By DJ Dave Hoffenberg
In sports, there is the Madden curse, the Sports Illustrated curse, and now the Mountain Times curse. After making headlines in the paper last week as the hottest team, Sushi Rolls is now the coldest team. The team changed its name from Chinese Gourmet, so I guess it’s fitting, because they rolled their way to two straight losses.
Sushi started out great in its first game against FCFSMBC, with three straight hits leading to two runs before an out. They put runners on the corners, but two straight “Cold Milk K’s” by Jimmy Mee and Jaxon Smith ended the inning. FCFSMBC also put its first three batters on before Mike “Bouff” Bouffard suffered a “Cold beer K.” The next six batters reached base and almost hit through the order which led to an 8-2 lead. Both teams’ bats went cold after hot starts. Sushi could only muster one hit the next three innings until the fifth, when they got one run. FCFSMBC got a few more runs in that span including Evan Anderson’s second homer of the game. Bouff also added his second “CBK.” Things got exciting in the sixth when Sushi got six runs to cut the lead to one, 10-9. Unfortunately for them, FCFSMBC also fired up its bats with an Anderson Grand Slam. Sushi went down 1-2-3 to end the game with a 14-9 loss. Anderson is player of the game going three-for-three with three home runs, five RBI and 3 runs scored.
That was the second game of a doubleheader for FCFSMBC. They first played in a seesaw battle with Karrtel who took a 2-1 first inning lead. The second inning saw FCFSMBC take the lead 5-2 and the Karrtel’s Luke Carey suffer a “CBK.” Those were plentiful in the third after Johnny Sharpe and Bobby Dederer went back-to-back for FCFSMBC and then Nate Gilman for Karrtel. FCFSMBC stretched its lead 6-2. Karrtel went on a tear in the fourth and fifth, scoring eight for a 10-6 lead. They each got two in the sixth so the Karrtel got the 12-8 victory.
FCFSMBC and the Clear battled for first place in the rubber match of their series. The Clear brought in the big guns for this battle with Nate “Cookie” Cook, playing in his first-ever league game and Gordy Mitchell, who retired five years ago after winning two titles. Both teams started flat and the Clear’s “Tall” Tom Gilligan suffered a rare “CBK.” The Clear started the scoring in the second after Brando Remick and Hunter Pike each drove in a run. They had a chance for more, loading the bases, but “Cookie” grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning. “Tall” Tom redeemed himself in the third with a nice looking sac and Judd Washburn got a RBI for a 4-0 lead. That lead shrunk in the bottom after FCFSMBC put three on the board. Pike drove in Mitchell in the fourth to stretch the lead 5-3. Chris Major and Sharpe drove in runs to tie the game. They had a chance for the lead, but Max Elles “CBK’d” to end the inning. Washburn and “Tall” Tom hit back-to-back homers to break the tie, 8-5. Max Rowe had a nice looking sac in the fifth for a run. Mitchell erased that, scoring in the sixth. FCFSMBC put its first two batters on, but Sharpe hit into an inning-ending double play. The Clear welcomed back Angel Shannon from the DL and both he and “DJ” Dave Hoffenberg got singles to start the seventh. Two quick outs kept them there, but Washburn blasted a shot for a three-run homer. “Tall” Tom hit one next to go back-to-back again. Jackie Blue Livesey ended the inning with a rare “CBK” looking. FCFSMBC had no answer and fell 13-5.
Sushi Rolls ended its week with the most web gems in a single game in league history, but lack of offense did them in. This was a Sushi vs. Sushi battle. S.R. started with runners on the corners but couldn’t get the ball out of the infield and Bailey Peters suffered a “CMK” in the first. McGrath’s Sushi played a man short and it didn’t faze them. They took a 5-0 lead after Nate Mispel showed his power and the power of the Lord with a rare home run. What’s more amazing is that it was a grand slam. S.R. got two back in the second and put runners on second and third, but stranded them there after Dalton Hotchkiss “CMK’d” to end the inning. S.R’s sweet defense was displayed in the second and third when they shut down M.S. 1-2-3 and included in there were two home runs robbed with diving web gem catches over the fence. Peters also delivered a “CBK” to “Bus” Bob Schaffner. Jimmy Mee scored for S.R. in the fourth to cut the deficit to two. Another web gem robbery kept two runs off the board for M.S., but they put the game out of reach with six runs in the fifth. All S.R. could muster the rest of the way was two runs and two “CMK’s” to Smith and John Gatto to suffer the 12-5 loss. Curses are real.
SCHEDULE:
Monday, July 8
Sushi Rolls vs. Clear River Tavern at Killington 5:50 p.m.
Karrtel vs. Sushi Rolls at Killington 7 p.m.
Wednesday, July 10
Karrtel vs. FCFSMBC at Killington 5:50 p.m.
McGraths Sushi vs. Clear River Tavern at Killington 7 p.m.
Michelob Ultra sponsored party with drink specials and giveaways at McGrath’s Irish Pub, 8 p.m.
STANDINGS:
1. Clear River Tavern 6 -2
2. First Chair First Stop Moshers Base Camp 6-4
3. Sushi Rolls 4-5
4. Karrtel 3-5
5. McGrath’s Sushi 3-6
