Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Burrrrrrrr, baby, it's cold outside, for Florida.

The 20 AL, ballplayers, who braved the harsh weather conditions to play softball at the ball park today, were bundled up. We played ball for love of the game today. It was so cold that playing a hockey game, instead of a softball game, might have been the better choice of sport action. It was so cold today that the hitchhikers I passed, on the way to the ball park, were holding up pictures of thumbs. It was so cold outside Freddy Gonzalez rode a dog sled to the game.

 

In honor of the hockey like, winter weather, I dubbed the teams after two NHL franchises. The Visiting team was the Tampa Lightning: Rivera, Hartley, Witmer, Toro, Angel, Shaffer, Coffman, Vanderberg, Wells and LoPiccolo made up this frozen squad. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Home Team, had these chilly players: Gonzalez, Hill, Scarbrough, Wilshire, Constantine, Pepin, Matta, Benson, Leversque and Ambrosse.

 

The first three innings, or period 1, to use a hockey term, belonged to the Penguins. They scored 9 runs against the Lightning’s 3 runs. Gonzalez, Hill, Scarbrough, Wilshire, Constantine, Leversque and Ambrose all buried the puck in the back of the net during that time.

 

The wind, blowing from right to left field, was doing some strange things to the ball. The hard hit fly balls to right and center field, hung up for easy catches. Sporadically, a pop fly that would have been a routine fly out, would fall in for a hit because of the wind. Meanwhile, the pitchers were both battling the wind and using it as an aid, to get a wind-blown strike.

 

In the 2nd period, or the middle three innings, the Visiting team, Lightning, heated up their cold bats. They scored 5 runs, every inning, in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings. Rivera, Witmer Angel, Vanderberg, Wells and LoPiccolo all had hat tricks. In this case, that means they were all 3/ 3 during those middle innings. Despite all the scoring by the Visiting team, they could not ice the game, the Home team refused to give up the lead. Freddy Gonzalez had a hat trick of his own, to help keep the Penguins team ahead. The players around him also added some slap shots for scores,  getting a few timely hits. After 6 innings the score was Lighting: 18- Penguins 20.

 

The final period, the last three innings, would decide the game. Although the weather warmed up a few degrees, by this point in the game, the bats cooled down. Neither team was able to mount much of an offensive charge. The Visitors put 2 on the scoreboard and the home team added 1 score. That one run, scored by Ron Pepin, off a Ray Leversque hit, in the 8th inning, proved to be the game winner for the Home team. Final Score: Lightning: 20- Penguins: 21.

 

After today's cold game we can all agree that ice is nice, but heat is sweet, when it comes to playing softball.

 

WP: Matta

Lightning hitting stars:

Rivera 5/6.

Witmer: 5/6.

Angel: 4/6

Shaffer: 5/6.

Vanderberg: 4/6.

Wells: 3/6.

LoPiccolo: 3/6.

Hartley: 3/6.

Toro: 3/6 with a double.

Penguins hitting stars:

Gonzalez: 4/5, with two triples.

Hill: 4/ 5.

Scarbrough: 4/5 with a triple.

Constantine: 3/5.

Pepin: 4/5.

Matta: 3 / 4 and a walk

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