy Way went speeding by on his road trip to Austin. They enjoyed catching up with one another, and Randy left with a ticket.
- David Strickland, Levi Carlson, and Cade Thompson continued to heal from their previous injuries.
- Shane Spencer, the Greenville Ace, is suffering from an anxiety disorder that leaves him with a complete lack of desire to pitch anymore. He even gave up his purple shorts. He has been asked to see the team psychiatrist.
With all these obstacles, you would think that it would really hamper the team's chances. It didn't.
Strickland came back off the DL to go 4 for 4 and score 3 runs.
Michael Shivers continued to smash the ball as he went 3 for 4 with another 3 runs scored.
Blake Wattenburger went 1 for 1 with 2 walks, a single, and a sac fly for an rbi. He also scored 3 runs.
Dustin Swart showed up late, but made his presence known by going 3 for 4 and adding another 4 RBIs to his team leading total.
The artist formerly known as the starting pitcher, Shane Spencer went 2 for 3 with 2 singles and a sac fly.
Brokaw helped his own cause going 2 for 2 with a single, a double, a walk, and 4 RBIs.
Shane Collins added 2 RBIs to his total by going 1 for 3 on the night.
Cade Thompson went 2 for 3 with 2 singles, a run scored, and an RBI.
James Manley busted out with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs.
Grant Glover added a Run and an RBI with his single in the 4th. He was also able to block out the distraction of his wife Becky yelling sweet pet names at him from her post at the scorer's table.
Levi fought through his injury to score a run and add another RBI to his total.
When asked about coming back off the D. L., Dave Strickland added, "I felt good swinging the bat tonight. It was tough beating those guys, because you know you are playing a good team when they have a player wearing baseball pants. This team had 3!"
Overall, it was another great night for the Greenville bats, and they look to take that momentum into the playoffs.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Greenville Blasts Their Way Past Frisco
The Greenville Oaks Softball Team snagged their 4th win of the season Monday night as the team blasted three homeruns on the night and sealed a 17 - 8 win. This marked just the second time this season that Greenville has scored more than 10 runs in a contest. Ironically, the three homerun effort came on the same night that the All Star Game Homerun Derby was being played in St. Louis.
Although the homeruns will get most of the press in the papers, there was an underlying presence in the home team's dugout that seemed to push the team to victory. Indeed, Brian Edwards(Pictured Below) brought with him a mustache that spelled V-I-C-T-O-R-Y.
"Without that stache, we would have probably lost that game," said pitching coach Mike Mabry. "Frisco Bible is a tough team, and we needed every edge we can get, especially since they won't let us use the spice on the side anymore."
Mabry had another tough task on the evening. With his number one pitcher unable to go tonight, Mabry had to call on Bryan Brokaw to make his first start of the season. Brokaw was not as crisp as the usually steady Spencer, but he managed to only allow 8 earned runs and earn his first victory of the year. "It felt really good to be called up," said Brokaw. "I always dreamed about getting called up when I was little, so it feels really good to get a win and help the team. I hate that Spencer couldn't go, but I was happy to have the opportunity."
When asked if he was pleased with his young starter Coach Brokaw said,"I thought he was phenomenal. We couldn't have asked for a better pitched game, and we really needed that after last week. It is nice to know that we have options if Spencer is unable to go come playoff time."
Good pitching it was, but it was the bats that came to play on this night. Dustin Swart reminded everyone once again why he is leading the team in RBIs by going 4 for 4 with 2 singles, a triple, and another homeruns. He leads the team in Homeruns with 3 and RBIs with 17.
Joining in the homerun party, Brokaw and Mabry helped their coaching cause by hitting their first homeruns of the season. Everybody hit well, though, and they didn't waste time getting started as they scored 9 runs in the first inning. It was the first time all season that the team batted all the way through the order.
Clay platt had a great night as well batting behind Swart. He was 4 for 4 as well, and he made sure the 4 and 5 hitters did not record an out all night.
Blake Wattenburger made his presence felt by filling in at Shortstop and scoring 2 runs on the night
Michael Shivers continues to get on base at an alarming rate going 2 for 4 and scoring 2 runs.
There were two really gutsy performances from Cade Thompson and Levi Carlson as they played through severe injuries to combine for 3 runs and 4 RBIs, each having 2 hits a piece. Thompson played through a tough ankle sprain that he suffered in last weeks game. Carlson had a hamstring issue that forced him into the DH role. It took appoximately 10 of the 55 minutes for Carlson to round the bases twice to score his two runs.
Brokaw had a great night offensively as well with a homerun, a single, a sac fly, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.
Shane Collins added a hit and some patience as he drew 2 walks on the night.
Grant Glover hit the ball well. It just happened to be right at one of the fielders every time. He wins the work ethic award, as he was seen by several fans during his lunch break taking some batting practice in the cages.
Pitching Coach Mike Mabry was a double shy of the cycle. Brokaw promoted Mabry to hitting coach immediately following the contest.
Brian Edwards added an RBI single, and also had an assist at catcher when he threw out an advancing runner in the top of the 5th inning. Some spectators though Pudge Rodriguez was playing for Greenville, but it was Edwards and his mustach(pictured above). The runner didn't even have a chance.
Greenville now is one game over .500, and they will play their final game of the season next Monday against Sons O Thunder.
Although the homeruns will get most of the press in the papers, there was an underlying presence in the home team's dugout that seemed to push the team to victory. Indeed, Brian Edwards(Pictured Below) brought with him a mustache that spelled V-I-C-T-O-R-Y.
"Without that stache, we would have probably lost that game," said pitching coach Mike Mabry. "Frisco Bible is a tough team, and we needed every edge we can get, especially since they won't let us use the spice on the side anymore."
Mabry had another tough task on the evening. With his number one pitcher unable to go tonight, Mabry had to call on Bryan Brokaw to make his first start of the season. Brokaw was not as crisp as the usually steady Spencer, but he managed to only allow 8 earned runs and earn his first victory of the year. "It felt really good to be called up," said Brokaw. "I always dreamed about getting called up when I was little, so it feels really good to get a win and help the team. I hate that Spencer couldn't go, but I was happy to have the opportunity."
When asked if he was pleased with his young starter Coach Brokaw said,"I thought he was phenomenal. We couldn't have asked for a better pitched game, and we really needed that after last week. It is nice to know that we have options if Spencer is unable to go come playoff time."
Good pitching it was, but it was the bats that came to play on this night. Dustin Swart reminded everyone once again why he is leading the team in RBIs by going 4 for 4 with 2 singles, a triple, and another homeruns. He leads the team in Homeruns with 3 and RBIs with 17.
Joining in the homerun party, Brokaw and Mabry helped their coaching cause by hitting their first homeruns of the season. Everybody hit well, though, and they didn't waste time getting started as they scored 9 runs in the first inning. It was the first time all season that the team batted all the way through the order.
Clay platt had a great night as well batting behind Swart. He was 4 for 4 as well, and he made sure the 4 and 5 hitters did not record an out all night.
Blake Wattenburger made his presence felt by filling in at Shortstop and scoring 2 runs on the night
Michael Shivers continues to get on base at an alarming rate going 2 for 4 and scoring 2 runs.
There were two really gutsy performances from Cade Thompson and Levi Carlson as they played through severe injuries to combine for 3 runs and 4 RBIs, each having 2 hits a piece. Thompson played through a tough ankle sprain that he suffered in last weeks game. Carlson had a hamstring issue that forced him into the DH role. It took appoximately 10 of the 55 minutes for Carlson to round the bases twice to score his two runs.
Brokaw had a great night offensively as well with a homerun, a single, a sac fly, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs scored.
Shane Collins added a hit and some patience as he drew 2 walks on the night.
Grant Glover hit the ball well. It just happened to be right at one of the fielders every time. He wins the work ethic award, as he was seen by several fans during his lunch break taking some batting practice in the cages.
Pitching Coach Mike Mabry was a double shy of the cycle. Brokaw promoted Mabry to hitting coach immediately following the contest.
Brian Edwards added an RBI single, and also had an assist at catcher when he threw out an advancing runner in the top of the 5th inning. Some spectators though Pudge Rodriguez was playing for Greenville, but it was Edwards and his mustach(pictured above). The runner didn't even have a chance.
Greenville now is one game over .500, and they will play their final game of the season next Monday against Sons O Thunder.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Greenville Hits Summer Swoon...Drops Both Games
As an avid fan, beat writer, player, and coach of the Greenville Oaks softball team, I find myself for the first time this season at a loss for words. You see...we got beat twice tonight. That pretty much sums it up. The first game was close. The second game was not, so I am not going to get all bogged down in stats or play by play descriptions of both games. I've cried enough already.
Now before you think this article is about to get all sad and negative, I have compiled a short list of positive things I saw out there on the field...
...
...
Ok...sorry...it took me a minute to think of some positive things...
1) Shane Spencer had a nifty juggling catch in game one on a line drive back up the middle that he was able to secure and double off the baserunner at first.
2) Shane Collins had his second triple of the season with a masterful dive into third base.
3) With the play of the game, Tim Kerby was sitting in the stands behind home plate where he caught a foul ball among a sea of screaming wives, children, and dogs. I almost handed him a jersey right then and there.
4) Dave Strickland, Michael Shivers, Levi Carlson, and Shane Spencer had some fancy trick base running in the second game that forced some errors and led to our only 3 runs of that game.
Ok...now some things that made me laugh pretty hard...
1) After that fancy baserunning, Grant Glover yelled at the other team's catcher "That's how we do it at Greenville Oaks." Then he hit a soft liner to the second baseman, and we never scored again the rest of the game. In fact, all they did is score runs after he made that comment.
2) After making that great catch, Tim made an attempt to throw the ball back over the fence, only to come up just shy of making it back into the field of play thus erasing the good feelings we all had about his great catch.
3) The umpire really liked a clean plate.
Now some things that made me shed a bit of a tear...
1) Our entire team is injured and we may be faced with some trips to the DL for some or all of our players.
2) The umpire really liked a clean plate.
3) Dustin Swart was out of town.
4) The Rangers are getting smoked right now as I write this, and Kevin Millwood is on my fantasy team.
5) Apparently we don't play very well after a bye week.
So there you have it. We lost the first game 8-7 in the last inning. We lost the second game 18-3. We are now 3-3 on the season with two games left to play. Tonight was not our night, but tomorrow is a new day.
Now before you think this article is about to get all sad and negative, I have compiled a short list of positive things I saw out there on the field...
...
...
Ok...sorry...it took me a minute to think of some positive things...
1) Shane Spencer had a nifty juggling catch in game one on a line drive back up the middle that he was able to secure and double off the baserunner at first.
2) Shane Collins had his second triple of the season with a masterful dive into third base.
3) With the play of the game, Tim Kerby was sitting in the stands behind home plate where he caught a foul ball among a sea of screaming wives, children, and dogs. I almost handed him a jersey right then and there.
4) Dave Strickland, Michael Shivers, Levi Carlson, and Shane Spencer had some fancy trick base running in the second game that forced some errors and led to our only 3 runs of that game.
Ok...now some things that made me laugh pretty hard...
1) After that fancy baserunning, Grant Glover yelled at the other team's catcher "That's how we do it at Greenville Oaks." Then he hit a soft liner to the second baseman, and we never scored again the rest of the game. In fact, all they did is score runs after he made that comment.
2) After making that great catch, Tim made an attempt to throw the ball back over the fence, only to come up just shy of making it back into the field of play thus erasing the good feelings we all had about his great catch.
3) The umpire really liked a clean plate.
Now some things that made me shed a bit of a tear...
1) Our entire team is injured and we may be faced with some trips to the DL for some or all of our players.
2) The umpire really liked a clean plate.
3) Dustin Swart was out of town.
4) The Rangers are getting smoked right now as I write this, and Kevin Millwood is on my fantasy team.
5) Apparently we don't play very well after a bye week.
So there you have it. We lost the first game 8-7 in the last inning. We lost the second game 18-3. We are now 3-3 on the season with two games left to play. Tonight was not our night, but tomorrow is a new day.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Double Header Tomorrow Night...Maybe
The schedule says that Greenville will play two games tomorrow night starting at 6:30. However, with the strong sprinkles received on Sunday, it's anybody's guess as to whether or not the Ford Field 3 will be ready to go. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Game Postponed Due To Torrential Rains
Although the weather seemed mostly perfect, the rains received in Allen on Monday morning proved to be too much for Ford Field 3.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Scandal Rocks Greenville...Four Players Receive 1-Game Suspension
Just when things seemed to be going really well for the Greenville Oaks softball team, the Allen Parks and Recreation office handed down a wire early Thursday morning that 4 players on the Greenville Oaks softball team had tested positive for a banned substance and will not be allowed to play in Greenville's upcoming game against Sons O Thunder.
Preliminary reports say that pitching coach/Outfielder Mike Mabry, Outfielder Grant Glover, Pitcher Shane Spencer, and Shortstop David Strickland all tested positive during a recent random drug testing mandated by the league. The substance found in their system was apparantly an ingredient used when making a special "Spice On The Side" at a local McKinney restaurant called Snuffers.
None of the four players could be reached for comment, but the team issued the following..."we believe our players had no idea that the substance was illegal. It is clearly a secret recipe, and we are currently investigating the situation internally. We believe the act was not done to enhance their performance on the field in any way."
Those, however, that have begun the investigation externally, have contacted the reported restaurant and have indeed found a special container with only the names of Strickland and Mabry. It seems the evidence will keep any of the accused players from appealing the suspension.
The league mandated that, in addition to the 1-game suspension, the four players must complete 45 hours of community service at an all-inclusive mission(resort) in Mexico in the coming week. The players should be eligible to play in the game against Allen Bible Church the following week.
If any further details that are made known as this story develops, we will be sure to have it right here.
Preliminary reports say that pitching coach/Outfielder Mike Mabry, Outfielder Grant Glover, Pitcher Shane Spencer, and Shortstop David Strickland all tested positive during a recent random drug testing mandated by the league. The substance found in their system was apparantly an ingredient used when making a special "Spice On The Side" at a local McKinney restaurant called Snuffers.
None of the four players could be reached for comment, but the team issued the following..."we believe our players had no idea that the substance was illegal. It is clearly a secret recipe, and we are currently investigating the situation internally. We believe the act was not done to enhance their performance on the field in any way."
Those, however, that have begun the investigation externally, have contacted the reported restaurant and have indeed found a special container with only the names of Strickland and Mabry. It seems the evidence will keep any of the accused players from appealing the suspension.
The league mandated that, in addition to the 1-game suspension, the four players must complete 45 hours of community service at an all-inclusive mission(resort) in Mexico in the coming week. The players should be eligible to play in the game against Allen Bible Church the following week.
If any further details that are made known as this story develops, we will be sure to have it right here.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Greenville Bats Carry Team to Victory
Greenville scored double digit runs for the first time in four games Monday night as Dustin Swart provide 6 RBIs to carry the team to a 13-5 victory. Swart continues to shine this season for Greenville as he doubled his RBI total for the season by hitting 2 triples in his first two at bats, and then finishing off his night with a homerun. It was his 2nd homerun of the season, and the 3rd team homerun.
You would assume that such a performance would cause a man to get a little cocky, but not this young top prospect. When asked about his tremendous performance after the game, Swart only focused on his throwing error in the 5th inning. On a slow grounder to 3rd, Swart charged the ball and threw it half way into right field. The runner never came around to score, but you could see his frustration as he squeezed his half empty capri-sun in the post-game press conference.
The scoring started for Greenville in the 1st inning. Michael Shivers got on with a single, and he scored later that inning when Swart hit his 1st triple of the game. Greenville would end up stranding Swart at 3rd and settle for 1 run in the first.
The 2nd inning provided two runs thanks to back to back doubles by Grant Glover and Randy Way. The third inning brought on 3 runs when Swart provided another triple to bring in Shivers and Carlson. James Manley also scored in the inning on a Levi Carlson Single.
The 5th inning is where the bats really came out. Greenville scored 6 runs in the inning. Brian Edwards reached on a fielder's choice and scored a run on a Sac Fly by David Strickland. Brokaw singled and scored on a Shivers' single. Manley singled and scored on an error while Levi Carlson was at the plate. Swart brought in himself, Carlson, and Shivers by hitting a line drive over the leaping left fielder that cleared the left field fence. It was his second homerun of the season.
Greenville added one more run in the 6th inning when Spencer reached on a single. He would be driven in by an RBI single by Randy Way. It finished off the highest scoring night for Greenville so far this season.
Greenville strengthened its hold on 2nd place, and the team now stands at 3-1 at the halfway point in the season. "I really like the way the bats are coming around," said Coach Brokaw. "If we can swing the bats like we did tonight, we should win a lot of ballgames. The way Shane (Spencer) has been pitching, if we can put 10 or more runs on the board, we really like our chances."
Spencer finished off his fourth complete game of the season, and he lowered his ERA to 7.67 despite allowing 5 earned runs. All five of those runs came in the 2nd inning when he allowed 3 singles, a walk, and a homerun. It was a great pitching performance once again from the ace of the staff as he proceeded to pitch 5 out of 6 shutout innings.
"My job has been really easy," added pitching coach Mike Mabry. "All I have to do is sit back and watch the games. I have only had to get someone warming up in the bullpen one time this season. Although I thought I was going to have to take him out of the game in the 2nd inning because of an illadvised base stealing attempt."
After hitting a single in the second inning, Spencer tried to steal 2nd base, and he was promptly thrown out as the shortstop waited with the ball for a few seconds for Spencer to get to the bag. After the game, Spencer still maintained that 1st base coach Michael Shivers sent him on the play. Shivers laughed when asked if he sent him.
It didn't seem to matter at the end of the game as Greenville came away with a win. After the game it was oranges and capri-suns for everyone. Even the umpire got in on the action despite a few questionable calls on both sides of the ball.
Greenville heads into next week's matchup with Sons of Thunder hoping to build on their offensive success, but for now the team will sit back and enjoy their unprecedented success for their inaugural season.
You would assume that such a performance would cause a man to get a little cocky, but not this young top prospect. When asked about his tremendous performance after the game, Swart only focused on his throwing error in the 5th inning. On a slow grounder to 3rd, Swart charged the ball and threw it half way into right field. The runner never came around to score, but you could see his frustration as he squeezed his half empty capri-sun in the post-game press conference.
The scoring started for Greenville in the 1st inning. Michael Shivers got on with a single, and he scored later that inning when Swart hit his 1st triple of the game. Greenville would end up stranding Swart at 3rd and settle for 1 run in the first.
The 2nd inning provided two runs thanks to back to back doubles by Grant Glover and Randy Way. The third inning brought on 3 runs when Swart provided another triple to bring in Shivers and Carlson. James Manley also scored in the inning on a Levi Carlson Single.
The 5th inning is where the bats really came out. Greenville scored 6 runs in the inning. Brian Edwards reached on a fielder's choice and scored a run on a Sac Fly by David Strickland. Brokaw singled and scored on a Shivers' single. Manley singled and scored on an error while Levi Carlson was at the plate. Swart brought in himself, Carlson, and Shivers by hitting a line drive over the leaping left fielder that cleared the left field fence. It was his second homerun of the season.
Greenville added one more run in the 6th inning when Spencer reached on a single. He would be driven in by an RBI single by Randy Way. It finished off the highest scoring night for Greenville so far this season.
Greenville strengthened its hold on 2nd place, and the team now stands at 3-1 at the halfway point in the season. "I really like the way the bats are coming around," said Coach Brokaw. "If we can swing the bats like we did tonight, we should win a lot of ballgames. The way Shane (Spencer) has been pitching, if we can put 10 or more runs on the board, we really like our chances."
Spencer finished off his fourth complete game of the season, and he lowered his ERA to 7.67 despite allowing 5 earned runs. All five of those runs came in the 2nd inning when he allowed 3 singles, a walk, and a homerun. It was a great pitching performance once again from the ace of the staff as he proceeded to pitch 5 out of 6 shutout innings.
"My job has been really easy," added pitching coach Mike Mabry. "All I have to do is sit back and watch the games. I have only had to get someone warming up in the bullpen one time this season. Although I thought I was going to have to take him out of the game in the 2nd inning because of an illadvised base stealing attempt."
After hitting a single in the second inning, Spencer tried to steal 2nd base, and he was promptly thrown out as the shortstop waited with the ball for a few seconds for Spencer to get to the bag. After the game, Spencer still maintained that 1st base coach Michael Shivers sent him on the play. Shivers laughed when asked if he sent him.
It didn't seem to matter at the end of the game as Greenville came away with a win. After the game it was oranges and capri-suns for everyone. Even the umpire got in on the action despite a few questionable calls on both sides of the ball.
Greenville heads into next week's matchup with Sons of Thunder hoping to build on their offensive success, but for now the team will sit back and enjoy their unprecedented success for their inaugural season.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Greenville Holds On To Split Double Header
Greenville Oaks earned a split on their two games Monday night. Both games proved to be close with the maximum 7 innings being played in both contests. They left the field Monday night in sole possession of 2nd place at 2-1 trailing only Allen Bible Church who handed Greenville their first loss of the season in the first game of tonight's double header.
The first game featured some great defense and supurb pitching for all seven innings, but Allen Bible Church proved to be too much for Greenville Oaks on this night. The final score said 13-6, but 5 of ABC's runs came in the seventh and final inning. At one point, Greenville held the lead 4-3 heading into the third, but they couldn't hold on.
"Our bats just fell asleep in the last five innings," said shortstop Dave Strickland. "We felt like we were in it the entire game, but they just came out on top this time." Strickland also added that the game may have turned out a little different had Dustin Swart and Clay Platt not carelessly allowed a warm up throw fly into the shin of Julie Mabry(an innocent spectator, X-rays were negative) before the game even started. "I thought that really set a negative tone for the first game," said Strickland.
The first game featured another 2 RBIs by cleanup hitter Dustin Swart, who seemed to be unphased by the pregame blunder. He brought in two runs with a triple that scored both Strickland and Clay Platt who both hit doubles. The second inning brought another pair of runs produced by a James Manley fielders choice and a sacrifice fly by Levi Carlson. Grant Glover and Michael Shivers provided the runs. Shivers quietly becoming one of the leaders in batting average for the team at .667 for the year.
Greenville was able to push across only 2 more runs in the next 5 innings courtesy of an RBI single by Blake Wattenburger scoring James Manley who had reached on a single. That run came in the 5th inning. The next run came in the bottom of the 7th with an RBI single by Grant Glover, with Shane Collins scoring the run having led off the inning with a triple. Collins also could be seen flying around in center field throughout the contest.
In the end it wasn't enough to overcome the solid play by Allen Bible Church who was able to touch up pitcher Shane Spencer for 13 runs, despite his second complete game of the season. It seemed as though Spencer would overcome some early control problems, but he couldn't overcome the lack of hitting provided by the offense.
The second game featured more excellent defense and solid pitching, and this time it paid off. Greenville was able to overcome the heat and take the second game, despite having another light offensive performance. The game was highlighted by a diving grab by left fielder Mike Mabry, an outfield assist by Mabry, a near spectacular diving catch by Cade Thompson, and an incredible leaping catch by Blake Wattenburger that he was able to turn into a double play.
The star, however, was on the flat mound. Shane Spencer going on 30 seconds rest came out and pitched his 3rd complete game and earned his second win. He only allowed 4 earned runs, and even struck out a few batters using his constant talking to distract them from the task at hand. More impressive than the pitching though was his 2 for 3 performance at the plate including a homerun and a double. Spencer managed 2 RBIs and scored three runs in the contest. It was a gutsy performance by the pitcher, who came into the two games with some question as to whether he was even awake. He could be seen sleeping on the concrete behind the bleachers just before the first game.
Joining Spencer on offense, Bryan Brokaw led off the scoring in the first with an RBI single driving in Strickland who had reached on a triple. David Strickland added an RBI single in the 3rd which drove in Levi Carlson. Mike Mabry came through with and RBI in the fourth as he drove in Spencer who had reached on an error. Levi Carlson drove in Michael Shivers in the 5th inning with an RBI single, and Shane Collins capped off the scoring with an RBI in the seventh scoring Spencer from second.
"I was really proud of the way we bounced back," said James Manley after the game. "It was a real tough test going out there because we were all feeling some serious fatigue. It was a good win for us to get because it sent us home on a good note." What a good note it is.
Greenville sits in second place, and looks poised for a fantastic season.
The first game featured some great defense and supurb pitching for all seven innings, but Allen Bible Church proved to be too much for Greenville Oaks on this night. The final score said 13-6, but 5 of ABC's runs came in the seventh and final inning. At one point, Greenville held the lead 4-3 heading into the third, but they couldn't hold on.
"Our bats just fell asleep in the last five innings," said shortstop Dave Strickland. "We felt like we were in it the entire game, but they just came out on top this time." Strickland also added that the game may have turned out a little different had Dustin Swart and Clay Platt not carelessly allowed a warm up throw fly into the shin of Julie Mabry(an innocent spectator, X-rays were negative) before the game even started. "I thought that really set a negative tone for the first game," said Strickland.
The first game featured another 2 RBIs by cleanup hitter Dustin Swart, who seemed to be unphased by the pregame blunder. He brought in two runs with a triple that scored both Strickland and Clay Platt who both hit doubles. The second inning brought another pair of runs produced by a James Manley fielders choice and a sacrifice fly by Levi Carlson. Grant Glover and Michael Shivers provided the runs. Shivers quietly becoming one of the leaders in batting average for the team at .667 for the year.
Greenville was able to push across only 2 more runs in the next 5 innings courtesy of an RBI single by Blake Wattenburger scoring James Manley who had reached on a single. That run came in the 5th inning. The next run came in the bottom of the 7th with an RBI single by Grant Glover, with Shane Collins scoring the run having led off the inning with a triple. Collins also could be seen flying around in center field throughout the contest.
In the end it wasn't enough to overcome the solid play by Allen Bible Church who was able to touch up pitcher Shane Spencer for 13 runs, despite his second complete game of the season. It seemed as though Spencer would overcome some early control problems, but he couldn't overcome the lack of hitting provided by the offense.
The second game featured more excellent defense and solid pitching, and this time it paid off. Greenville was able to overcome the heat and take the second game, despite having another light offensive performance. The game was highlighted by a diving grab by left fielder Mike Mabry, an outfield assist by Mabry, a near spectacular diving catch by Cade Thompson, and an incredible leaping catch by Blake Wattenburger that he was able to turn into a double play.
The star, however, was on the flat mound. Shane Spencer going on 30 seconds rest came out and pitched his 3rd complete game and earned his second win. He only allowed 4 earned runs, and even struck out a few batters using his constant talking to distract them from the task at hand. More impressive than the pitching though was his 2 for 3 performance at the plate including a homerun and a double. Spencer managed 2 RBIs and scored three runs in the contest. It was a gutsy performance by the pitcher, who came into the two games with some question as to whether he was even awake. He could be seen sleeping on the concrete behind the bleachers just before the first game.
Joining Spencer on offense, Bryan Brokaw led off the scoring in the first with an RBI single driving in Strickland who had reached on a triple. David Strickland added an RBI single in the 3rd which drove in Levi Carlson. Mike Mabry came through with and RBI in the fourth as he drove in Spencer who had reached on an error. Levi Carlson drove in Michael Shivers in the 5th inning with an RBI single, and Shane Collins capped off the scoring with an RBI in the seventh scoring Spencer from second.
"I was really proud of the way we bounced back," said James Manley after the game. "It was a real tough test going out there because we were all feeling some serious fatigue. It was a good win for us to get because it sent us home on a good note." What a good note it is.
Greenville sits in second place, and looks poised for a fantastic season.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Team Gets Set for Two Monday Night
The Greenville Oaks softball team faces its toughest test of the season Monday night as they prepare to play back to back games on the same 93 degree night. Greenville will face Allen Bible Church at 8:30 in the first game and finish their evening by playing Frisco Bible Church at 9:30. The team is riding high after winning their first game of the season last week 9-6 against FUMC Blue propelling the team to a tie for first place.
One of those teams sharing first place with Greenville is Allen Bible Church. Those two teams will meet at 8:30. When asked about the matchup of first place teams, Greenville DH/Outfielder Levi Carlson asked, "Who are we playing?" Clearly, nerves are very high for this young franchise, and it should be a very compelling test for the team.
Pitching Matchups:
Greenville: SP Shane Spencer. Coming into the double header, Spencer is 1-0 with a 1.29 era. Last week Spencer allowed six runs in seven innings, but 5 of the runs were unearned. It was his first complete game of the season for Spencer.
Allen Bible Church: TBD. Although it is not certain who will be on the flat mound for ABC, you can bet that they will have a crafty veteren looking to pitch well on the corners. Last week, the Allen Bible Church pitching staff held their opponent to 3 runs, which is the fewest runs allowed in the league.
Frisco Bible Church: TBD. FBC comes into their matchup with Greenville already having played a double header in the first week of the season. It is unclear who will be pitching, but in both games they allowed more than 10 runs to both of their opponents.
Game Notes:
Greenville is already making some roster moves after the first week. Randy Way DH/2B suffering from an abdominal strain has been placed on the 2-day DL. He will be eligible for reinstatement next week. Way suffered the injury flopping into 3rd base while running the bases. He is going to see an abdominal specialist in Cancun, Mexico while celebrating his anniversary, and he should rejoin the team when they face Mosaic.
In other injury news, Brian Edwards has been listed as day to day. It is unclear whether he will be available to play tomorrow evening. Edwards is suffering from a sore shoulder, but he should be able to avoid a stint on the DL.
As a result, the club has called up free agent Blake Wattenburger to make his league debut.
One of those teams sharing first place with Greenville is Allen Bible Church. Those two teams will meet at 8:30. When asked about the matchup of first place teams, Greenville DH/Outfielder Levi Carlson asked, "Who are we playing?" Clearly, nerves are very high for this young franchise, and it should be a very compelling test for the team.
Pitching Matchups:
Greenville: SP Shane Spencer. Coming into the double header, Spencer is 1-0 with a 1.29 era. Last week Spencer allowed six runs in seven innings, but 5 of the runs were unearned. It was his first complete game of the season for Spencer.
Allen Bible Church: TBD. Although it is not certain who will be on the flat mound for ABC, you can bet that they will have a crafty veteren looking to pitch well on the corners. Last week, the Allen Bible Church pitching staff held their opponent to 3 runs, which is the fewest runs allowed in the league.
Frisco Bible Church: TBD. FBC comes into their matchup with Greenville already having played a double header in the first week of the season. It is unclear who will be pitching, but in both games they allowed more than 10 runs to both of their opponents.
Game Notes:
Greenville is already making some roster moves after the first week. Randy Way DH/2B suffering from an abdominal strain has been placed on the 2-day DL. He will be eligible for reinstatement next week. Way suffered the injury flopping into 3rd base while running the bases. He is going to see an abdominal specialist in Cancun, Mexico while celebrating his anniversary, and he should rejoin the team when they face Mosaic.
In other injury news, Brian Edwards has been listed as day to day. It is unclear whether he will be available to play tomorrow evening. Edwards is suffering from a sore shoulder, but he should be able to avoid a stint on the DL.
As a result, the club has called up free agent Blake Wattenburger to make his league debut.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Swart Powers Greenville Oaks Into First Place!!
No one new what to expect coming in to the new expansion season for the Greenville Oaks Softball Team. Well, the season is still young, but it is safe to say that with the first game ending in a 9-6 victory over FUMC Blue, the team has exceeded all expectations. "It's great to get the first one under our belts," said Coach Brokaw moments after the conclusion of the teams first game ever. "I could tell there were definitely some first game jitters, but I was proud of the way our guys continued to battle all seven innings."
And battle they did.
Playing in front of a sold out home crowd of 14(and a couple of dogs), the game started a little shaky when starting pitcher Shane Spencer lost his bid for a no hitter by allowing a hit to the first batter he faced. He bounced back strong though retiring the next 3 hitters to get out of a jam in the top of the first inning.
The team responded by plating two runs in the bottom of the first thanks to the first homerun of the young season by Dustin Swart. With Dave Strickland on base with a leadoff single, the opposing pitcher retired the next two hitters only to bring up Swart hitting cleanup. He took a 2-1 pitch into left field that made it all the way to the fence. By the time it was relayed to the infield Swart was already sipping some gatorade in the dugout enjoying his first two RBIs of the season.
Spencer once again managed a shutout in the second inning, and the team responded with another two runs. With a Mike Shivers single and a Grant Glover double, Randy Way brought in two RBIs with a single to center field. This took the lead to 4-0 for Greenville Oaks, which looked to be enough the way that Spencer was pitching, but FUMC Blue came roaring back in the top of the third when they brought in a run of their own to make it 4-1.
In the bottom of the third, Brian "the pain train" Edwards made his presence known by singling, and later scoring on a hard hit ball by David Strickland. Strickland would later score on a Sacrifice fly by Shane Spencer. It was the teams third 2 run inning in a row, and they sat with a comfortable lead at 6-1 going into the fifth, but FUMC was not done yet. They struck with an unearned run in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to four. At that point, the pitching coach Mike Mabry made the call and got some action going into the bullpen in case it would be needed, but Spencer responded by pitching a scoreless inning in the sixth.
The bottom of the sixth was highlighted by what proved to be the gamewinning hit by none other than Dustin Swart. With Strickland and Clay Platt on second and third, Swart sent one into deep left that also made it to the fence which he turned into a triple. It was his second 2 RBI hit and his forth RBI of the game. He finished 3 for 3 with a single, triple, and homerun giving him the player of the game honors and pushing him into the early season race for MVP. Shane Collins brought him in from third on a sacrifice fly, and that would finish out the scoring for Greenville Oaks at 9.
With Spencer working on a quality start, Brokaw and Mabry made the decision to stick with him to close out the game. It may have worked out well if not for the over eager third baseman(player/coach Bryan Brokaw) booting an easy double play ball. After that, FUMC plated 4 unearned runs, but the final out was recorded with a force out provided by excellent glovework by Dave Strickland and Cade Thompson. That ended the game with a final score of 9-6, and sent the Greenville Oaks faithful home happy.
The game was not without its stranger moments. Most of the great comedy happened on the basepaths. Randy Way provided us with his impression of a fish out of water as he flopped around 3rd base. Brian Edwards gave us a great demonstration on what happens when you don't tag up, and James Manley gave us a great display of a twirling foul ball strike out. Edwards also followed up with the rare bounce pass put out to first base on a bunt.
All in all, the team begins its season 1-0 with a share of first place for the first time in franchise history. With performances like this, the team might just continue it's sellout streak to 2.
And battle they did.
Playing in front of a sold out home crowd of 14(and a couple of dogs), the game started a little shaky when starting pitcher Shane Spencer lost his bid for a no hitter by allowing a hit to the first batter he faced. He bounced back strong though retiring the next 3 hitters to get out of a jam in the top of the first inning.
The team responded by plating two runs in the bottom of the first thanks to the first homerun of the young season by Dustin Swart. With Dave Strickland on base with a leadoff single, the opposing pitcher retired the next two hitters only to bring up Swart hitting cleanup. He took a 2-1 pitch into left field that made it all the way to the fence. By the time it was relayed to the infield Swart was already sipping some gatorade in the dugout enjoying his first two RBIs of the season.
Spencer once again managed a shutout in the second inning, and the team responded with another two runs. With a Mike Shivers single and a Grant Glover double, Randy Way brought in two RBIs with a single to center field. This took the lead to 4-0 for Greenville Oaks, which looked to be enough the way that Spencer was pitching, but FUMC Blue came roaring back in the top of the third when they brought in a run of their own to make it 4-1.
In the bottom of the third, Brian "the pain train" Edwards made his presence known by singling, and later scoring on a hard hit ball by David Strickland. Strickland would later score on a Sacrifice fly by Shane Spencer. It was the teams third 2 run inning in a row, and they sat with a comfortable lead at 6-1 going into the fifth, but FUMC was not done yet. They struck with an unearned run in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to four. At that point, the pitching coach Mike Mabry made the call and got some action going into the bullpen in case it would be needed, but Spencer responded by pitching a scoreless inning in the sixth.
The bottom of the sixth was highlighted by what proved to be the gamewinning hit by none other than Dustin Swart. With Strickland and Clay Platt on second and third, Swart sent one into deep left that also made it to the fence which he turned into a triple. It was his second 2 RBI hit and his forth RBI of the game. He finished 3 for 3 with a single, triple, and homerun giving him the player of the game honors and pushing him into the early season race for MVP. Shane Collins brought him in from third on a sacrifice fly, and that would finish out the scoring for Greenville Oaks at 9.
With Spencer working on a quality start, Brokaw and Mabry made the decision to stick with him to close out the game. It may have worked out well if not for the over eager third baseman(player/coach Bryan Brokaw) booting an easy double play ball. After that, FUMC plated 4 unearned runs, but the final out was recorded with a force out provided by excellent glovework by Dave Strickland and Cade Thompson. That ended the game with a final score of 9-6, and sent the Greenville Oaks faithful home happy.
The game was not without its stranger moments. Most of the great comedy happened on the basepaths. Randy Way provided us with his impression of a fish out of water as he flopped around 3rd base. Brian Edwards gave us a great demonstration on what happens when you don't tag up, and James Manley gave us a great display of a twirling foul ball strike out. Edwards also followed up with the rare bounce pass put out to first base on a bunt.
All in all, the team begins its season 1-0 with a share of first place for the first time in franchise history. With performances like this, the team might just continue it's sellout streak to 2.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Season Opens Tomorrow!
The buzz around water coolers everywhere this spring has been the introduction of a new slow pitch softball team in the Allen Parks and Rec Summer Church D League. That team is the Greenville Oaks Church of Christ Young Married Men's Softball Team, and the new season is now just one day away.
The season opener will be played at Ford Park on Field 3 against a formidable FUMC Blue squad tomorrow night at 9:30 pm.
Get your popcorn ready!
The season opener will be played at Ford Park on Field 3 against a formidable FUMC Blue squad tomorrow night at 9:30 pm.
Get your popcorn ready!
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