ok, so we’re not off to a screaming hot start but we’re not totally lost either.

For game one vs. Jerry’s Nuggets, we let a team playing with 9 (just ok) players stay in the game until the 5th. We then threw a couple crooked numbers up two innings in a row and made what had been a close game into a laugher victory. The game was played 5 guys and 5 girls, with Shawn McGivern filling in capably for Don and Paul. No pics or video from this game unfortunately.

Last night vs. Paine Wetzel, we fell victim to a patient team of hitters (they must have walked a 5 or 6 times, easy) and big boppers doing what they’re supposed to. I can’t recall someone hitting 3 home runs against us but their number three batter did just that. It started with a solo shot and ended with two devastating grand slams. Those runs pretty much put the game out of reach, even though it wasn’t so poorly played. We had a couple pop ups and a few strikeouts but did score 9 or 10 so offense wasn’t really the problem. What makes this worse we beat this team HANDILY last year. Oh well…. Don and Miles shared a batting spot, Erin filled in for Christine and there are a few pics and video that I’ll post this week.

On to next week, which is a later game, if I’m not mistaken. I’ll write up something about them when I post the pics/vids.

Ok, so a lot has changed since I last updated.  Previous to now, the latest post concerned a double header of makeup games against Team Beinveste (which we won) and Head First (which we almost won). I had been very excited for these games, as it seemed we were playing our best softball at just the right time, gearing up for the playoffs and making a run for the elusive summer league championship the following week.

Of course, things don’t always go as planned. As it turns out, I (miles) suffered a rather demoralizing (for myself, not the team) leg injury during the first half of the double header and was too frustrated to update the page with a post game breakdown or to upload the pics/video from those games or from the first round loss to Jerry’s Nuggets.  It’s a shame because I took many good pictures during those games and I will try to sort through the footage I have and post them in the appropriate places.

On to the present though, as tonight is the scheduled start of the Fall 2008 Skokie League. After much discussion about abandoning Skokie for a city league, we find ourselves once again back on the North Shore to defend our Fall 2007 championship victory (as Spawn of Belvedere).  The whole gang is pretty much back, although Don (who injured his shoulder late in the summer season) and I are still on the mend from softball pains and Paul is trying to shake off the effects of a recent car accident (thanks again to the drunken illegal who u-turned into Erin’s car on Labor Day!).

Shawn McGivern will suit up for us tonight in a rematch against Jerry’s Nuggets, who eliminated the 3 Seashells just a little over a month ago. That is, of course, if the threatening rainstorm doesn’t postpone it.

Regarding our team name, we have officially decided on Balki’s Ballers for this fall in an homage to the perfectly hilarious, Chicago based 80s sitcom, Perfect Strangers.

In other news, Balki’s Ballers will be sponsored by Paddy Mac’s, which is where we tried to get sponsored in the summer but it fell through.

Game time tonight is 6:30, and the lineup is as follows.

Lee (LCF)
Eve (1B)
Matt (RCF)
Elisabeth (LF)
Sean (SS)
Emilie (C)
Gary (P)
Christine (RF)
Miles (3B)
Lancy (2B)

Sitting: Paul (car accident related) and Don (shoulder)