The South Oakland Ducks of the North Side take on Elliott in a series that once again has the top two teams from the Monongahela division represented. We were 0-3 this season against these guys and could have won all 3. Our bats need to heat up again to keep this going and we have practice tomorrow 7pm at Springview to do it.
quack
In a battle of formidable foes, two of the premier pitchers in the NABA faced off at Joe Graff a.k.a. Volunteer Field. I have been playing baseball for a long time and this is one of the best games I have ever been apart of. The Ducks of old would be proud as we committed 0, that’s right 0 errors. Not even Berdine could Faff it up. Tish was a master on the mound against a great Hurricane lineup and our offense picked up where it left off and gave him a huge early cushion against a very good pitcher.
The top of the first went smoothly, Tish didn’t allow a baserunner until the 5th. The Ducks faced off against Rafalski throwing from the top of Mt. Everest and kept up the hot bats, scoring 4 of the first 5 to come to the plate and 6 overall in the bottom of the first. Lipp lined a ball in the hole to lead it off, advancing to second on T.J.’s single up the middle, and ending up at third after a botched ball by the Hurricane’s third baseman. I guessed right and started early to send a fastball to the left centerfield fence to score two and end up on second.
After watching this video I sent Gwin the following text…
July 25, 2011 12:46 PM I think we we win 2-0 berdine hits a bomb with flip on
With Flip on third, Berdine demolished a 1-0 slider over the high right centerfield at Volunteer into the trees, I got a chub. The feathered ones of South Oakland didn’t stop there. With two outs Ben “Benedict” Gwin rifled a single into right followed by Kenny Cool and then Tim Lipp’s second single of the inning, finally scoring on a Raflaski walk to Zarewicz.
Ducks 6 Hurricanes 0
The second inning only saw three batters a side, but in the third the Ducks broke through for our 7th and final run. I hit the ball harder for an out to start off this inning than I did for my double in the first so I can’t be too upset, and only Fletch saw that the throw was offline and my lack of hustle cost us a baserunner… I owe him laps. Baumgartel and Berdine stayed hot with singles and Gwin wore a 90 mph fastball on the right shoulder to load the bases with 2 outs. Kenny Cool worked a fast ball count and swung early, sending a spinner out in front of the mound, Rafalski bobbled, fondled, and juggled the ball for a hustle E-1 and another Duck run.
Ducks 7 Hurricanes 0
The rest of the game was dominated by pitching and Duck defense. The only runner to reach second was Rafalski after a two out double, and one of the Hurricane’s 4 baserunners was thrown out at second on a strike em’ out, throw em’ out double play in the 6th. The last out was recorded as Holloway grounded out to Tish and the Ducks shutout the Hurricanes for the third time this season.
Some important facts about the Ducks this season.
-We shutout teams 12 times this season
-Elliot is second with 7
-We have outscored our opponents 22-0 in our two playoff games
-With 45 posts last time I checked, the last post was the most popular I have ever seen and it was a blurry playoff bracket and large Duck penis reference.
The Bulldogs beat us 14-1 and tore Whalen’s leg open in the first game of the year, they have outscored us 14-2. Pitching will be key, defense will be imperative, offense will be crucial. If South Oakland plays the way they have in the last two games, we won’t need a game 3. The bark of the Bulldogs vs. the quack of the Ducks this Saturday, venue and time TBA. Rob Cool is still gay.
this couldn’t have worked out any worse for us.
here is the schedule.
i have no idea how to even try to get our game friday moved. but that would be great.
As of now, we need a shortstop for the first two games.
none of this is joe’s fault he’s been working hard with little help to make this a worthwhile endeavor.
who is this saxonburg team?
Friday, September 4th, 2009
6PM @ Pullman Park – Debos vs. Portage 6PM@ Highfield ( Lower Field) – Ducks vs. Saxonburg 6PM@ Highfield ( Upper Field) – Sto Rocks vs. PittsburghSaturday, September 5th, 2009
10AM@ Pullman Park – Butler vs. Freeport 10AM@ Highfield (Lower Field) – Clancy’s vs. winner of Debos vs. Portage 10AM@ Highfield (Upper Field) – Rochester vs. winner of the Pgh. Vs. Hurricanes 10AM@ BCCC – Pirates vs. winner of the Saxonburg vs. DucksI recieved an “unoficial” bracket and it is rediculous – i won’t post it until it is final – it is set up in a manner that would potentially have teams playing 3 or 4 games in one day and the HR Derby interfering with some games, which doesn’t make much since as we have field times spanning 4 days but whatever, this is what we have now.
if we beat saxonburg we play saturday at 10am on Saturday against the Dunnless Pirates, if we lose game 1 we play at 12pm on Saturday and will have to win that game to force a double header and a 3pm game.
if we go win-lose
we play saturday at 3pm and have to win to force a 6pm game. which would be 3 games in one day.
unbelievable.
if we go win-win
we play saturday night at 7pm
let’s hope this get tweaked a bit.
Sunday, September 6th
Continuation of Tournament – Times and Location TBD
Monday, September 7th
Continuation of Tournament – Times and Location TBD
Via Commish’s email…
The Steel City Tournament has merged with the Butler Eagle County Tournament…
The new fee is $650 (down from $750), and we are now guaranteed 5 7-inning games (35 innings, up from 27 – details below). Individual teams will be getting more for less than what the SCC could have offered.
Please set aside 30 minutes on 9/3 at 6pm for a quick, but important meeting.
Here are the details of the tournament (lengthy, but important…. please read in its entirety):
Saturday, August 29, 2009 – Manager’s Meeting – 2PM – Pullman Park
I will submit the entry fee ($400) on behalf of each team. I would recommend you send a representative from your team as pools will be draw at this time. 3 Pools of 4 teams. Top 2 teams from each Pool make playoffs.
Friday, September 4, 2009 – First Day of Tournament
Games begin at 6PM and will be held at Pullman Park, Highfield, and Butler County Community College.
Saturday, September 5, 2009 – Second Day of Tournament
Games TBA – Played all Day
HR Derby at 3PM at Pullman Park – Teams must send two (2) representatives. Championship round of HR Derby will begin at 4:30PM.
Sunday, September 6, 2009 – Third Day of Tournament
Top-6 teams will make the finals and will enter into a double elimination tournament and the championship game will be on Monday at 1PM.
Prizes: RLC Bats, BWP Bats (Provided by PIttsburgh NABA); Championship T-shirts (Provided by Pittsburgh NABA)
Bad News for Butler.
::EDIT::
Ducks, this is your manager speaking. I will be up north in beautiful meadville this weekend. I need someone to represent the Ducks at this meeting. I also have some cash and checks at my house that need to get to Joe. It would be nice if someone who will be at the scrimmage tomorrow can take them to him. I can leave them in an envolope in my mailbox if that helps.
McCray and Fago went yard.
KT and Casale had at least 5 hits apiece.
Coby and TC had key hits to spark rallies and drive in runs.
it was a great weekend of baseball.
the ducks thank the teams in Erie for the free baseball.
this recap doesn’t count someone else please recap.
quack.
Can he go on 0 days rest?
Will Kenny Powers finally pitch to help out the depleted Sox staff?
Click on the above link.
If you want the circle jerk of the century check out the Gray Bats Team Awards post on their now fully functional blog.
Sox-Owlz at Moore Park tomorrow night.
winning coach can post a recap if they want, same with the series winning coach.
Canes Warriors play tomorrow as well don’t know when or where but its not Moore apparently.
Quack.
Since 2004 the team that has won game one of the 3 game series has gone on to win 78.3% of the time, according to Pete Chalfin.
The ’04 Ducks lost in the Conference finals to the Sox after taking game 1.
Game 2 will pit pitcher of the year candidate Scott Dunn against potentially J.T. Slavicek or whomever else the Sox have.
The Sox have got to be thin on pitching, mayeb we’ll get an appearance from the greatest pitcher in the history of organized baseball.
The Sox’s lefty pitched well.
neither of these team names can be made into possessive plurals.
the conclusion to this game was not forgone, apparently.
Words were exchanged after the game between two of the best players in the series.
Feel the hatred.
Winner of tomorrow’s game and of the series can email me a recap for posting if they want.
Updates from the western conference are welcome also.
***
I’m still sick to my stomach about Sunday’s loss.
Just fucking gut-wrenching.
Ill have a season recap after the finals.
Jones will have some team awards.
My picks for Ducks Awards:
MVP: Castle
Offensive player of the year: Captain America
Co-Pitchers of the year: Fletch/Invisible Hand
Defensive Player of the Year: Jesse Smith
Coby is probably hard at work right now on his recap.
The Ducks are in the process of getting our roster set for our trip to Erie for 3 free baseball games at the former home of the Erie Sailors, who when I saw them as a kid were the minor league affiliate of the Marlins, and seeking sponsors for our labor day tournament team.
Expect a call from the good Dr.
Quack.
3pm
The winner will play whomever wins the 5:30 game between the Owlz and Confederacy in the conference finals.
We have a chance to eliminate the Black Sox.
We will face Chalfin again.
The Ducks will start Guthrie or Smith.
We have another great opportunity this afternoon.
we will be a bit short-handed, we need to be better than the sum of our parts today.
3pm, LaRoche College.(Directions)
Ducks (0-0) vs, Gray Bats (0-0)
Projected Starters: Depo vs. Sorosky
“When we got to the ballpark, we knew we were going to win. That’s all there was to it. we weren’t cocky. I wouldn’t call it confidence either. We just knew. Like when you go to sleep you know the sun is going to come up in the morning.”
The name of the game is Thunder Dome
two men enter one man leaves
Rumors that LaRoche College has been traded for field prospects for the 2012 season are unsubstantiated.
The regular season may have been “meaningless” but the playoffs aren’t.
Depo on the hill
Bad News for the Gray Bats
Quack.
South Oakland Ducks Baseball 