“Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is.” (Vince Lombardi)

And nobody wanted to win more than the Zeppelins last night at Burbank Soccer Complex as LED took on the Department of Environmental Quality.  LED played hard as nails until the final out of the game and so did DEQ.

Defense was strong on both sides with the scoring coming largely from hitters finding the gaps. 

DEQ jumped quickly on the board scoring two runs at the top of the first, but the Zeppelins quickly countered with two of their own in the bottom of the first.  With two outs, Ashley Falcon started a rally with a single, followed by singles from Corey Dorsa and Russell Richardson.  Eddie James then knocked a ball to the outfield to score both Ashley and Corey.

DEQ put up two more runs in the second while LED was unable to plate a runner.  While holding DEQ down in the third, the Zeppelins chipped away again at the lead by scoring another run.  Eric Burton started off the inning by legging out an infield single.  Paige then hit a long single to left center to move Eric to scoring position.  A few bats later Ashley knocked one into the outfield to score Eric.  This put the score at 4-3.

In the fourth, DEQ put another run on the scoreboard while LED was unable to score, leaving the Zeppelins down by two.  LED held DEQ to no runs in the fifth, and then went on a scoring frenzy at the bottom of the inning.  With two outs Eric started the rally by knocking out another single. Korey Patty then added a single of his own followed by a Paige Ovens double which plated Eric.  Steven G. then shocked them all by placing one into deep left field from the left side of the plate.  His double allowed Korey and Paige to score.  Ashley then got up and knocked one to deep center field plating Steven G.  These four runs put LED up 7-5.

The lead was short-lived as DEQ scored three runs on three successive doubles and a single in the top of the sixth.  DEQ was now up 8-7 and neither team would put up any more runs for the remainder of the game.  In the final analysis Ashley and Eric both went 3 for 3, and Paige, Eddie and Korey all got two hits on the night.

In a final note Steven “Bahamas” Baham kept insisting that his phone’s autocorrect is the reason his uniform shirt reads “Bahamas.” 

LED will face both the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and DOTD next week as rainout makeup season has begun.  Days/locations/times will be forthcoming.

Hits:  Paige (2), Ashley (2), Corey, Russell, Eddie (2), Gary, Matthew, Steve B., Eric (3), Korey (2)

Doubles:  Paige, Ashley, Steven G.

RBIs:  Ashley (2), Steven G. (2), Eddie (2), Paige

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

PLAYERS:  Ashley Falcon (Civil Service), Chelsea Harris (Communications & Marketing), Corey Dorsa (SEC), Eddie James (Business Development), Eric Burton (Business Incentives), Gary Beadle (IT), Korey Patty (Lead Development), Matthew Wattigny (FastStart), Paige Ovens (Business Development), Russell Richardson (Business Development), Steve Baham (Business Incentives), and Steven Grissom (Secretary).  Will Day (Business Development) coached 3^rd base.

FANS:  Mills Richardson (Russell’s son), Susan Bigner (Business Incentives) and her daughter Katie, Steve Baham’s wife Rachel, Joe Coussan (Communication & Marketing).