Well Praise The Lord!! Merci beacoup to the Softball Gods!! Team Geritol won the Grateful Red Tournament on June 8/9.
Richard Nixon was still in office the last time we won a tourney. We had not yet landed on the moon and wild poodles roamed the earth. Gas was 39 cents a gallon and gay meant happy. Okay, perhaps I am exaggerating, but it has been a couple of years.
Here are some of the details about our return to the winners circle.
Saturday was round robin play. We won 1 game and lost 2. Yikes, an inauspicious beginning. We played 3 tough teams, Avalon from Spokane, Rhino and Slumpbusters from Missoula.
We lost to Avalon 18-17
Lost to Slumpbusters 24-9
Beat Rhino 21-19.
This earned us the 6th seed in a 7 team tournament.
Sunday we:
Beat Avalon 24-23
Beat Rhino 22-10
Beat Slumpbusters 22-1 in the Championship game??? Go figure. You graciously accept the good games and try to develop a handy case of intentional amnesia for the bad ones. Well, we do try to learn something from our losses, and throw the rest away. A softball version of the "Catch and Release" philosophy. Kind of like James Stokes picking all the M&M's out of the Trail Mix, while munging the raisins and nuts he leaves for the rest of us. We know where his hands have been and it gives us practice blocking out bad thoughts...and buying M&M-free Trail Mix.
Sunday was an anomoly in that we started hitting early in each of our games and continued to hit throughout all three. Our first game of the day, against Avalon,was a one run victory in a high scoring game, against a team we had not beaten in our 3 or 4 previous contests. One of those milestones/developmental steps forward. You know, one of those wins that takes you to your "happy place."
Our second game Sunday was against a very good Rhino team. Once again we were home team and and started off hot and stayed hot. We had a 10 run 1st inning and an 8 run 2nd inning. The Softball Gods were smiling on us for whatever the reason. They liked the colors orange and pink that day.
The Championship game was against Slumpbusters and our record against them is similar to our record against Avalon. These guys won State C two years ago and have flat out, had our number. I feel safe in saying what happened in this game, will not happen again. While it was a great win for us, it was also a freak win, in that we won this game 22-1 in 3 innings and uhm.....that is a bit like When Monty the Griz mascot makes one of those half court, one handed, back to the basket, trick shots. It is possible, but not very dang likely. Needless to say, we will be wearing orange and pink on Sundays for awhile.
Playing with Geritol this weekend were David, Meet the Felkers, Patrick Hiller, Andrew Wisconsin, Ambu-Lance Horner, Alex Keffler, Tracy Elam, Blake HoneyMoon, Brandon and Mitch Thompson, Zilla Dimmitt, and James Stinky-Stokes. They all played great team ball. Guys played hurt. Patrick broke his thumb, in the semi-final game, making a diving catch in the outfield and continued to play. No more outfield for Patrick. Tracy pulled a groin, David made a successful return from a long stay on the disabled list, Alex earned an All-Star shirt for his play at 3rd base, with his floppy old Rawlings glove with the Mizuno web. Mitch Thompson played outfield on Saturday and flawless 2nd base on Sunday, earning an All Star shirt for his all around play. Blake HoneyMoon and Patrick earned the other two All Star awards. While these four players were very deserving; we could easily have passed out 11 All Star shirts as they all starred this weekend. Andrew led the team in hitting with a 20-25 performance. Thanks to the team for how well they played and for the positive mindset despite Saturday's struggles. Thanks to Von Richter, Rod Jackson, and Kenny Miotke for putting on a great tourney....and I'm not saying that just because we won.