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Joe Senser's Softball
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NEW SHERIFF ON HORIZON
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Joe Senser's Softball
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ROSEVILLE, MN- Through four innings of the second game, manager Mike Dirksen's job appeared safe. After a lackluster 21-7 loss in the first game, Senser's bats awoke for the nightcap. Taking a 19-12 lead into the fifth, things started to turn the other way. The top three in the lineup went 1-2-3 and the opposition plated three to narrow the gap to 19-15. Senser's only managed a one run in the 6th and had another thrown out at the plate to stretch the lead back to 20-15. Then, in the bottom of the 6th, as the fog rolled in from right field and the mosquitoes swarmed in droves, the wheels came off the Senser's truck. "No, f--k that," always quote-worthy fan Mike Biebl said. "The wheels all blew off, the axles locked up, and you dumped your load all over the road as your s--theap slid into the ditch and caught fire." After three Texas Leaguers hit just over the infield, Senser's gloves turned into goalie blockers. When the nightmare was finished, the Diamond Cutters had turned a 20-15 deficit into a 29-20 lead, which held up for the final score. "Man, we went from almost 10'ing this guys to getting 10'ed," pitcher Brette Hjelle was quoted as he walked of the mound. Most of what was said after the 6th was unprintable, even for a publication such as this.
The night was not without its bright spots, however. Christian Peterson is weaning himself off the wet newspaper at-bats by hitting a towering home run and a ringing double en route to a 4-for-6 night. "That double was the first line drive I've hit in two years," Peterson told our staff after that hit. Dan Hinrichs got off the home runs in Minnesota schneid with a blast in the first inning of the second game. "There was no flippin' way that ump was going to keep me from circling the bases after that bomb," Hinrichs said after he got back to the dugout. "Me hitting a home run is like the sun shining on a dog's ass, it doesn't happen too often." His next home run is projected for July 23, 2002. Hinrichs also provided a comical moment on the basepaths, leading with his shoulder into the bag diving back after a line-drive out. "Hey, using your hand is fine, you don't need to put your shoulder into the bag," first-base coach Mike Kennedy told him after the "slide". Jeremy Kletzin hit two dingers, Ryan Thomas hit for the Al Newman cycle (single, double, triple), Kevin Jost went 4-for-4 with 4 runs in the second game, and no one grounded into any double plays. Pete Fanucci and Mike Kennedy did, however, strike out looking, which called for pitchers after the game.
There really isn't a helluva lot to say about the first game, except that Eastiro (fka Eastside, ffka Mark Enslin) went 3-for-3, Tim Bruns went 2-for-2, Kletzin hit a dong, and Senser's lost 21-7.
The bar started out low-key, as the players were still upset over blowing that game (Bob Uecker's call of the Senser's team after the game). However, once the beers started flowing, things started to look up (as they always do). Jayme Forstrom, in the middle of a Eastiro-grand slam-Fanucci dispute, noted a discrepancy in the writeup from last week. The check said to be put out by Pete was actually a Forstrom check, absolving Fanucci from any unemployment cracks. Forstrom also decided to do her part for the team by cutting Pete off until a) Pete goes one game without a ball going through the five-hole, b) Pete gets an extra base hit, or c) gets out of the GIDP lead. Much was made of the impending manager switch, as Dirksen now faces a must-win next week in the first game; otherwise Eastiro takes over. "The first thing I do is get Fanucci four spots away from me in the lineup," Eastiro said. "His strikeout cost me another at-bat with the bases loaded, and I know that one would've been a granny." Later in the night, Fanucci decided it was time to start singing one of his favorite songs, a tactic that just about won him the undisputed MVMP award for the second week in a row. (Hear Fanucci singing) Almost fittingly, the tab at the bar came up just a bit short of the $600 mark, a telltale sign of the week.
Next week's games take place at 6:00, offering a chance to pick up the slack. The 7:00 game could also be Eastiro's managerial debut...
Swelvax Player of the Week:
#00, Diamond Cutters. Usually this award is reserved for Senser's players, but when a guy hits 5 home runs, a couple of them well over 350 feet, and hits a fly ball higher than a gangsta rapper, you've gotta give him props.
MVMP of the Week, presented by Mike Biebl:
Senser's defense, 6th inning, game 2. Mike Kennedy and Tim Bruns are spared the MVMP since they were on the bench during the Night of the Living Dead inning; however, Kennedy K'd, so Bruns is the only player who did not earn the MVMP.
career hits on this site.
