The Rundown - RFT Softball: Victory is Ours

After a rainout last week, the RFT's softball season resumed last night with spectacular results. Yes, you read that correctly, after getting shut out and shat on in the opening game of the season, the home team emerged victorious from a 15-14 roller coaster ride of a game last night at Legion Park in Overland.

After holding opponents Chevy's Fresh Mex scoreless in the top of the first, newcomer Andrew Ciembronowicz led off the bottom of the first with a base hit, followed by another hit, and a ground-out. MVP SS/LF/Superhuman Tom Kavanaugh then stepped to the plate and ripped a double, scoring what many no doubt thought would be the first and only runs of the season. Amazingly though, like Barry Manilow's career, the hits just kept on coming. Buoyed by some hustle base running, excellent pitch selection, poor fielding by Chevy's, and some actual honest to goodness hits, the RFT eventually batted a round in the first inning, scoring eight runs in all. Though the opposing pitcher was talking on his cell phone during two at-bats, giving directions to a lost teammate, no call to the bullpen was made.

Chevy's clawed back into the game, thanks to some overly aggressive outfielding by the Alt-Weekly squad and speedy baserunning/actual hitting talent by the other team. The RFT however, was not to be denied. Kavanaugh blasted an opposite-field home run and first baseman Ciembronowicz (kid needs a nickname) legged out an inside-the-park job. A few more runs were added thanks to ''being selective at the plate'' (code for ''not swinging under any circumstances''), and timely hitting/hustle by pretty much the entire team.

In the bottom of the sixth, the RFT was clinging to a narrow 12-10 lead. After adding one, eventually Kavanaugh stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two out. He hit a towering pop fly, which was lost in the lights by the Chevy's shortstop. The ball went behind his head and ricocheted off second base, allowing two runs to score. Like the Cardinals in the National League Central, nothing breeds success like your opponent's ineptitude. RFT leads 15-10.

Facing the top of the order with the game on the line in final inning, hope was not exactly springing eternal for the good guys. The Chevy's leadoff man reached and was doubled home. After a few more hits and an out, the score was 15-14. With a runner on first and one out, a powerful Chevy's hitter who doubled off the left-field wall earlier in the game stepped to the plate. A hard ground ball to third was stopped in a diving play, but the throw to second was off the mark. Hard-nosed second baseman Kim Cook, however, swatted the errant orb out of the air like a mosquito, taking one for the team by using her barehand for the job. With the force still in order, a ground ball from the next batter made for an easy out. Then, a pop out to the shortstop, and…victory! victory! victory!

Player(s) of game: It's hard to pick, as pretty much everyone played great, but two stand out. Outfielder Kim Underwood went a remarkable 0-0 with four walks and as many runs. Congrats Kim, your on-base percentage blows Pujols' out of the water. Also Kim Cook deserves mention for her key defensive play in the seventh. Unreal would give her a high five but her palm is probably bruised to shit.

-Unreal