Undefeated!

Holy Toledo! 

We just keep getting better, team! Last week we didn't lose, and this week we straight-up won. By my count, that makes us undefeated, even if there is an array of potential future multiverses where we end up losing what was technically the first game of the season. It's not how you start, but how you finish. And for the purpose of a little-read blog headline, it's when you finish. 

Softball is Serious Business.

A heck of a well-earned victory, too. The Force was not with the Franklin Institute on Monday night, as they never seriously threatened after the first inning and and lost by a final tally of 13-3. Buoyed by the return of the injured Mr. Schwartz to the sidelines and his rousing motivational cry of "Everybody hits!" (whatever that means) the Tambourines burst out to a five run lead in the top of the first inning as we nearly batted around (maybe that's what it means).  A couple runs came at the expense of some shaky Franklin defense --I assume they must have been rattled by the rally tambourine raising a ruckus with every crack of the bat. 

Adorable.

The game wasn't over that quickly, as the Force responded in the bottom half, scoring two quick runs and making it clear that they did not intend to go meekly into the dusk. We managed to shut down that threat without further damage, and after two quick outs to start the second, Rafter and Mac hit back to back home runs to restore the lead to five. We never looked back. Our defense was again solid as we allowed just one more run in the six remaining innings. Props to the infield, which handled balls on the ground despite an unforgiving (to put it mildly) turf and even ranged into the shallow outfield to rob hits on a few in-betweeners (looking at you, Adam and Dusty). A commendation to DK for her business-casual catch on a foul pop behind the plate, and much respect to Adam for a solid pitching performance after last week's emergency relief couldn't make it to the game (Everybody Pitches!). 

Everybody Hits!

Everybody feel good about themselves? Satisfied with getting a win? Happy about playing some quality softball?

No Franklin Force player was hurt in the making of this out. We think.

STOP. It's time for some real talk and tough love - we've had a nice couple of outings, but we are not ready for prime time, not yet, and we showed it in this game. Sure, we can field. Great, we strung some hits together and pushed across a bunch of runs. Fantastic, we won the game. I'm here to tell you that to anyone who was paying attention out there, it was crystal clear that TFI was - by far - the better prepared and the best-performing team on the field in one critical regard: they had beer. Multiple kinds of beer. Cans of Perpetual IPA for quality taste and enjoyment, PBR for rehydration in the late innings. They had options, we had nothing. While we were wetting our dry throats and cracked lips with candy-colored gatorade and plain insipid H2O, the Force was gaily tipping back cold, delicious, nourishing  hop-flavored barley elixirs. I'm not going to claim that beer is necessary to sustain life itself - although it undoubtedly helps - but I'm pretty sure it's required for a hale and hearty softball team.

I'm so thirsty.

I'm not calling out anyone in particular - I showed up empty handed myself, and I'm not proud of it. Let's all just agree to never let it happen again.

NEXT WEEK: DOUBLEHEADER! DOUBLE FUN!

Monday, 4/28 - Edgeley #4 vs. the South Philly Tap Room
Tuesday, 4/29 - Edgeley #8 vs. the Pen & Pencil Club

We are the home team for both matches, which means we have last ups - and we might need 'em. If we're going to remain undefeated, we've got to be at the top of our game against two clubs that finished third and second in the league last year, respectively. Ain't no thing. Let's shock the world CCSL.

Like I said, Adorable.