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.