Orange Cat fell out of the Tree upon Hearing the News!
All Hillbillies Contribute to Overcome Odds and Beat Gannets!
In a season that has included losses by 20-plus runs and dramatic victories against teams of high calibre (read Chapps), this team has solidified itself as an odds-makers nightmare. After a strong finish in each of the two previous Phoenix Cups, the Hillbilly Nation was poised to watch their Hawaiian heroes hit heights never before seen by this relatively new franchise. But now, after playing eight games they sit at 0.500, good for 7th in the league. And yet before yesterday they had triumphed over every team that they had faced that sat above them in the standings with the exception of the 6th place Chemists and the league-leading Gannets. Still though this team finds the confidence to swagger. Buoyed by their tournament performances after less than stellar seasons this team knows that it’s the games in August that matter, not those in June and July. That being said our Hillbillies are coming off a game in which the stifling moonshine defence once again carried them to victory over new comers Norwegian Blues by a score of 10 – 1. In fact with a few notable exceptions the trademark Hillbilly defence has been its strong self for the majority of the season. “I think that once we get our bats going,” veteran Triple-T. had said in an earlier interview, “this team will be very hard to beat.” Captain Ron has also been quoted as saying that “this may be the best defensive team that I’ve been a part of, we just need to find the sticks and put it all together. He He He Phoenix Cup Baby!!!” So it was that the surging Hawaiian Hillbillies took the field on a gorgeous Hamilton evening to face their arch nemesis, the Rock All Gannets.
The hometown Hillbillies took to the field first. There was a calm in the air tonight. A 7:00 game by the Billies simply translates into no lights and the defence was loose and limber. In a workmanlike performance the Hillbillies held the offensive juggernaut to a mere three runs. The Old (or is it Bigger) Unit led of the home half with a single before being advanced by Captain Ron and scored on a double by the Stink, both of whom were driven in before the end of the inning on The Big Blazin’ Unit’s double to right. At the end of the first the game was knotted at three. The Billies were beginning to believe that they could hang with the league leading Gannets. In a defensively dominated second the Gannets cashed in a run and the Billies were held scoreless. Again in the third the Moonshine defence held firm allowing the Gannets only two runs. The Billies countered in their half of the third cashing in Triple T and The Bigger Unit to keep the Gannets lead to one. It was a lead that they wouldn’t hold for long.
The still stifling Hillbilly defence held the potent Gannet offence to a single in the fourth. It was - in this reporter’s humble opinion - the home half of this inning that turned around the fortunes of this game. The Pornlover’s single brought Bernie up to the plate. The tension among the Gannets was already palpable. The solid play of the Billies left this powerhouse confounded and cracks in their morale had already led to no fewer than two verbal scuffles between Gannet players. Bernie let loose a rocket down the first base line, under the glove of the right fielder. The Gannets cringe. As the Pornlover dashes around the bases followed closely by Bernie the throw comes in to the cut-off man, who bobbles it. The first Billy runner scores as the throw comes into the infield and is again bobbled, rolling toward – but not crossing – the left field boundary before Bernie crosses home. The swaying of the chain-link fence beside third base - caused by a glove launched in frustration - was nothing if not a testament the Gannets failing confidence and flagging morale. A short grounder by Paulina almost ended the game before it had really started. With a good stroke this new Billiette tested the right side of the defence, which had looked ready to crumble. Again the crestfallen looks of the Gannets screamed volumes as Paulina drew the opposing first baseman off the bag. If not for an excellent shift by the second baseman who came to cover first and get the out by a hair the game could have seen the largest hissy fit in recorded history. Still though the Hillbillies had show that by playing as a team they could at least shake the confidence of the mighty Gannets…could a win seriously be at stake here?
The Hillbillies capitalized on the Gannet’s uncertainty stringing together three consecutive defensive innings in which the Gannets scored a total of zero runs – that’s right zero! These defensive forays were highlighted by the Ringer climbing the ladder to grab a hot line drive, by Megan’s juggling catch in shallow centre and by the shear will of a defence determined to stop the most powerful offence in the game. The positioning in the outfield – which was in part guided by the Hustler who admirably filled the shoes of Charlie Brown who could not make the contest – proved enough to frustrate the powerful Gannet hitters while the exceptional execution by the infield stifled those Gannets who thought to get on base with hard hitting liners. In short these Hawaiian Hillbillies played an excellent team game, with significant contributions coming from each individual. On this night it was the league leaders who rushed throws and squeezed the bats a little too tight.
In the offensive half of these three innings the Hillbillies continued to drop in hits chipping away at the fragile Gannet psyche. Perhaps the offensive highlight of the night came in the fifth inning off the bat of the Captain. It has since been described as the perfect pitch from the Ringer. “The thing was that it was a line drive,” the Bigger Unit remarked with a hint of awe in his voice, “I can’t believe how fast it came off the bat. It hit the trees, but was maybe a couple feet over the infielders heads.” In all my years covering the GSA I don’t remember seeing a ball being hit that hard. This drive gave the Billies a two run lead. After being held off the score sheet in the sixth the home side delivered in the seventh scoring five runs and going seven for eight at one point during the inning with the only out being the Ringer’s sac fly to score Stinky. With the dust settled and the teams heading into the eighth the Hillbillies lead by a score of 14 – 7.
At this point it seems fitting to acknowledge the contributions of bench boss Hossam. Aside from managing the Hillbilly’s farm team this tireless fan of GSA softball scores the Hillbilly games. His function as stated by many a Hillbilly is invaluable. “You see,” said the Hustler, “him keeping score, means that we don’t have to. It sounds simple enough, but if we get wind of the score, or even what inning it is, sometime we get too up tight.” With Hossam behind the bench that was almost entirely avoided.
After an uneventful eighth where the Billies were held off the score sheet and the Gannets managed one run the home side went into the ninth up 14 – 8. It was time for the Billies to deliver the champions the knock out blow. After the first batter grounded out it a loss by the Gannets seemed almost a foregone conclusion. However the second man up dropped a short blooper in to reach first and the Gannets had new life. Before the Hillbillies could find another out the Gannets had managed to tie their game high output of three runs. A routine grounder to first ended the game and the Hawaiian’s clinched their first ever win against the mighty Gannets without using their last at bat.
There are those who will bring up the fact that the Gannets were without a number of their regulars, and indeed this is a valid point. It should also be mentioned that Charlie Brown, a consensus all-star, could not make the game for the Billies – and this writer knows that he will be pained to have missed his team’s triumph. On this night anyway the Billies brand of baseball – a combination of stout defence and equal contributions on offence – prevailed. It was a night where the Hillbillies held the Gannets scoreless in three straight innings without ever giving up more than three. It was a night when the offence provided enough to win the game with hits coming from throughout the line up. Simply put this is the Hawaiian’s game plan - stifling defence combined with consistent offence.
This game will be remembered along with last year’s Phoenix Cup run – when the Billies tore through all the teams above them in the standings to make the finals – as one of the proudest in team history. For this reporter it was refreshing to see this team – which has so much promise – begin to gel as this year’s championship approaches. One thing is for sure, this team – powered by the Hillbilly Nation – will continue to play with their exciting brand of character and emotion delivering the fans the excitement that defines GSA Softball!
