StrawDogs bite Fish: SDs 19, Fish 17

Dear Catfish Nation,

It was a painful loss for the Fish last night, still struggling for a win this season. Last night we hoped was our chance: We noted with secret glee that the Straw Dogs, like ourselves, had yet to win a game this year. “Fish!! Now’s our Chance!” what we said to ourselves. However, we weren’t prepared for their secret weapon: a giggling dog who kept laughing at us from the sidelines and distracting us from our usual homerun-palooza.

Nevertheless, as the scoreboard shows, it was a hard fought battle and there is no shame in Fish’s game. Highlights include our very strong start in the first inning with brutal bats from Levi “Leafy Greens” Rubeck, Na-Slam-Well Trippe, Evan The Beast Mauser, Butters Elwell, Tslammy Tsai. Matt the Baffler Abbate’s holding them to zero runs when we needed it most in the top of the 6th was also a source of pride. In that inning, Dee Gee Dubya “Dubbie” Weininger marked his triumphant return, snagging 2 fouls balls on the run at 3rd base. Erin H-Bomb Hasley’s patience and prowess at the plate were another shining moment, as was Chrazy Eyer’s single in the bottom of the 6th, bringing Dubbie Weininger home and tying up the game. This allowed us to take the lead again for a brief shining moment!! Brutal base-running by Butters and John The Battler Abbate, and heroic hitting by Nate The Great Jaggy JAG, Richard the Raucous, and Yar Mr. Tats Laakso were all part of our Fishy strategy; and Jamie the Jamiable had some fine running catches in the outfield, glorious to behold. And even yours truly made to it base somehow! Truly a fine outing for all Fish involved.

In the end, though, I think those Dogs of Straw were just a little bit hungrier for it; we were hungry, too, of course, but mostly for pizza. We repaired to the Muddy and stuffed our Fish faces with pizzas and beers, and commiserated with Whybunt Allison, who promises to give us some inside scoops on future enemies.

We Fish as always hold our heads high and look ever toward the future. Our next game is July 11, vs. those shadowy Shadow Masks. Until then, we remain as ever, yours in softball,

Judy/Cap’n Batty

 

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	TOTES!
SDs	1	5	3	2	5	0	3	19
Fish!	7	3	1	0	0	6	D:	17

 

 

 

Fish battle Whybunts to bitter end: Fish 29, WBs 30

Dear Catfish Nation,

The scoreboard tells the story here in our bravest battle thus far against our pals, yet also now our arch nemeses, the wily Whybunts.

These Whybunts are a force to be reckoned with, and reckon with them we did. They are undefeated this season and have beaten some of the toughest teams in the league this year—yet we gave them a real What For, Catfish! We were deeply inspired last night by our biggest little fan, Edith Lil Mouse Mauser, who was there to cheer us on her very own 3rd birthday. We fought as hard as we could for her. Her own father Evan The Beast Mauser blasted 2 homeruns, all while screaming “FOR EDITH!!!!!” as he powered around the bases. Richard the Raucous Wladkowski solidified his membership in the homerun club with an early blammo, and Na-Slam-Well Trippe also tossed a homerun on the pile. There may have been other homeruns as well, so please correct me, Fish, if I’m missing any of them.

I believe all our bats were blazing, and all of us made it to a base or two. Other fiery fishy highlights include a huge 2-out rally in the top of the 4th, and our defensive clampdown in the bottom of the 5th, when Buttery Butters Elwell and Chris Mr. Stretchy Eyer had some fine plays between themselves at shortstop and 1st. All Fish as ever contributed their ferocity to this battle, and all deserve mention: Levi The Leviathan, sacrificing his fingies at 2nd (screaming “FOR EDITH!!!”), and swinging the bat like a maniac; John Tslammy Tsai, with his usual powerful blammo hits; Nate JAG!! Band, hustling in the outfield and racking up the RBIs; Jamie the Jamiable Emerson, managing not to skin his knee this time, while chasing down many hard-hit Whybunt blasts; Yar Mr. Tatty Laakso, hitting like a machine and running like a fiend; Erin The H-Bomb Hasley, hustling behind the plate and intimidating pitchers with her shenanigans, earning herself some fine hits; John the Battler Abbate, displaying aggressive base-running the likes of which we’ve never seen; and Matt The Baffler Abbate, pitching with aplomb and style and doing his best to befuddle the Whybunts.

Ultimately, if we lost to the Whybunts, I think we know the reason behind it: their specialist in psychological warfare, who goes by the name “Alison” (who knows her true identity). We’re devising our own plans to infiltrate their ranks and learn more about what makes them tick—other than, of course, pitchers of beer at the Muddy. We tip our hats and our cups full of beer to you, Whybunts, for a game well played and hard won. We’ll get you next time! And Happiest of Birthdays, little Edith. Our little fish-hearts are broken that we couldn’t win this one for you!

Please join us next week when we play the Strawdogs on the Women’s Softball Diamond.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	TOTES!
Fish!	4	1	2	10	5	3	4	29
WBs	3	1	7	7	0	8	4	30

Fish battle Langer Lab and score 13 whole runs

Dear Catfish Nation,

 

Another double header thankfully behind us, and all of us are recovering from sunstroke today, but we revel in our many victories over those Langer Labbers, because really it’s not about the final score, it’s about the magical journey along the way. At least that’s what we Fish have learned.

 

All Fish were heroic in their efforts as per usual, but highlights include Levi “The Leviathan” Rubeck’s triumphant return to 2nd base, where he made some truly delightful plays and stops. Hot Stuff José Herrero triumphantly returned to us as well, and was a sight to behold in at 3rd and 1st base, resembling more of a graceful frolicking antelope than a mere man. He also made a death-defying catch of a line drive at 3rd, the sound of which is still ringing in his ears I’m sure.

 

On the offense side of things, our bats were blazing, with Yar “Mr. Tatty!” Laakso joining the home run club (Hats off to you Mister Tats!), and Jamie “The Jamiable” tossing another home run on the pile for good measure. Nate “The Great JAG!!” Band had an amazing blast that sailed off his bat, and it would have been a perfect triple, had we not foolishly waved him home, where he slide with aplomb into the glove of the catcher and was called out. Mea Culpa, JAG! We plead sunstroke.

 

Na-slam-well Trippe had fine hits himself, and got to swim trippingly around the bases many times for John Tslammy Tsai, who was in fine form as always. Special props to Tslammy for putting up with my numerous feeble tosses to him at 1st. Christopher “Chrazy Eyes” Eyer had a fine blammo of a hit, as did Erin “H-Bomb” Hasley and “Raucous Richard” Wladkowski. In general I think we all felt that it really helped us get to a space of Zen and calm to have the sun beating down on us and into the windows of our souls, blinding us and stripping away all that does not matter.

 

And as I said earlier, what does matter is the magical journey that all of us Fish are swimming through. The journey continues in two weeks on June 20, when we play our pals the Whybunts.

 

Yours in softball,

Judy “Capn Batty”