Undefeated! (In the playoffs / since Dusty got engaged)

Recap: CCSL Play-Offs, Opening Round vs. NCC

Great win last night! We played NCC in what could reasonably be termed our first meaningful game of the CCSL season, given that every team made the playoffs this year and thus the regular season provided little but fodder for inflating egos. Not that there is anything wrong with egos, per se - and I'm sure ours are fatter than they deserve to be, at least if our regular season record is anything to go by. But the win-loss records are out the door now, and all we earned for our 8th spot in the standings was last ups in the first round of the CCSL postseason, a match-up of the #8 and #9 seeds playing for a crack at the league's top team in Round 2.

We know that NCC understood the stakes. Rumors were flying before the game that they were fed up with losing to a jangly musical instrument, that they were out to revenge earlier defeats. Early on I thought perhaps they might be cracking under the intense pressure of the moment, as their catcher began giggling uncontrollably at the thought of Harry showing us "his wizard." But she, and the team, quickly regained composure and stayed focused right through the finish of a hard-fought game. (For our again-absent Russian photographer: "Giggity.")

We'll always have the memories. And the scars.

Followers of the NCC Rising Suns facebook page - and if you're reading this blog, why wouldn't you be one? - have already seen a recap of the action. It was strikingly similar to the last game we played against them. Again tied at three after four innings, NCC again took the lead with a three run inning, only this time it was in the 5th and not the 6th. TGT again responded immediately in the bottom half with our own rally, except this time we batted around and scored seven runs instead of four, with Special Sauce a.k.a. Instant Offense getting it started with a three-run jimmy-jack. NCC again failed to score in the ensuing inning, and while in our last meeting that was the end of the game, this time there was an inning and a half to go.

I confess that we were feeling pretty good on the TGT sideline with a 10-6 lead and only three NCC outs away from the first play-off victory under the Green Tambourine banner. And that might have been our downfall, if not for some unfortunate errors by NCC that allowed three more runs across in the bottom of the 6th. However, the Rising Suns were not prepared to set for the season just yet, and unleashed a furious last-ditch rally that saw five runs score and the top of the order come to the plate representing the tying run. We luckily diffused the drama and secured the final out, and are moving on to face the South Philly Nomads.

Cones are the new bunny ears.

Hats off and tambourine rattles for NCC, who proved to be fair and worthy opponents yet again.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	TOTAL
NCC	0	3	0	0	3	0	5	11
TGT	1	0	2	0	7	3	--	13

Final Score: TGT 13, NCC 11
NEXT GAME is TONIGHT! vs. the NOMADS at Edgeley #8. It's WIN or GO HOME, so COME OUT!

Shout-out to Bob Ford for a well-umpired game.