(Corrected????): Shortened Game Ends Season for the Zeppelins

Linda,

In the interest of accurate reporting, as well as to ensure the credit gets to the right folks, I offer the following clarifications of what REALLY happened last night (…….or at least the way I remember it!!):

Correction #1:

Your version: 

“At the top of the third, Anne Villa started the hitting streak with a single, followed by a single from Sarah.  Eddie James then knocked out a triple, scoring both Anne and Sarah, and earning the coveted “grand slam” award.  Eddie tried to sneak home and ended up in the first run-down of the game.  He managed to make it safely back to third and then crossed the plate on a double from Steven. Steven scored on a hit from Chelsea Harris.

The truth(?): 

“At the top of the third, Anne Villa started the hitting streak with a single, followed by a single from Sarah.  Eddie James then hit a Texas-leaguer into shallow right field, just over the infield, loading the bases.   Steven Grissom was next up and slammed a fierce double, scoring Anne and Sarah, with Eddie advancing all the way to third base.  Without pulling, he tried to score as well, getting half-way down the line before ending up in the first run-down of the game, but luckily managing to make it safely back to third.  Chelsea Harris then drove In both Eddie and Steven.”

Correction #2:

Your version: 

“In the bottom of the fifth, a LWC batter hit a short one-hopper to Johan Salen in right center who, throwing all caution to the wind, tried to throw him out a first and nearly succeeded.  The next batter hit a pop-up between third and home, which Eddie snagged on the run.  He threw a bullet to first to nail the runner who had left the base.  Just as Eddie’s double play fired the Zeppelins up again, the officials called the game due to the fading light.

The truth(?): 

“In the bottom of the fifth with one out, a LWC batter hit a short one-hopper to Johan Salen in right center who, throwing all caution to the wind, tried to throw him out a first and nearly succeeded.   The next batter hit a screaming line drive headed towards the gap between the third base and shortstop.  Eddie reached up and speared it mid-flight, then whirled to make a weak, one-hop throw to Steven Grissom.  Steven made an excellent snag, and quickly stepped on base to secure a bang-bang double play.  Comically, the runner on first , seeing his error in leaving first, panicked and tried to dive back to the bag.  He futilely came up about 3 feet short, and fully face-down in the dust! 

Lagniappe Commentary: 

The Zeppelins went down in order in the top of the sixth, thus ending their season as the officials called the game due to the fading light.  However, the visions of such an impressive last defensive stand of the season should carry the mighty Zeppelins thru the off-season.  It should help inspire them to look forward,  very optimistically, to their just third season of league play.   It should be noted here that this league is drawn from the various Louisiana state government agencies and departments.  Of these, LED is almost certainly the smallest agency fielding a team in terms of total headcount.

2013?  Based on the improvement from year 1 to year 2, for the Zeppelins, it appears probable 2013 will be a very lucky year…..

In closing……………………my personal thanks and appreciation for the all the warriors and warrior(ettes) brave enough to take the field this season.  I had a blast, again this year.  And we would all be remiss to let the season end without a very loud……..

……….THANKS TO LINDA FOR ALL HER EFFORTS, BOTH ON THE FIELD AND IN PRINT!!!!!!!!!!!

LINDA, YOU ROCK!

My Best,

Eddie James

Shortened Game Ends Season for the Zeppelins

The Zeppelin’s season came to a close last night against the Louisiana Workforce Commission after ending early due to lighting issues.  The game had to be stopped in the sixth inning and the LWC Hammers were ahead at that point, so they took the win.  But the Zeppelins played well against a highly ranked team that has played in the league for many years.

LED certainly had a more productive second season, doubling last year’s wins and making it into the playoffs.  League Commissioner Eric Hatfield, who plays for LWC, commented at the end of the game, “You guys are getting better every year.”  The goal for next season is to win a playoff game.

The Zeppelins fielded 12 players who tallied 15 hits, including a Steven Grissom double and an Eddie James triple, scoring 5 runs on a tough LWC defense.  In fact, LED scored more runs against LWC than the Board of Regents in their last game, the number three ranked team.

It was a game full of highlights, including run-downs, an amazing double play, and a serious LED hitting streak.  The cheerleaders were sorely missed.  Sarah Vanden Broek attempted several times to get a cheer going from left field, and Jacob McConnell had his own personal cheerleader in the stands (wife Jessica), but it just wasn’t the same.  Sarah lamented, “We need our cheerleaders.  I wanted to scream DEFENSE, DEFENSE.”

Both teams took a few innings to warm up, but the third inning was a doozie.  The top of the third brought a four-run hitting streak and the bottom of the third brought a smorgasbord of defensive action.

At the top of the third, Anne Villa started the hitting streak with a single, followed by a single from Sarah.  Eddie James then knocked out a triple, scoring both Anne and Sarah, and earning the coveted “grand slam” award.  Eddie tried to sneak home and ended up in the first run-down of the game.  He managed to make it safely back to third and then crossed the plate on a double from Steven. Steven scored on a hit from Chelsea Harris.

In the bottom of the third, one of LWC’s quickest runners hit the ball to Rick Ward at shortstop who threw the ball to Steven at first.  The runner tried to stretch the single to a double, and Steven shot the ball to Chelsea at second to tag him out.  A few batters later, with runners on first and second, Rick fielded a grounder and was crashed into by the runner going to third.  The runner nearly took his head off, which landed Rick on the ground, but not before he tagged the runner to tally the out.  One of the Hammers happened to be a fire fighter and provided quick medical attention to Rick, who was sadly out for the rest of the game with an ice pack on his neck.

The Zeppelins tacked on a fifth run in the top of the fourth when Jayson Newell scored after singles from Melissa Moore and Jacob.  When Jacob hit the ball to third, Melissa teased a dash for home to disrupt the third baseman, and had to dive back to reach third safely in the second run-down of the game.  The maneuver stopped any play for the runner at first, allowing everyone to be safe all around.  Anne and Sarah tacked on two more singles, but were left stranded on base.

In the bottom of the sixth, a LWC batter hit a short one-hopper to Johan Salen in right center who, throwing all caution to the wind, tried to throw him out a first and nearly succeeded.  The next batter hit a pop-up between third and home, which Eddie snagged on the run.  He threw a bullet to first to nail the runner who had left the base.  Just as Eddie’s double play fired the Zeppelins up again, the officials called the game due to the fading light.

A small after-party in the bleachers was greatly enhanced by a Brenda Guess ice chest full of beer.  The rally rake didn’t do the trick, but maybe with the extra at-bat in the unplayed seventh inning, the Zeppelins could have mounted a comeback.  In the off season the Zeppelins will take a deeper look into the stats to come up with the winning combination for next season.  It’s time to call in all of the researchers in Business Intelligence to get to the bottom of this.

On a high note, Jayson reported that the Pollina ranking results were out showing the Zeppelins at 48^thlast season, but noting that they were moving them up to 22^nd in the next release.

Singles:  Chelsea Harris (2), Johan Salen, Jayson Newell (2), Rick Ward, Melissa Moore, Jacob McConnell, Matthew Wattigny, Anne Villa (2), Sarah Vanden Broek (2).

Double:  Steven Grissom

Triple: Eddie James

RBI’s:  Eddie James (2), Steven Grissom, Chelsea Harris, Jacob McConnell

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Anne Villa (Undersecretary), Chelsea Harris (Communications & Marketing), Eddie James (BDS), Gary Beadle (IT), Jacob McConnell (BDS), Jayson Newell (BDS), Johan Salen (BDS), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Melissa Moore (BI),  Rick Ward (BDS), Sarah Vanden Broek (SEC), and Steven Grissom (Deputy Secretary)

FANS:  Brenda Guess (BI), Chelsea’s parents Ann and Jim and her boyfriend Brandon, Jessica McConnell (Jacob’s wife) and Jennifer Berthelot (Communications & Marketing).

The Zeppelins are Headed to the Playoffs!!

Yesterday’s 7-1 win over the Public Services Association (PSA) clinched a playoff berth for the Zeppelins this season.  It was Steven Grissom’s challenge to the team at last season’s award ceremony, and it is rewarding that the Zeppelins managed to rise to the occasion.  What would Paul Mainieri think now?

The win was aided from every corner – offense, defense and fan support.  The dynamic cheering duo of Caroline Collins (Larry’s daughter) and Raven Moore (Melissa’s daughter), complete with pom poms, was reunited once again, and even managed to get a rise from PSA who chanted “Offense, offense” to their “Defense, defense.”  Undeterred, they cheered the Zeppelins all the way to victory.

Newcomer Russell Richardson made a huge impact for LED.  Cheered on by his son Mills, who just recently started pre-K, Russell made several run-saving grabs at first base and went 1 for 2 at the plate, scoring an RBI in the process.  Mills kept wondering when his dad was going to bat again and announced that he had killed an ant and found a penny while waiting.

LED fielded 15 players and tallied 18 hits, two of which were doubles by Chelsea Harris, who executed a textbook slide at second, tallied an RBI, and snagged a few in her rotation at second base.  Chelsea’s efforts have earned her the coveted “home run medal.”

Sarah Vanden Broek’s outstanding speed (remember, she is a former Bucknell track star) allowed her to go 2 for 2 at the plate because no one could manage to throw her out.  She also added a few clutch plays in left field.

Gary Beadle made some run-saving catches in his rotation at left center and went 2 for 3 at the plate, tallying an RBI.  Eddie James pitched all seven innings except to the last batter of the game (more on this later) and went 2 for 2, scoring twice and tacking on an RBI.

Victor Moore made some great defensive plays at first and shortstop, but struggled a bit at the plate.  Daughter Raven decided to give her own coach some pointers and let him know when he swung at a high one that he shouldn’t be “chopping down trees.”

Jayson Newell and Steven Grissom also played strong defense and both went 2 for 2, tallying an RBI each.  Rick Ward played a solid shortstop in his rotation, going 1 for 2 along with Matt Wattigny and Larry, who scored on one of Chelsea’s doubles, sending Caroline into cheerleading stratosphere.

Now, back to the Eddie James last batter incident……..

With two outs at the top of the seventh, Eddie saw Orion striding up to the plate for PSA, one of their strongest hitters (and a former student of Linda’s at ITT-Tech).  Eddie turned the pitching over to Victor, moved Gary to shortstop, and put himself in left center.  When Orion hit the ball over the right center’s head, Eddie was behind him to make a spectacular running catch to end the game.  Was it fate, destiny, or a run for another medal?

Another hot, but fun time was had by all.  Anne Villa brought water and Gatorade which was gulped down by all as the heat index reached 101.

Eddie also brought some sandbags which he appropriated from the back door of the Annex and stopped on the way to the field to purchase a rake to take care of conditions at the plate.  At the end of the game it suddenly dawned on us where all the great mojo was coming from – new rakes!  You may recall the Zeppelin’s previous win also occurred in a game when the Jacob McConnell family’s brand new rake was called in to improve the field.  The Zeppelins need a volunteer to bring a new rake to the first playoff game.  In Moneyball, you have to take your stats as you find them.

Details about playoff game dates, times and locations are TBD.

Singles:  Gary Beadle, Eddie James (2), Linda Regira, Steven Grissom (2), Jayson Newell (2), Russell Richardson, Matt Wattingy, Rick Ward, Larry Collins (2), and Sarah Vanden Broek (2).

Doubles:  Chelsea Harris (2)

RBI’s:  Jayson Newell, Gary Beadle, Eddie James, Linda Regira, Steven Grissom, Russell Richardson, Chelsea Harris

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Alicia Ardoin (BDS), Anne Villa (Undersecretary), Chelsea Harris (Marketing & Communications), Eddie James (BDS), Gary Beadle (IT), Jayson Newell (BDS), Larry Collins (BDS), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Melissa Moore (BI),  Rick Ward (BDS), Russell Richardson (BDS), Sarah Vanden Broek (SEC), Steven Grissom (Deputy Secretary) and Victor Moore (Melissa’s husband).

FANS:  Brenda Guess (BI), Susan and Caroline Collins, Raven Moore and Mills Richardson.

McConnell was “Living the Dream” at the Battle for the Annex

Jacob McConnell had a game of a lifetime in Tuesday evening’s battle against the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism at Perkins Road park.  He made a catch in center field at the top of the fence, preventing a homerun and saving LED three runs.  He also went 3 for 3 at the plate to put up a team-leading performance.

Eddie James opened up the game with the offensive play of the game.  Leading off for the Zeppelins, Eddie hit the ball and got stuck in the mud at the plate which caused him to fall down the first base line.  Undeterred, he maneuvered it into a roll and run, turning the hit into a double.  As such, he has been awarded the first LED home run medal.  Eddie was eventually plated by hits from Jacob and Coach Linda Regira.

Chelsea Harris joined the Zeppelins and played a strong second base and got a solid hit in her first outing, even though she hadn’t hit slow pitch since she was eight years old.  Chelsea is a former college fast pitch softball draft at catcher and she proudly wore her mitt at second, snagging everything that went to her.

CRT had a strong lineup of hitters which pushed the Zeppelin defense to the limit in the hot, humid weather.  CRT’s Danny Belanger, who is married to Linda’s cousin, picked on Linda the entire game.  Even though he had to bat left handed he pulled the ball down the left field line.  One high popup behind third base forced Linda to run back a good distance.  After catching the ball and tallying another spill on the field Linda asked Danny, “Why did you do that to me?”  Danny replied, “I was trying to hit it over your head,” which he did at his next at-bat, garnering a double for CRT.

Caroline Collins was out in force with her cheering, understandably cheering loudest for daddy Larry when he came up to bat.  “Get a hit daddy!” prompted one CRT member in the dugout to reply, “Strike out daddy.”  Obviously Caroline’s cheering was the stronger of the two because Larry went 2-3 with no strike outs.

LED was only able to put 8 players on the field at any given time because the Zeppelins only had two women (four are required).  That left LED with no catcher and only three outfielders.  However, the Zeppelins played respectable defense even with the disadvantage and managed to keep the game close.  LED ultimately fielded 10 players and tallied 14 hits in the game.

Another hot, but fun time was had by all.  Anne Villa sent water to the game which kept the team hydrated, and James Caldwell graciously hauled it out to the field.

The Zeppelins face off next against the Public Systems Association (Legislative Computer Staff) in a rainout make-up game.  Date, time, and location TBD.

Singles:  Eddie James, Rick Ward, Jacob McConnell (3), Linda Regira, Steven Grissom (2), Larry Collins (2), Matt, Wattigny (2), Chelsea Harris.

Double:  Eddie James

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Chelsea Harris (Communications), Eddie James (BDS), Jacob McConnell (BDS), James Caldwell (BDS), Johan Salen (BDS), Larry Collins (BDS), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Rick Ward (BDS), and Steven Grissom (Deputy Secretary).

FANS:  Susan and Caroline Collins, and Chelsea’s boyfriend Brandon.

LED Battles the Division of Administration over Vacancies

The LED Zeppelins faced the Division of Administration $Killjoys$ in a hot, humid evening game yesterday with no refreshments of any kind! No soothing pop from the cap off a bottle of cold water, no gurgling of Corona punch, and no lip smacking, finger-licking sounds of treats being devoured (Strike L).  To top it off, the $Killjoys$ got to the field early and selected the dugout in the shade, leaving the Zeppelins in the dugout with full sun (Strike LL).  And the icing, LED”s vacancy problem, came before the game even started (Strike LLL).

Only two women showed up for the game, and the rules require four women on the field with a maximum of six men.  The $killjoys$ graciously offered to catch for the Zeppelins but would not make any defensive plays at the plate.  This allowed LED to start the game with eight players (only three outfielders and no catcher).  The outnumbered Zeppelins put up a valiant effort, but the $Killjoys$ capitalized on their advantage.

Eventually a third female arrived and took over the catching role, and toward the end of the game LED recruited a fan from the stands who happened to be wearing tennis shoes.  Finally, by the 5^th inning, LED had a whole team on the field.

One pleasant surprise was the play of Rick Ward who made his first outing as a Zeppelin, although obviously not his first rodeo.  He snagged multiple flies in left field and went 2 for 2 at the plate.  Several Zeppelins were heard asking, “Where has he been all season?”

Ultimately LED fielded 14 players (10 men, 4 women) and racked up 16 hits, plating three runners.  The late arrivals and late recruiting somewhat threw off the run-production lineup that had been carefully crafted before the game.  In order to spark the offense Coach Linda Regira offered a homerun medal to anyone who hit a double, but no one made off with the coveted prize.

Here’s how the Zeppelins scored:  Jimmy Williams (Chandra’s husband) started the top of the 2^nd with a single, followed by consecutive singles from Jacob McConnell and Matthew Wattigny.  Jimmy used his amazing speed to cross the plate before the $Killjoys$ could respond.  At the top of the 4^th Gary Beadle singled as did Eddie James, but Gary was put out on a fielder’s choice.  Later in the inning singles by Melissa Moore and Victor Moore (Melissa’s husband) plated Eddie who ran like the wind to to tally the run.  In the top of the 6^th Gary got on again and was sent to 2^nd on a hit by Melissa.  Jimmy plated Gary on his single to right field.

There was plenty of spirit at the game (although no spirits) as Caroline Collins (Larry’s daughter) showed up to cheer.  One of the $Killjoys$ remarked that he wished his team had supporters like LED.  Pointing to the stands he said, “Look, we don’t have anybody.”  In addition to all the cheering Caroline also fetched foul balls hit outside the fence, and made several great throws back to the players.

Another Collins highlight came from Larry’s wife Susan, who handed out ice cubes to the parched players from Caroline’s little snack ice chest, allowing some of the players to rehydrate and continue to play.

A fun but dehydrating time was had by all, but the loss means LED has to give up two vacancies and take a 5% across the board cut. 

By the way, the Saints were well represented in the lineup, and there was some talk about getting Saints guru Kelsey Short to play in the next game.  Recruitment efforts are underway.

The Zeppelins face off with our building-mates, the team from Culture, Recreation and Tourism, on Tuesday, August 7.  Time and location TBD.

Singles:  Gary Beadle (2), Eddie James (2), Melissa Moore (2), Jimmy Williams (2), Rick Ward (2), Victor Moore, Jacob McConnell, Matthew Wattigny, Jayson Newell, Larry Collins, and Johan Salen.

RBIs: Matthew Wattigny, Victor Moore, Jimmy Williams

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Eddie James (BDS), Gary Beadle (IT), Jacob McConnell (BDS) and wife Jessica, Jayson Newell (BDS), Jimmy Williams (Chandra’s husband), Johan Salen (BDS), Larry Collins (BDS), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Melissa Moore (BI) and husband Victor, Rick Ward (BDS), and Sarah Vanden Broek (SEC).

FANS:  Susan and Caroline Collins, Chandra Williams (who arrived at the field too late to play due to a previous engagement).

Zeppelin’s Hit a Mid-Life, er, Mid-Season Crisis

The Zeppelins faced off with the #2 ranked DOTD-Design “Cardinals” in an overcast later-than-usual game Monday night at Perkins Road Park.  A late meeting for several players pushed game time back 30 minutes (which was great news for Caroline Collins because she was finished gymnastics practice in time to make it to the game).  However, because of the game, Deputy Secretary Steven Grissom revised the agenda order to let important players make it to the game on time.

LED fielded 13 players and tallied 15 hits, but was unable to score until the top of the seventh in a comeback rally inspired by Jimmy Williams’ rally cap and Caroline’s cheering.  Eddie James started off the seventh with a single, followed by singles from Jimmy and Linda Regira (who plated Eddie), and Gary Beadle (who plated Jimmy).  Unable to keep the rally going, the Zeppelins were defeated.

OK, it was a tough night.  No sugar coating it. But the Zeppelins shouldn’t feel too bad about the loss.  Adding together the ages of the entire Cardinal team would produce a number less than the combined ages of four of LED’s veterans. 

Chandra Williams and Jimmy brought Squinchers (electrolyte packed frozen treats) and Anne Villa provided the water in absentia (hauled to the field by James Caldwell).  Yes, we had to play with no Corona punch and no baked goodies again this week.

After last week’s victory with no Corona punch, several people suggested that a lack of the juice may have had something to do with the win.  Coach Regira decided to add Corona punch (Punch Present, 1 = Yes, 0 = No) into the Moneyball win/loss regression analysis and determined that Corona punch has no statistical significance to wins and losses (either at the .01 or .05 levels).  However, Punch Present = 1 (Yes) makes for much more fun and a happier dugout!

Coach Regira has secured a few “Home Run” medals that are designed to produce the big hits.  The next player to hit a triple is getting a metal.

Next Tuesday the Zeppelins face off against the Division of Administration at 6:00 at Perkins Road Park.  We barely lost to them last year (5-4) so we need to get our revenge.

Singles:  Eddie (2), Jimmy (2), Linda (2), Gary (2), Jacob, Larry, James, Kathy, Matt, Fallon, Steven

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Chandra Williams (SEC) and husband Jimmy, Eddie James (BDS), Fallon Blank (Fiscal), Gary Beadle (IT), Jacob McConnell (BDS), James Caldwell (BDS), Joan Young (Lead Development), Kathy Blankenship (Deputy Undersecretary), Larry Collins (BDS), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart),

FANS:  Don Pierson (BDS), Julie Van Scotter (SBS), Larry’s wife Susan and daughter Caroline and Joan’s husband Steve and puppy Scuba Steve.

Moret Inspires the Zeppelins to Victory!

At the recent LED all-staff meeting when Secretary Stephen Moret explained the most important Business Plan item of all, item #11, he challenged the team to complete a set of deliverables designed to produce wins.  And it worked!  LED defeated the DOTD “Kickin’ Asphaults” by a 6-2 margin last night at Perkins Road Park.

Coach Linda Regira watched Moneyball several more times and met with Eddie James in a Moneyball-inspired pre-game planning session.  Armed with a list of available players for the night, and utilizing Regira’s background in advanced statistics, they put together a series of defensive run prevention rotations and an offensive run production lineup.  Larry Collins walked in during the meeting and was sure to overhear Eddie say, “Johan gets on base, a lot.”

After all the rain lately field conditions were rough, with standing water at home and first base.  But the Zeppelins were NOT to be deterred.  Jacob McConnell offered his brand new rake (with the sticker still on it) and players from both teams took turns working the sand.  Eddie spied some raw material (sand) and transportation vehicles (kiddie Easter buckets) in the playground area and the two teams started a fire brigade to get sand to first.  Some unsuspecting toddlers playing in the sandpit at the time were amazed at the events.  By the time Eddie returned the buckets, with bat in hand, the sandpit was abandoned. To make matters even worse there were no bases at the field, but someone on the Kickin’ Asphaults had thought ahead and brought a complete set of “toy” bases in a pack from the Everything’s $1.00 store.  They were tiny and eventually sunk into the mud, but at least they provided a general direction for making plays.  Once the field was in satisfactory condition, the game could begin.

The Zeppelins fielded 14 players, with 12 players notching up at least one hit.  LED scored 1 in the second, 2 in the fourth, 1 in the sixth and 2 in the seventh to seal the deal. Chandra Williams arrived in the dugout smartly attired once again, sporting a shirt with sparkly lettering on the back declaring “I ♥ Coach Jimmy.”  Everyone understood when her husband Jimmy admitted he picked out her clothing for the game.  Jimmy also called Chandra “Shakespeare” because she was all about the plays.

Inspired on defense was Melissa Moore who made the play of the game from second base.  On a hard hit grounder she moved toward first and snagged the ball, but wound up with it in her glove as she lay prone on the ground.  Refusing to give up the play she made the throw to first from the ground and got the out.  After high-fives from the team Melissa heard her two year old daughter Megan shout “Good job” from the stands.

Michael Pernici was inspired to go for broke when, with only one out and a runner on third, on a hit to Gary Beadle in left center, he took the infield throw and hummed it to first when he noticed the batter was attempting to go to second.  The runner at third held and with two away the Zeppelins were able to avoid giving up a run by getting the next batter out.  Also quite inspired was Eddie who ran and dove so hard to catch a pop-up that he ended up rolling over four complete times before coming to a stop.  But he got that out!  Coach wondered out loud if he tried so hard because his family was in the stands, but decided that no, he was simply inspired (and he would have done it anyway).

Equally inspired on offense, the team put together 5 multi-hit performances and scored in 4 different innings. Victor Moore (Melissa’s husband) went 3 for 3 with a double and two singles.  It is surprising that the offense managed to stay strong until the end without benefit of treats, water, or Corona punch.  Noticing there was no punch the Kickin’ Asphaults, who had read the LED Softball Spotlight blog, were sorely disappointed that they wouldn’t be able to sample the brew.  They also expected to sample some “special” brownies but were unaware that Katherine St. Onge had left the department on Friday.  (By the way, Sarah Vanden Broek has recovered nicely from the separation surgery and put up a respectable performance in left field.)

Fans were present but the cheering fell short. Raven Moore was busy helping watch younger sister Megan so mom and dad could play.  Caroline Collins wasn’t there to lead a cheering trio and she’d really like to know why we would schedule a game on a Monday when she has gymnastics practice.

The Kickin’ Asphaults were great sports and traded jokes and laughs with the Zeppelins throughout the game.  In the end, Jacob and Jessica headed toward the sunset, holding hands and carrying their beloved new, but very dirty, rake. 

Well, everyone thank Shakespeare and thank Secretary Moret for the inspiration, knowing that with the win, LED keeps the possibility of a playoff berth alive!

Next Monday (sorry Caroline) the Zeppelins face off with another DOTD team, DOTD Design.  Time and location TBD.

Singles:  Eddie (2), Gary, Victor (2), Larry, Johan (2), Michael, Melissa (2), Chandra, and Linda (2).

Doubles: Victor, Jacob

Triple: Jimmy

RBIs: Gary, Jimmy, Larry, Johan, Michael and Linda.

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Chandra Williams (SEC) and husband Jimmy, Eddie James (BDS), Gary Beadle (IT), Jacob McConnell (BDS), James Caldwell (BDS), Johan Salen (BDS), Larry Collins (BDS), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Melissa Moore (BI) and husband Victor, Michael Pernici, and Sarah Vanden Broek (SEC).

FANS:  Jessica McConnell (Jacob’s wife), Raven and Megan Moore, and Eddie James’ wife Lori, daughter Alyssa, son Ian, and ferocious poodles Tux and Ty.

LED and Department of Insurance Battle in the Blazing Heat

The LED Zeppelins battled for two hours in 95+ degree heat against the Department of Insurance Regulators Tuesday evening at Independence Park.  LED fielded 14 players and racked up 7 runs on 19 hits, with 6 different players plating RBI’s. 

WOW, major offensive production! Was there something in the water?  Something in the Corona punch?  Something in the treats being devoured in the dugout?  It was probably the fans, who were out in numbers and bolstered by two extremely vocal cheerleaders – Caroline Collins (Larry’s daughter) and Raven Moore (Melissa’s daughter).

After borrowing a glove and helping her dad warm up before the game, Caroline decided her cheering skills were badly needed.  She recruited Raven and the rest is history.  Armed with a few homemade cheers, the girls were tireless in their efforts to boost the team.  “A hit or a homerun, it doesn’t matter, either one will do.”  “Single, double, triple, home run.  It doesn’t matter, just have fun.”  And on a swing-and-miss by Anne Villa, “Eye on the ball, eye on the ball.”

Kathy Blankenship arrived at the field dressed to play with glove in tow, but said she was only going to play if we didn’t have enough players.  Anne arrived the same way but went straight to the bleachers and had a seat.  “Aren’t you going to play?” asked Coach Regira.  “I haven’t played before,” she replied, “and I’m scared you’ll get mad at me.”  Does Coach Regira have a bad rep?  “Get in the dugout Anne,” Regira growled.  Anne got the starting nod at catcher and did a respectable job in her first Zeppelin appearance. 

The Zeppelins came out strong on offense at the top of the first, with consecutive hits by Victor Moore, Alicia Ardoin, Eddie James (who got the first RBI when he drove Victor in), and Linda Regira.  Melissa drove in Alicia and Eddie to become the only multi-RBI player, and putting the team up 3-0 on the Regulators.

The Zeppelins also came out strong on defense in the bottom of the first.  Larry made an unassisted double play at first, snagging a line drive and beating the runner back to the bag in his first outing as a Zeppelin.  Eddie nearly single-handedly mowed the Regulators down at the bottom of the second, raking in two line drives and putting a third batter out at first.

LED was up 3-1 at the top of the third and scored two more runs off of hits by Katherine St. Onge and Chandra Williams, who were plated by Victor and Alicia, respectively.  After a swing and miss by Coach Regira, she announced that she had already indulged in some Corona punch while on the bench.  The Regulators, who remembered the punch from last season, advised Regira to swing at the one in the middle.

The Regulators came back to within a run after scoring three in the bottom of the third, despite a double play by Victor from short stop.   LED then added two more “insurance” runs in the top of the fourth off of hits by Johan Salen and Jayson Newell, who were plated by hits from Katherine and Chandra.  After Johan sped across the plate Sandy Granata remarked from the stands, “Johan, you are playing great this year.”  His reply, “I played great last year too.”

Up 7-4 in the bottom of the fourth, LED had a bit of a defensive melt-down, giving up four runs and the lead.  The Regulators tacked on another at the bottom of the sixth to make it a 9-7 DOI victory.

KC is apparently trying to oust reigning champion Coach Regira from the coveted “Most Spills on the Field” award this season.  She tallied three in her first time out as a Zeppelin (one at the plate and two in left field).

A few Regulators joined LED for Corona punch after the game.  Brenda Guess, joining the team from the bleachers this season, made off with the leftovers, indicating that she had worn herself out cheering for the team.

After a week off for the July 4^th holiday, the Zeppelins will face off with the Public Systems Association (Legislative Computer Staff) on Tuesday, July 10.  Hopefully by then Chandra will take herself off the injured reserve list, where she placed herself this morning, and her knee will stop “dinging” when she goes up and down the stairs.

Singles:  Victor, Alicia (2), Eddie, Linda (2), Melissa, KC (2), Matt, Anne (2), Johan (2), Jayson, Katherine (2) and Chandra (2).

RBIs: Eddie, Melissa (2), Victor, Alicia, Katherine and Chandra.

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Alicia Ardoin (BDS), Anne Villa (Undersecretary), Chandra Williams (SEC), Eddie James (BDS), James Caldwell (BDS), Jayson Newell (BDS), Johan Salen (BDS), Katherine St. Onge (SEC), Kathy Blankenship (Deputy Undersecretary), Larry Collins (BDS), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Melissa Moore (BI) and husband Victor,

FANS:  Sandy Granata (Undersecretary), Pattie Pipes (SEC), Brenda Guess, Susan Collins (Larry’s wife), Lauren Villa (Anne’s daughter) and her two friends, Beth Richardson (Jayson’s fiancé), and the two best cheerleaders in the Capital Complex League – Raven Moore and Caroline Collins.

TREATS:  Anne brought water, Gatorade and brownies, Katherine (the team mother hen) brought a delicious brownie-Oreo-cookie dough squares, and Sandy brought Corona punch.

Brownie-Oreo-Cookie Dough Squares Recipe:  Gather some chocolate chip cookie dough, some double stuffed Oreos, a family-sized brownie mix for a 9×13 pan, and some hot fudge chocolate topping for good measure. Line a 9×13 baking dish with wax paper and spray with cooking spray. Whip up your cookie dough and spread it in the bottom of the pan. Cover with Oreos and pour on brownie mix batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Add fudge topping, cut into squares and serve.

Chandra and Jimmy Williams Steal the Show in Thursday’s Matchup with DOTD

The LED Zeppelins faced off with the DOTD Roadkillers in Thursday night’s game at Perkins Road Park.  DOTD is sporting three separate teams this season, and LED is set to play all three.  The Zeppelins fielded 11 players and recorded 9 hits in the game.  The Roadkillers had 12 players and garnered 13 hits.

Chandra Williams arrived at the field (quite stylishly attired again) and informed everyone that she had learned how to catch on Sunday and planned to learn how to bat during warm-ups.  She got a private lesson with hubby Jimmy “Barry Bonds” Williams, but admitted she probably needed a bit more work.  She did a solid job at catcher for the Zeppelins.

Sandy Granata whipped up a batch of her delicious (but dangerous) Corona Punch in the parking lot and Matthew Wattigny graciously carried it out to the field.  There was water available, but nobody seemed to want any.  Katherine St. Onge arrived with a batch of homemade Rice Krispy treats that included liberal amounts of chocolate and white chocolate chips added to the traditional recipe.  They were fabulous.  Jimmy pronounced the pair as “the breakfast of champions,” and he could be seen finishing off a treat every time he took the field.

Alicia Ardoin got the first hit for LED at the bottom of the first.  Joining her in the hit column were Jimmy, Katherine, Melissa Moore, Jacob McConnell, Steven Grissom who got hits in the second and seventh innings, and Dennis Barbier who got hits in the first and seventh.  The game was tied at 0 – 0 until the top of the third when the Roadkillers managed to score a run.  They added a few more during the course of the game.  The Zeppelins hung in until the last pitch, making a great comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh.  Dennis, Steven and Melissa loaded the bases with consecutive singles, but the Roadkillers escaped the inning without allowing a run.

Dennis gave a great effort from the mound, throwing 10 foot curve balls that dropped fast through the strike zone.  His pitches caused numerous swings-and-misses throughout the game and resulted in strike outs from two of their strong hitters.  He also attempted an awesome trick play in the top of the fifth.  With runners on first and second the batter hit a line drive up the middle.  Dennis snagged the ball and, without turning around, threw the ball behind his back to second base in an attempt to catch the runner who was off the bag.  Since nobody knew he was going to do it, the trick play didn’t work.  It probably will the next time though.

Jimmy was a one-man defensive machine at shortstop, covering half of the left side.  It’s easy to look good playing behind Jimmy – he catches everything.  But by the fifth inning he was beginning to sweat (apparently something he doesn’t normally do), and he suggested that maybe Corona Punch and softball don’t mix at the same time.

There were several controversial calls during the game, one of which resulted in some serous smack talk between the two team speedsters, Jimmy for LED and Jaubert Ambeau for DOTD.  Ambeau is a former Southern University track star and currently runs with the US Express adult track club.  The race was on when Jaubert ran to second on a hit up the middle that Jimmy snagged.  The faster Jimmy beat Jaubert to second but Jaubert refused to accept that he was out.  After much discussion LED decided to let it go and give Jaubert the bag.  Due to the controversies arising this season, the Zeppelins will definitely need LED Legal for protection.

After the game the Zeppelins shared some Corona Punch with the Roadkillers.  As always, the leftover punch has to find a good home at the end of the game.  Chandra and Jimmy made off with the extras for a party at their house tomorrow.

The Zeppelin’s will face the Department of Insurance on Tuesday, June 26, at 6:00 at Perkins Road Park (Kenilworth).

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Alicia Ardoin (BDS), Chandra Williams (SEC) and husband Jimmy, Dennis Barbier (Equipment Manager), Jacob McConnell (BDS) and wife Jessica, Katherine St. Onge (SEC), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Melissa Moore (BI), Steven Grissom (Deputy Secretary)

FANS:  Sandy Granata (Undersecretary), Patti Pipes (SEC), and Larry Ardoin (Alicia’s husband) who kept the scorebook and did such a good job that he has been hired on permanently.

LED Battles with DCFS in Tough Season Opener

The Zeppelins opened the 2012 softball season against a new opponent, the Department of Children and Family Services.  Despite garnering multiple hits, including two doubles, and getting four runs into scoring position, LED came up empty crossing the plate.  According to Zeppelins coach Linda Regira, this was one of the toughest opponents the team has ever faced,  “Their defense was on par with ours, but their bats were stellar.”

LED fielded 12 players including 6 new faces this season.  Bringing new talent to the team were Melissa Moore (BI) and her husband Victor, Chandra Williams (SEC) and her husband Jimmy, as well as Jacob McConnell and Jayson Newell (both BDS).

Eddie James and Sarah Vanden Broek both tapped out doubles in the game; Sarah’s after a single by Jacob, and Eddie’s after a single by James Caldwell.  Victor added another single to the mix. 

On defense, the left side of the field was kept pretty busy.  Danielle Clapinski snagged her first fly in left field and the BDS combo in left and right center (McConnell and Newell) added additional put-outs for the Zeppelins.  Jimmy made several great grabs at short, and Linda put a few out from third.  Victor and Melissa played first and second well, both having to scoop a short throw to make the out.  Eddie and Victor shared the pitching role and Eddie snagged a few from the mound, including a scorcher up the middle.

The Zeppelins did not ultimately win the game, but a good time was had by all.  Chandra won the fashionista award for being the best dressed on the field, from her matching top and loose capris, to her braided pigtails topped off with a baseball cap. 

The Zeppelin’s will face one of DOTD’s three teams, Gangs 42/51, on Thursday, June 21 (time and location TBD).

Singles: Victor Moore, Jacob McConnell, and James Caldwell.

Doubles: Eddie James and Sarah Vanden Broek.

Many thanks to all who STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE for LED.

PLAYERS:  Chandra Williams (SEC) and husband Jimmy, Danielle Clapinski (Legal), Eddie James (BDS), Jacob McConnell (BDS), James Caldwell (Student), Jayson Newell (BDS), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matt Wattigny (FastStart), Melissa Moore (BI) and husband Victor, and Sarah Vanden Broek (SEC).

FANS:  Jessica McConnell (Jacob’s wife, who looked quite fashionable in the stands as well).