 |
Joe Senser's Softball | |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Joe Senser's Softball | |
| |
|
|
|
|
By Mike Dirksen
Infield Correspondendent
ROSEVILLE, MN � Senser�s had a chance to finish the year with a flourish, but dropped the front end of a doubleheader leading to a disappointing 10-10 finish on the year. �Man, you can just change our name next year to �The Splits�,� Jeremy Kletzin was heard to say after the game.
Game 1 was highlighted by numerous base running errors. Senser�s ran its way out of a victorious sweep. Runners were sent home without regard for their health and welfare and definitely without reason. Most notably, third base coach Mike Dirksen sent Pete(r) Fanucci home on a double by Ryan Thomas that went deep to left center field. Dirksen watched intently as the damp ball was thrown in from the outfield and it appeared as if the shortstop was not going to field it cleanly, so he sent Fanucci home from first base. Obviously winded by this point from pulling his grand piano around the base paths, Fanucci was thrown out by 15 feet and Dirksen hung his head in shame after Fanucci tried to avoid the catcher�s tag. �I thought he could make it, I am the conservative one over here,� Dirksen was heard to bemoan after the play. Manage(r) Fanucci was out of breath after the run, but being the fine Italian that he tries to be, he denied himself a drink of water in favor of a shot of extra-virgin olive oil. �Mhmmm, that�s nice,� he exclaimed.
Senser�s gave it their all in the fifth inning of game 1. The best way to sum up the action there is using poetic verse.
|
The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Roseville thirteen that day; The score stood five to five with but three innings more to play. And then when Lindholm died in left, and Remick did the same, A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game. A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast; They thought if only Fanucci could but get a whack at that-- We'd put up even money now with Fanucci at the bat. But Dirksen preceded Fanucci, as did also Mikey B, And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake; So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat, For there seemed but little chance of Fanucci getting to the bat. But Biebl got a walk, to the wonderment of all, And Dirksen, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball; And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred, There was Biebl safe at second and Dirksen a-hugging first. Then from 17 throats and more there rose a lusty yell; It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell; It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat, For Fanucci, mighty Fanucci, was advancing to the bat. There was ease in Fanucci's manner as he stepped into his place; There was pride in Fanucci's bearing and a smile on Fanucci's face. And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat, No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Fanucci at the bat. Thirty four eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt; Seventeen tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt. Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, Defiance gleamed in Fanucci's eye, a sneer curled Fanucci's lip. And now the leather-covered sphere came lobbing through the air, And Fanucci stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there. Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped-- "That ain't my style," said Fanucci. "Strike one," the umpire said. From the benches black with people, there went up a muffled roar, Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore. "Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted some one on the stand; And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Fanucci raised his hand. With a smile of Christian charity great Fanucci's visage shone; He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on; He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew; But Fanucci still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Ball one." The sneer is gone from Fanucci�s lip, his teeth are clenched in hate; He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate. And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go, And now the air is shattered by the force of Fanucci�s blow. Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Roseville-- mighty Fanucci has struck out. |
So what if the events are a bit embellished here, but it�s the last week of the season so who really cares. Fanucci properly took an outside pitch that the blind ump called a strike. That was the first strikeout for the season for the Senser squad, the longest the team has gone without a strikeout for the season.
Senser�s scored 4 runs in the top of the first, then could only manage 3 runs the rest of the way en route to the 8-7 loss. �Its disappointing to lose this way,� Tim Bruns uttered after the game, �friggin� ump cost us this one.�
Game 2 proved to be a different story from game 1 and Senser�s came out with a vengeance. Senser�s turned in some amazing plays en route to their 14-4 win in game 2. A textbook 5-4-3 double play was spun with Kletzin at second. First baseman Mike Kennedy commented that he was not so sure Manage(r) Fanucci would have been able to spin that one so fast. �We needed that dp,� Kennedy exclaimed, �that got our bats rockin� again.�
Senser�s put up an 8 spot in the bottom of the 3rd inning to take a 10-4 lead and they never looked back. The first six hitters in the inning reached safely and all six scored. The big blast of the inning came when Ryan Thomas connected on a 1-0 pitch and sent it soaring over the left field fence for his second home run for the season.
The season officially ended at the bar at 1am. Good luck to you all and to all a good night.
SWELVAX PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mike Kennedy � Kennedy was in a tight race until the last game of the season with Ryan Thomas, but Kennedy tied the single season record for most hits and shattered the season record for highest batting average. Kennedy was also a defensive stud at first base and on many occasions saved Senser�s runs by stretching for errant infield tosses.
MVMP � Presented by Mike Biebl
Eric Lindholm � after a blistering start to the season, Lindholm�s batting average and power numbers fell drastically during the course of the season.
MOST IMPROVED MAN PUSSY
Mike Biebl rebounded from a difficult 2002 campaign where he hit .281 to this season where he produced a solid .442 batting average.
Milestones
Mike Clark recorded Senser�s 700th at bat this year.
Jeff Rosner collected Senser�s 250th run of the year.
Brette Hjelle collected Senser�s 1200th hit all time.
Records set or tied this season
Batting average � Kennedy .656 (Hjelle .635)
Slugging percentage � Riesetter 1.106 and Kletzin .962 (Kletzin .957)
Hits � Kennedy 40 (Hjelle 40)
Doubles � Thomas 12 (Rosner 10)
Most Infield Ole�s � Fanucci 17 (Fanucci 16)
career hits on this site.
Click the Adobe icon if you are having difficulty reading the Shooter or other columns on this website.