Zeppelins face Workforce Commission in Final Game of the Season

Watermelon!

Friday, August 26, 2011

LED faced off with the Workforce Commission Hammers on Wednesday at Independence Park.  The Hammers have a 6-1 record and have scored 87 runs during the season - a monster opponent to face.  Playing on a new field with a 300 foot fence (the regular fields have 240 foot fences) meant a lot more area to cover in the outfield, and that anything getting past an outfielder would almost certainly mean a home run.  The Zeppelins were still feeling the impact of the tough game in the rain the night before, but the players knew they had a grueling battle ahead and needed to rise to the challenge.

Michael Pernici, Linda Regira and Eddie James combined to turn a would-be multi-run homer into a double play in the bottom of the fifth.  With a runner on first, a Hammer batter put one over everyone’s head in right center.  Pernici managed to get to the ball quickly and made an astounding throw in to Regira at third.  Regira got it to James at home pulling the stunned runner up short.  The runner then turned and headed back to third, but the batter was already approaching third, and in the ensuing melee James tagged both players with the ball and garnered the double play.

LED got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning after leadoff batter Steven Grissom beat out a throw from third to first.  Regira moved Grissom to second, and James snagged the RBI with a single over the shortstop’s head.  The Zeppelins held the Hammers until the bottom of the second when one run was allowed.  The Zeppelins came up empty in their next six innings at bat.  The Hammers pulled ahead with two runs in the fourth and another three in the fifth, and maintained the lead for the remainder of the game.

After the post-game handshakes, James gave a heartfelt speech to the team, commending the players for all their hard work, their continued improvement as the season progressed, and for being the team that had the most fun in the league.  Everyone is looking forward to playing again next season.  Here’s what league commissioner Eric Hatfield (LWC) had to say on the league’s facebook page about LED’s involvement in the league and The LED Softball Spotlight blog, “Check out the blog of our newest team, Louisiana Economic Development. We don't have initiation for new teams, but if we did, they'd have raised the bar. Being new, they've had some hard knocks on the diamond, but their enthusiasm is infectious. If you have an aspiring beat writer on your team, encourage him/her to start one!”

Katherine St. Onge and Sarah Vanden Broek brought sprinkle covered cupcakes in celebration of St. Onge’s birthday, and the team sang “Happy Birthday” to St. Onge after the game.  Leu Anne Greco was not present in person, but she was present in “spirits.”  Greco sent two alcohol injected watermelons to the game with Pattie Pipes, and Allison Gilmore seemed to like them better than anyone else on the team, indulging in two slices in the dugout.  As usual, Gary Beadle made off with the leftovers.

Coach Regira was unable to attend the post-game birthday party at Superior Grill because she and teammate Dennis Barbier were both suffering from pulled muscles.  However, an update from those in attendance revealed that MUCH fun was had by St. Onge, Vanden Broek, Pernici and girlfriend Margaret, Johan and Jaqueline  Salen, Gary Beadle, James Caldwell, Matt Wattigny, Alicia, Larry and Amanda Ardoin, Allison Gilmore, Pattie Pipes, Julie Van Scotter, Yosef Javid and former SEC employee Rina Thomas.  St. Onge had desert sent out, the birthday sombrero plopped on her head, and another round of “Happy Birthday.”

Singles: Steven Grissom (2), Linda Regira, Eddie James, Chris Fallin, Michael Pernici (2), Katherine St. Onge, Elliott Adams, Allison Gilmore, Gary Beadle, Matt Wattigny and Alicia Ardoin. Double: Katherine St. Onge .

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

PLAYERS:  Allison Gilmore (Secretary), Alicia Ardoin (BDS), Brenda Guess (BIS), Chris Fallin (Business Intelligence), Dennis Barbier (Equipment Manger), Eddie James (BDS), Elliott Adams (Lead Development), Gary Beadle (IT), James Caldwell (Student), Johan Salen (BDS), Julie Van Scotter (COS), Katherine St. Onge (SEC), Linda Regira (Policy & Planning), Matt Wattigny (FastStart), Michael Pernici (Lead Development), Sarah Vanden Broek (SEC), and Steven Grissom (Deputy Secretary).

Susan Bigner kept the scorebook for the team.

FANS:  Alicia Ardoin’s husband Larry and daughter Amanda, Pattie Pipes (SEC), Susan Bigner (BIS), Sally Babin (Fiscal) and husband Allen, Allison Gilmore’s husband James and daughter Madison and Leu Anne’s Greco’s (Legal)  ice chest!