Slugs schedule - Fall 2009

July 30 7:30 p.m. Slugs at Socals
August 6 6:30 p.m. Papi Flanagan's at Slugs
August 13 6:30 p.m. Slugs at University of Phoenix
August 20 8:30 p.m. Slugs at Loose Change
August 27 7:30 p.m. Murph's Red Rocket at Slugs
Sept. 3 9:30 p.m. Slugs at Majority Rules
Sept. 10 7:30 p.m. Chinchillas at Slugs
Sept. 17 8:30 p.m. Socal's at Slugs

Slugs beat SoCals

By Jim Miller

Slugs correspondent

Five years of futility ended convincingly Thursday as the Slugs knocked off longtime rival SoCals, stunning the barstool bashers 9-6.

Clutch two-out hitting, stingy defense, and timely automatic outs improved the Slugs to 2-and-20 lifetime against SoCals and began the fall 2009 season on an up note.

“Slugs beat SoCals!” a joyous Coach John Kepley yelled afterward in a series of cell phone calls to friends, family, and a confused housewife in Bavaria.

Erin McGuire’s pitching kept the SoCals hitters off-balance and she snared a shot back through the box.

Other stellar defense came from Ryan Lillis, who turned three doubles plays, and Mackenzie Yamamura caught a popup in her third base debut.

On offense, Ahmed Ortiz went 3-for-3 and drove in some runs. Kepley posted the team’s only extra-base hit and keen-eyed Judy Lin walked and singled. In the bleachers, Kevin Yamamura’s parents provided moral support.

With two outs and the game tied 6-6, Ellen Chrismer punched a shot up the middle and drove home her dribbler-hitting husband for the go-ahead run. A pair of insurance runs followed.

As the Slugs took the field for the final half inning, few at a tense Tahoe Park were unaware that SoCals had won every matchup since the Bush-Kerry campaign, including some agonizing come-from-behind victories.

Not this time. SoCals’ lack of women spotted the Slugs a first out. Two quick outs followed and the victorious Slugs headed to the Tallac.

“We hit the ball all over. It was awesome!” McGuire noted in her post-game remarks.

Squibs: Katherine Skorupski played the entire game at second base…Kathy Fairbanks tweaked her shoulder during pre-game warmups and is listed as day-to-day…A dead battery kept Dan Smith from the game and Molly Dugan had a migraine…Left-handed slugger Ed Fletcher attended a mixer for the Sacramento Black Journalists Association but joined the Slugs at the bar…Juliet Williams returned from budget duty and played…The Slugs play Papa Flanagans next week.

Slugs to play for title

Another thrilling comeback victory Thursday assured the Slugs a shot at the Summer League softball championship.
Left-fielder Ahmed Ortiz beat out an infield hit to knock in the go-ahead run in the top of the last inning in the 7-6 triumph over E's: The Big Bad Bumpy's. Solid defense in the bottom half locked down the team's sixth victory against one loss. The 6-1 Slugs will face the Bumpys again on July 23 (a make-up from the June 4 rain out) for the title and the coveted t-shirts.
The late-game thrills followed an heroic come-from-behind effort that featured, once again, contributions throughout the line-up:
* -- Two huge plays at first by Jim Miller, scooping two low throws and making an acrobatic leg tag up the first-base line.
* -- Cat-like fielding at third by Erin McGuire filling in for Ryan Lillis who missed the game to be with his family.
* -- Alert outfield play that prevented numerous extra bases by cutting off line drives and making quick, smart throws into the infield.
* -- Molly Dugan's adept snag of a foul tip behind the plate that slowed a Bumpy's rally.
* -- Speedy baserunning by Kevin Yamamura who scored from first on an outfield hit.
* -- Smart managing by Skipper John Kepley (he hadn't had a drink in four days) who noticed the opponents had slipped a sixth man into the field in violation of the rules.
Kepley reveled in the stunning comeback, but said he would use the off week to develop a championship game strategy. Stay tuned.

Slugs unbeaten streak stretches to 4

Slugs Skipper John Kepley called it the second greatest Slugs game of all time.
Lanky left-fielder Ahmed Ortiz opined that it showed the Slugs have "the collective heart of a champion."
If nothing else, the Slugs fourth straight win in the summer campaign -- a 10-9 comeback thriller over the St. Damien's Beard Correctly Punctuated Softball Team -- was a total team effort.
Consider:
* -- Kepley's stunning stop of short-hop line shot for a key out to halt the go-ahead run from scoring.
* -- Ellen Chrismer's nonchalant grab of a testy shot to right field.
* -- Erin McGuire's steady pitching through adversity.
* -- Ryan Lillis' towering grand slam to bring the good guys and gals within two during the eight-run fourth inning comeback.
* -- Several female Slugs showed patience at the plate to draw walks during the comeback.
* -- Jim Miller's long-legged and crafty base-running produced the game winner after a textbook slide at the plate.
* -- Even the old man at first emerged from a season-long slump to go two for two with a pair of RBI.
Slugs held a 1-0 lead early, but fell behind 9-1 after a Slugs-like inning that has been rare this season. "The Comeback" in the bottom of the fourth tied it at 9. The Slugs held firm in the top of the fifth and then declared victory after time expired with Miller's slide-off game winner.
In the end, the Slugs were 4-0, leading the league and walking on air.
The team is guaranteed at least a .500 season after a devastating opening campaign that now seems like ancient history.

Slugs notes: With at least a 4-4 season guaranteed, at least two Slugs will have to make good on pre-season challenges. Vegetarian Chrismer will devour a hamburger from "Burgers and Brew." Kepley will join her but eat a non-meat burger that includes some ingedient we can't even pronounce, let alone spell...

Summer schedule

May 21, 7:30 "University" of Phoenix Diploma Mills at Slugs



May 28, 9:30 Slugs at Papi Flanagan's



June 4, 6:30 E3's: The Big Bad Bumpy's at Slugs



June 11, Bye No game this week



June 18, 7:30 St. Damien's Beard Correctly Punctuated Softball Team at Slugs



June 25, 8:30 Slugs at "University" of Phoenix Campus Strip Mall Profiteers



July 2, 6:30 Papi Flanagan's at Slugs



July 9, 9:30 Slugs at E3's The Big Bad Bumpy's



July 16, Bye. No game this week.

Slugs Win!!!

By Ed Fletcher
Slugs correspondent

Slugs manager John Kepley awoke, in a panicked rush, sweat dampening his brow.
His mind cloudy, spinning, hazy.
It seemed so real. Had the Slugs just crushed an opponent 16-2? Was it a dream? For that matter, was his recollection of an 0-8 embarrassment just a nightmare?

As the haze began to clear, ever so slightly he realized the pounding in his head was hangover - but was it victory shots, or shots to forget.

As he reached for his cell phone on his bed stand, he realized he was still wearing his glove from the night before.
And if he needed further confirmation, dragging ass to the bathroom he noticed the fresh tattoo blazoned across his forehead reading: “Yes John, you are 1-0, just in case your too drunk to remember.”

For the entire Slugs team, if last season was a nightmare. Thursday night was a wet dream.
The Slugs displayed strong defense and opportunistic hitting in route to an offense outburst the Slugs hadn’t seen in years.

“If felt really good to get off the snide,” said Slugs leadoff hitter Jim Miller. “Last season was such a disgrace.”
The highlight of the game was a flair into left the had nearly every fielder touching the ball and ended with center fielder Kevin Yamamura jumping in front of his wife, the second basewoman, to record an out at second.

“It was a great play,” said Ryan Lillis. “I just hope that Kevin gets out of the dog house soon.”
Mackenzine Tysell Yamamura said she wouldn’t let the fact that Kevin will have to find a dog house to sleep in mar the good evening.

While the excitement still ran high, pitcher Erin McGuire urged the team to not get too happy with themselves.
“It was clear our opponents were a little rusty and we had an 0-8 bashing to warm up,” McGuire said. “Let’s just stay humble and see where the season takes us.”

Season of woe continues

Not with a bang, but with a whimper the slug-less Slugs fell 9-2 to Schrute Beet Farms Thursday, their fifth straight loss in the Spring campaign.

The Slugs battled gamely with solid (sometimes eye-popping) defense only to fall victim to an old nemesis: run scoring.

Kevin Yamamura chased down numerous shots in short center, while hurler Erin McGuire turned in her usual flawless game in the field.

A high point was Ryan Lillis' triple (actually it was a double and a half) that scored a run and left the usually sure-footed Lillis bloody and temporarily sprawled at the feet of the Farmers' shortstop.

The Farmer boys sent three towering shots deep over Lillis' head in left field (D-league, you say?) .

More significantly, the Slugs offense remains in winter hibernation, prompting skipper John Kepley to urge individual Slugs to take personal responsibility by going to the batting cages to find their stroke.

One wag in the coed locker room grumbled that the rest of the league appears to be getting younger (the so-called Benjamin Button factor), while the Slugs' roster follows the natural order of things.

Slugs notes: The prospect of an 0-8 campaign does not please Kepley, who noted between Marlboro Lights that a Slugs squad has never had a winless season...Lillis was listed as probable for this week's game against SoCal's after getting treatment for his knees from the team's crack medical staff....Usually loquacious lefty Ellen Chrismer was silenced by some sort of ailment, which made calling for fly balls in right problematic...Thursday's game marked a return to Luigi's after a short hiatus, but team members followed up with hard liquor at Tallac Lounge.

Slugs slide to fourth loss

The rebuilding year continues for the struggling Slugs.

But progress now is not only within reach for the lovable gastropods, it is palpable.

The bats finally came alive in game 4 of a tough Spring campaign as the club dropped a heartbreaker, 11-10, to Majority Rules. Buoyed by towering home runs from Ed "Fast Eddie" Fletcher and Ryan "Don't call me Lily" Lillis, the Slugs roared to a four-run lead but fell to some timely two-out hitting from Majority Rules in the final at-bat.

There were many positive signs: clutch pitching from Erin "I have a new tattoo" McGuire, sage back-up managing from Jim "The Quiet Man" Miller, solid line-drives from newcomer Kathy "Lefty" Fairbanks and relatively sound fielding from all concerned.

Manager John Kepley, in Kansas on a recruiting trip, planned to study game films before this week's match-up with 10 batters/10 balls.

Slugs Notes: MRI tests were negative on McGuire's spleen, plastered by a thrown softball as she made it into third base...Trainers said Ahmed "I'm back" Ortiz received non-specific "treatment" for general muscle soreness after chasing down numerous blasts in left field...The Slugs can still post a .500 record if they win out...

Slugs Spring 2009 Schedule

Slugs remaining schedule, Spring league 2009:

April 9
7:30 - 10 Batters/10 Balls

April 16
6:30 - Schrute Farm Beets

April 23
8:30 - SoCals

April 30
6:30 - Boats and Hoes

Lacking Slugs News...

Former Coach Tam has hacked into the Slugs blog to post something, anything.

"The blog shouldn't go dormant just because I skipped town," raged the former coach. "Who won the Socals game last week? How will I get all my Slugs gossip without regular updates on the blog?"

There have been no posts to the blog since August 31st, the start of the fall season.

Hoping to inspire active members of the team to get back to blogging, Keith posted this bit of inspiration.
Ready to join the team, even if he doesn't have enough teeth to take on the Luigi's crust, Charley Margolis poses in his Slugs uniform onesie. Says proud father and former Slugs infielder, Jason Margolis "we're already working on hitting the cut-off man."

All Slugs should be working to hit the cut-off man.