The 'Hens opening-round matchup vs. Tupper Lake was a trap, plain and simple. C. R. Tunes had spent the previous weekend beating the Timberjaxx into a pulp to secure homefield advantage, and came into the game as the odds-on favorite to advance into the semifinals. Surely enough, Roger's Renegades sputtered offensively in the early going, allowing Tupper a chance to stay in the game into the late innings. When a blatant missed call by Lenny Duquette on an admittedly boneheaded defensive play by Dan Hoffman extended the game still further, it seemed like a win might not be in the cards. Hoffman's boner was overshadowed by a superlative pitching effort that gave way to further brilliance by co-ace cohabitant Mike Bergman, but a universally appreciated HBP to ole' number twenty-four followed by a somewhat less well-received Jimmy Knight double left the 'Hens three outs away from elimination. Tupper Lake, however, made perhaps the biggest blunder that one can make in a CVBL baseball game: a leadoff walk to Dan Hoffman. Soon, two were in scoring position for the great Bordeau, and the rest is CVBL folklore: a 13-inning come-from-behind masterpiece for the green and gold.
It must be remembered, though, that one great win does not a CVBL champion make, and the mighty Lyon Mountain Miners arrived in Saranac the next weekend to drive that point home with their bats. Dave Waldron was predictably obnoxius, Scott Baker continued to claim at least a one-half undivided interest in Dan Hoffman's soul, and Jon Dumas was still fun to yell at when he came to the plate, but none of that mattered after Bordeau's performance. Versus Tupper Lake, he had won the game; versus Lyon Mountain, he was the game. Bordeau racked up 7 RBI, taking the game back out of reach whenever it seemed the Miners might claw their way close, and another solid outing from Hoffman and Bergman gave the 'Hens an improbable 1-0 series lead.
Tomorrow afternoon, the participants in this year's CVBL championship series will be decided on fields in Plattsburgh and Lyon Mountain. Mike Bordeau will be in Lyon Mountain. So will Mike Bergman, and Dan Hoffman, and Dave Davidson, and all of the others whose toil has allowed the Mudhens to achieve so much more than the pundits predicted. Lyon Mountain may still be considered the favorite. But I don't think they can beat C. R. Tunes. And so I will be in Lyon Mountain. Will you?
PLAYOFF ROUNDUP!
TWINKLETOES HOTSTEPS ON OUTTA HERE - Ryan Desmarais made good on his promise to attend game one of the Lyon Mountain series, except exactly the opposite. He instead chose to go home to Tupper Lake and frighten cats or something. Your wit, cynicism, and general eccentricity is always appreciated, Ryan, but in this instance, for shame. For shame.
THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY LEARN SOME OF THE WORDS - In an ambitious move, Mike Bergman has vowed to get that Mudhen song Roger plays between innings on his home computer's iTunes playlist. The song, purportedly "The Hen House is Rockin' Tonight" by the Mighty Meaty Swing Kings, is a longtime crowdpleaser that always fires up the 'Henheads, and Bergman believes that adding it to his music collection would, "help me to bring the Mudhens into my home the whole year round."
RUMBLE IN THE CENTER CITY - Local bar Peabody's was transformed into a CVBL powderkeg Friday night when it played host to a tussle between Lyon Mountain's "Crazy" Joe Light and the 'Hens' own Mike Bergman and Dan Hoffman. A chance meeting of the trip aces soon degenerated into an hour-long shouting match that ended with blows exchanged between Hoffman and Light. The matter was supposedly settled at a family restaurant some time later, but as any good zoologist or string cheese wrapper will tell you, Mudhens have long memories.
GO TO THE %^#&! GAMES - The games in Lyon Mountain this Sunday are expected to be attended by approximately ten bajillion very loud and very inebriated Miners fans. What say the 'Hen faithful bring some numbers of their own? Whether you're a longtime 'Henhead, or simply a Tupper Lake pitcher with plenty of time to kill, this is the weekend Roger and Co. need you most. If you can't get up for Lyon Mountain, you can't get up.