More Lions, MSL 2007 Season
We started the game knowing a win would give us the title with the Titans having already forfeited what would have been our last league game. The pressure showed a little in the first couple of innings when we conceded a 2-1 lead but after that we steam rollered a gallant but outclassed Ardvarkx team. Bev and Rob, the golden couple of Division 3, both homered. Nhan, Tom and Will were all perfect at the plate, and we played well as a team in the field yet again to end the league season in style.
MVP (male): Rob
MVP (female):Bev
A tired more Lions side kept their nerve and eaked out a narrow victory against the Bees. Ed pitched well and also hit a home run. Jutta went 3 for 3 on debut as well as making an important late stop in the field. Darrell made an excellent diving catch to highlight his excellent performance at short stop. Bev hit the ball hard with no luck. Sally ran the bases well. Dave hit well but had a night to forget with the glove.
MVP (male): Darrell
MVP (female):Jutta
After a tight start the more Lions gradually pulled away from a Peelers side that kept fighting until the end.
A scratchy batting performance meant that we never found the big innings that would have allowed us to relax.
Will was the best of the men with the bat, going 3 for 3 with some impressive blows. Sally also looked good at the plate and showed a nifty turn of pace round the bases. Emma got a couple more base hits and is looking more assured with each game that passes. Adam homered again in another impressive performance.
MVP (male): Will
MVP (female): Sally (yawn !)
We recovered from a 5-1 1st innings deficit to win a tight game against the Thunder. Adam led the game off with a homer and then pitched well after a shaky (and slippy) start, Gary pulled us back into the game in the 4th with an enormous home run, Rob also homered. Manda was brilliant in the field. Will hit the ball hard and Sally won the purple heart award, going 2 for 3 at the plate the day after being concussed at practice. Things looked dicey when we only had a one run lead in the bottom of the 7th, especially after Karl hit a lead off double which was followed by a walk but a double play on a come backer to the pitcher put us right back into the game and we then soon wrapped up a well deserved win.
All the best to Kim who was playing her last league game for us as she is moving away.
MVP (male): Gary
MVP (female): Sally
We repaired last week's damage to the batting averages with a workmanlike win over an outclassed Vipers team. Highlights were Home Runs to Pete, Manda, Rob and Darrell, whilst Will (3/3) and Dave (4/4) had perfect nights at the plate. Pete recorded several strike outs in a fine pitching effort, the infield looked efficient and the outfield had very little to do. Emma marked her debut with two base hits.
MVP (male): Rob
MVP (female): Manda
All those weeks of loose living (below) caught up with us as we were well beaten by a strong Mets team.
We looked rusty after our 3 week break. The Mets played very well and also got the bounce of the ball at some important times. Despite not being at our best we kept plugging away throughout the game and defensively kept things under some kind of control throughout.
There were highlights to enjoy. Pete got a home run. Bev was excellent at second. Fi and Nhan got outs with nifty catches. Sally and Nhan also showed the rest of us how to bat, whilst Fi and Kim also showed how they are improving each week at the plate.
MVP (male): Hmmm...
MVP (female): Sally
Pete is King of the Pins !!
So off to the pub ! No Smoke !! Hurrah !!!
It was defence that was to the fore this week as we downed an under strength Clangers team in this top of the table clash.
Pete put in an awesome pitching display and coupled that with a perfect
day with the bat. Manda put in her normal polished performance. Bev hit well
and made a couple of nice plays at second. Gary got his weekly home run.
Lien looked really good on debut. Rob was 3 for 3 with the bat and looked classy at short. Tom hit well with no luck at all
and the outfield played well as a unit. Everyone contributed again in a fine
team performance.
MVP (male): Pete
MVP (female): Bev
An avalanche of runs swept the Aardvarx away, we scored in every innings with at least 3 runs in 6 of the 7. Dave, Rob and Pete went 6 for 6 at the plate, with Manda 5 for 6 and Sally and Nhan 4 for 6 leading the way for the women. Gary knocked in another 2 homers (yawn !)
Thanks to Siv and Cassie for guesting in our hour of need.
MVP (male): Gary
MVP (female): Sally
The skipper showed the kids how it's done in the bottom of the 7th with a bases loaded, 2 out, 2 strike line drive that scored 2 runs and snatched a win that had looked unlikely for most of the game. We got off to a slow start, with the bats stone cold, though we kept plugging away in the field with more determination than luck until a 6 run innings, high lighted by Gary's home run, brought us right back into the game at 10-11. It was nip and tuck the rest of the way but in the end we pulled off another good win, this one against a Bees side with lots of experience.
MVP (male): Gary
MVP (female): Nhan
Despite two big innings we seemed flat all the way through this game, and never managed to tie down a lead against a Peelers team that produced some big hits when it mattered to grab the win. Pete won the purple heart award for staying in the game after being plugged by a come backer that hit his pitching arm. Gary and Kim made their league debuts with Gary hitting the first of what will be many homers. Manda also homered and we hit well as a team, but we gave away too many outs to win.
MVP (male): Gary
MVP (female): Manda
For the first two innings we played like a team of veterans and a 15-1 defecit was always going to be too much for a Thunder side who to their credit kept plugging away and took the game into the 7th.
Once again a commited defensive display matched by some strong batting throughout the order gave us the win. There weren't any real stand out indvidual performances this week, rather it was the good play of the whole team that meant we again put in an improved performance.
MVP (male): Rob
MVP (female): Manda (with some tough competition from Bev).
Our best performance yet gave us a victory against a strong Mets AAA team. Pete and Rob were strong again in the field, Nhan took another sparkling outfield catch, and whole of the team batted well. There were some disappointments, Manda made her second out of the season, and Rob hit only one home run this week, but we rose above these set backs to grab the win. The biggest thing though was that we played as a team.
Thanks to Kfir for umpiring and to Adam and Lee for base coaching.
MVP (male): Pete
MVP (female): Nhan
We chalked up a second win, and this one without any buddy players !
Rob highlighted the batting with a 2 homer display, followed by the skipper
(who has now doubled last years home run total already) and Manda with a
shot down the left field line. Best player in the field was Pete, who was
solid in his pitching debut - on a sloping pitch that others have struggled
on in the past - and fielded his position like a demon. Nhan took a fine
catch in left centre, Rob and Bev put in strong performances in the middle
of the infield.
MVP (male): Rob
MVP (female): Manda
Two weeks into the season and we have a win ! There were lots of strong performances, Manda showed how much she will add to the team, Rob hit the first of many home runs, Sally went 3 for 3 at the plate, and Dave showed how easy it is to play 2nd base.
The buddies played their part with home runs for Ed and Darrell and a solid overall performance from Gill but it was the rookies who deserve the Glory:
MVP (male): Rob
MVP (female): Sally
The More Lions made their league debut in a pleasant game against the Clangers. Pete, a softballer for less than a week, impressed again at short and Bev, equally new to the sport looked solid at first. Darrell added some experience and a long home run. We played well in patches but the extra experience of the Clangers won through in the end.
Dave remembered to get money off most people, but forgot the team photo, possibly just as well though as Sally hadn't done her hair !
MVP (male): Pete
MVP (female): Bev