Would the birthday and Defense Friday night celebrations affect the 'Billies????
Hurtin’ Hillbillies Strut into the Weekend Firing on All Cylinders!!!!
With a loss in the first round of the double-elimination tournament and after consuming more alcohol than the collective team body weight at Friday’s double party the Hillbillies stumbled onto the field at the ungodly hour of 11:00 AM to face Be The Ball, who had finished third in league play – one spot ahead of our dehydrated Hillbillies. Still though as alluded to earlier in the tournament this team seems to play better with a little bit of Jack in the system, and more than that they had something to prove after a disappointing first round loss to the Glacial Speed. After waiting around for about 15 minutes for Be The Ball (B) which I think is called Semper Fly, the Billies began the day with Bubba Gump winning the coin toss…things were off to a good start.
In the top half of the first the Hillbilly Defense looked like what it was...a hung over bunch of Hillbillies dressed in loud shirts. While clawing for every scrap of concentration the Hillbillies gave up five runs before returning to the bench to hydrate. After getting two quick outs in the first Be The Ball must have been wondering who it was they would play next. But as The Hustler strolled calm and confident to the plate something magical happened. It may have been in the water, it may have been in the banter on the bench, it may have been the wearing off (or the kiching in) of the morning hang over, it may have been hidden in the care with which Penny Yatta had been painstakingly paper macheed together or in the tune offered up by the strong steely strings of Ruby Sue but from somewhere the Hawaiian Hillbillies found their stride. It started with a sharp single to the gap, and Charlie Brown followed it up with another hard single through the infield. With two men aboard The BIG UNIT drove a single to shallow right that allowed the two base runners to score. The inning ended before the Hillbillies could do any more damage, but for the first time in a long time these crazy bunch of Hawaiians knew that they were going to win.
Despite not scoring in the second or third, the Hillbilly Defense gave up only one run before they were up again in the home half of the fourth. Again needing to spark the Hustler began the inning with a single, The BIG UNIT and The Ringer followed with singles of their own as the Hustler crossed the plate. With two aboard Stinky (who’s play was beginning to lose it's typical offensive odor) drove a ball to the gap which allowed The UNIT to count and advanced The Ringer to third. Captain Ron then drove home the promising rookie with a deep sacrifice fly, and Gump drove in the Newfoundlander with a double of his own. Just like that the game was tied, and the Hillbillies were not looking back.
The defense stood tall holding Be The Ball scoreless in the fifth. In the home half The Messiah, The Hustler, and Charlie Brown came in to count, making the score 9 to 6 for the home team. In the sixth the defense took a small step backward allowing 3 runs before Captain Ron, Bubba Gump, and Triple T could cross the plate to keep the lead at three on an inside the park home run by TTT. Then in the seventh inning, still remembering the final inning against the Glacial Speed, the Hillbilly Defense put to rest all doubts shutting out BTB for the fourth time in seven innings. With the score 12 to 9 there was no need for the home half of the inning and the Hillbillies were gaining speed, confidence and a fan base. If one looked closely in the crowd one could see that the All Canadian Cathy Beaulne had made the trek to see her team do battle in the Hamiltonian sun, also former player Hot Bath made an appearance with both his female friend and their trusty dog. Again if one looked even closer upon the growing gaggle of fans one would have noticed that some were wearing traditional Hawaiian leis, and one scruffy fan in particular had picked up Ruby Sue and unleashed a steely ditty which whipped the wayfaring watchers into a wild frenzy. Yes not only were the Hawaiian Hillbillies back but so too were the Hillbilly Nation, a new crop of well wishers inspired by the easy grace of the Hawaiian brand of baseball.
