The Ducks are now winless in five straight after the Bandidos overcame a 3-1 deficit to win in Spring Hill last night. Bakery Square scored 2 runs in the sixth and 3 in the seventh.
South Oakland’s record is terrible, but throwback night was a success.
Bandidos missed an opportunity to go with these beauties when they settled on their new unis. Could’ve used a lowercase b in the same font for the logo.
South Oakland plays next on Sunday, 9am, at Springview Field.
Projected Starters:
Ducks: Blackstone
Bandidos: Gallagher
South Oakland looks to snap its four-game winless streak tonight against Bakery Square. The Ducks won the first two meetings 14-8 and 6-3 (8 inn.), respectively.
Tonight is throwback night. Players from each team are encouraged to wear their oldest NABA jersey to celebrate our league’s rich 17-year history.
Bad News for the Bandidos
South Oakland and South Side battled to a 5-5 tie yesterday in Elliot. The Ducks lead 5-1 early but couldn’t add to their lead. The Eagles scored two unearned runs late in the game, and South Oakland lead 5-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Eagles battled back to tie after a bunch of walks.
The Ducks failed to win another great start from Billy Welsh.
South Oakland plays next on Wednesday, 9pm, Springview Field vs Bakery Square.
Wednesday is throwback night. Both teams will wear historic NABA jerseys to celebrate our league’s illustrious 17 year history.
We got smoked. Hats off to the Eagles. They played well.
Three Ducks players were hit in the face this game. Two on defense by pretty routine batted balls with runners on base, and one baserunner on a weird attempted tag/slide into first play on an infield hit during the inning we scored all our runs. No one was seriously injured.
We are now 5-8.
Time to regroup.
Next game: Ducks at Eagles, Sunday, 12pm, at Herschel Park.
Probable starters:
Ducks: Patton?
Eagles: Horowitz
The Ducks look to rebound tonight, after back-to-back extra innings losses to Cranberry. The standings are still pretty tight, but South Oakland finds itself two games under .500 with eight games left, 2.5 games out of first. A division title is mathematically unlikely at this point.
The Eagles are 2-10, and that’s not a great record, but they shut us out earlier this year, and took us to extra innings the other time. At least tonight we are at the Duck Pond, our record is pretty good there.
We need to win some games and get on a roll before the playoffs. It would be great to get a home game in the first round if we miss out on a bye. We want to peak at the right time. Tonight is as good a time as any to start a winning streak.
Bad News for the Eagles
Game 1: Ducks 8, Cranberry: 18 (8 inn.)
Game 2: Ducks 3, Cranberry 8 (9 inn.)
South Oakland (7-7) lost 8-5 in 9 innings to Cranberry last night in Spring Hill. Once again the Ducks fought back to send the game into extra innings, only to allow several runs and lose. Stumpf hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth for Cranberry, that sealed it.
It’s not easy to lose two games in extra innings by a combined 15 runs.
We only made a couple mistakes, but we paid for them.
We probably played ourselves out of a bye this week, but we’ve been in this position before. We just need to get hot down the stretch. This is the most complete team we’ve had in years, and I think we have a good shot at a title, even without the bye.
The Ducks next game is against the Eagles next Wednesday, 9pm at Springview Field.
Probable Starters:
Ducks: Blackstone
Cran: Valenti
The Ducks look to avoid a season sweep by Cranberry tonight at the Duck Pond. Cranberry has historically been a bad matchup for us, but I don’t think they’ve ever swept us. I could be wrong. Either way, tonight is a big game. We don’t want to be two games under .500 heading into the Eagles series against their new guy who shut us out last time we faced him.
I think we are finishing up last game before we start the next one, but I’m not sure.
We may lose an extra inning game by double digit runs. That’s no small feat. Maybe we will score eleven with two outs. Monday really devolved. Still, with a win tonight we can get out of this two game set even, and jump back in the mix for a bye.
Bad News for Cranberry
Last night’s game between South Oakland and Cranberry was suspended due to the lights going out in the 8th inning. The Ducks fought back to tie the game several times after falling behind early. Cranberry scored a bunch of runs in the top of the 8th, and got themselves out on purpose to try to move the game along.
I’m not sure if this is currently ruled a tie or if it reverts to the top of the 8th. This was frustrating. We had a couple chances to win the game in the 7th, and we got some bad bounces early.
The two teams play again Wednesday at 9pm at Springview Field.
Probable Starters:
Cranberry: Germani (1-1, 12 K, ERA: 3.13)
Ducks: Welsh (1-1, 26 K, ERA: 2.95)
The Ducks open a two-game series against Cranberry tonight in Spring Hill. South Oakland needs a win to keep within striking distance of what is shaping up to be an exciting pennant race.
If you haven’t already, go vote for Player of the Decade at Cranberry’s blog. Andy does good work over there. He was an actual journalist once.
Everyone is really even this year. The Eagles have lost a couple tough games, too, or it could be even tighter.
It will be interesting to see how the first place Oilers fare when they get a bunch of games in a week. How they handle their games in hand will determine a lot. So far they’ve only lost to us and Cranberry.
Bandidos and Devils played a scorcher last night. At the halfway point of the season, Bandidos CF, Eric Friend is making a strong case for Double A MVP. He’s putting up Dustin Winston type numbers.
2020 has had an old school PGH NABA feel to it. Maybe I’m just overly nostalgic and more appreciative of this season after being stuck in my house all spring. There are all-time stats floating around, and all-decade teams. Moore Park is back in the rotation, the Carrick’s ace took a couple teammates to the Devils, and the heart and soul of the Black Sox is playing in South Oakland. All the games feel more important. I think there’s a different vibe this season. I hope we all get through it safely.
We need to make a pushThis two game series against Cranberry is big, especially if it comes down to tie-breakers at the end of the year.
We always play well at the Duck Pond. Springview is in the best shape of her life.
Bad News for the Crusaders
I told Andy I’d help out with this since I’ve been playing for a long time and know a lot of guys who have played in the league since 2010. He’s put a lot of work into this.
Andy is raffling off a Tyler Boyd signed ball. If you go to Cranberry’s blog and vote, you’ll have a chance to win it.
We realized the Hurricanes folded in 2011. Should they be represented? I think so, but Andy disagrees. I concede the point as , but they were really good. Stupka had the best curve ball I’ve ever seen. Rafalski became a meme he was so dominant, and Joyner was arguably the best shortstop in the league for the three or four years he played. So while they won’t be on the ballot, they should be noted. I think there’s a write-in space. RIP Fightin’ Rafalskis.
There also was no team of the 00s, which would have been interesting. Personally, my favorite NABA years were 2008 and 2009. Our two winningest seasons in 2010 and 2011 were too stressful. The feel of 09 came back in 2014, but was again killed when we went to three divisions. It didn’t die a quick death, rather it was smothered to the point I handed over the reins. Now it’s fun again. This year, despite the masks, has been fun. Pardon the digression.
Andy reached out to all the former managers for their nominations, and I helped him fill in the blanks when they didn’t respond. When I couldn’t think of anyone, I picked my friends and eventual teammates. I’m sure I missed some guys.
Cranberry had a few more years in AAA this decade. I really only know guys from 2010-13. My choices are going to be biased. I can’t’ name one player from Jefferson Hills. They all looked the same when we played them, and hit rockets over my head in the OF.
Here is the list that will be on the ballot over at Cranberrys’ blog.
I can probably give more names of players on teams that no longer exist, or merged into new teams. Like Don Stetzer. All-time great for the Phantoms. I think they folded in like 2008 or maybe became another team. Then he went to the Warriors. Who is the best Cherokee player of all time? I don’t know, but I enjoyed playing with some of those guys as Ducks. I’ll vote for someone I know. Though, McNeil probably has the best stats of anyone whose played in the league when we’ve had the most talent in AAA overall.
We will take the top vote-getter from each team and then fill in with the lineup in ascending order of most to least votes.
I don’t know anyone in Single A, except Craig Boley who is easily the choice for the Warriors, despite his lack of nomination. He is the ultimate Warrior.
So check out Cranberry’s blog. I’ll post about this again.
Quack.
South Oakland Ducks Baseball 