BREWER– Last night, the SweatSox faced the Misfits for the first time since our infamous L-T-T playoff elimination three years & two seasons ago. For the second straight game, the SweatSox only allowed 1 run to cross the plate (good); but unfortunately for the first time since Barnes 2-hit us back in 2017, we were shut out (bad). The SweatSox end up on the wrong end of a 1-0 pitchers duel, dropping our 2021 record to .500 (1-1).
The only run of the game came in the bottom of the 1st inning, when Peter Gauthier scored from second on an Isaac Cockburn RBI single to right; which was all the scoring the Misfits needed to win their season opener, and effectively clinch the #1 seed in the Parkins division.
The closest the SweatSox came to scoring a run was in the 5th inning when Chris Lidstone knocked a base hit up the middle, then Cory Bond pushed him over to 2nd with some good ol’ fashioned small ball. Mark Bond was up next and nearly cashed Liddy in, but the Misfits 3rd baseman (name unknown because the Misfits lineup card had no positions or numbers) made a great juggling catch after taking a hard hit ball to the jugular.
It was an empty victory for the Misfits, as all their wins will be this year. They never earned their way back down to Tier 3 like we did by finishing last, and not only did they bring everyone back from their 2018 pennant winning season, but they also added Phil Martin, who moonlights for the Tier 1 Nepean Brewers in all of their local tournaments, to their roster this year. Superteam! Do the right thing Misfits Management, offer to trade spots right now with a Tier 2 team we know we can handle, like the Cornwall River Rats.
The lone bright spot for the SweatSox was the pitching of Eric White, who racked up to 10k’s over 6 innings, including the 500th K of his NCBL career, a 3rd inning strikeout of Sir Darkness McPickles. THC is the 16th player in NCBL history to reach 500K’s, following our GLE Cory Bond who did it in our 2019 regular season finale. Congratulations to Eric for reaching this milestone, but just know the SweatSox don’t officially recognize your non-SweatSox stats, so to us you’re only at 264.
Kyle “don’t call him Tyler” Stewart, who made his debut wearing a #26 Black Sox jersey, played yesterday’s game for the SweatSox in an actual SweatSox jersey, jersey #69. Stewart becomes the 3rd full time player to wear this most desired jersey in a regular season game, following in the footsteps of Martin Trepanier and Jason Klein. Big thanks to Tek for returning the jersey earlier this week, which he had been keeping in a Domino’s pizza oven so it would be nice & warm for whoever wore it next.
With a pair of Black Sox split between the SweatSox (Stewart) and Misfits (Martin), it was fitting that they’d face one another in a key 5th inning at bat. Martin got Stewart to ground into a fielder’s choice, so we’ll call that battle a draw.
What might’ve helped the SweatSox last night was if Mr. 750 Kent Johnston was in attendance to help get the offense going. The Angry Center Fielder originally declared himself “iffy”, but downgraded his status to “out” a few minutes before the game, so he could stay home and attempt to watch Black Widow on Mrs. Ross’ Disney+ account.
Finally, the fans in the stands (if you hear us clap your hands) were treated to some mid 4th-inning shenanigans when Louis Gadbois (of Ferda fame) showed up and stormed the field during Eric’s warmups, wanting to recreate their epic showdown from Fall Ball 2019. For those who weren’t there 2 years back (Josh), White told Gadbois he was going to throw a fastball, then Gadbois put it about 414 feet to deep left field. Good times.
Next up for the SweatSox is an opening day rematch against Team Cuba this Tuesday at the Sportsplex. The Arsonist is listed as our probable starter; their souls will be his.
Final SweatSox vs Misfits Notes/Thoughts:
- Kyle Stewart likes a no pressure challenge
- Josh Ramage bought an orange chair to support his people
- The Ocho is the most highly anticipated, and most coveted side chat
- The Taj Mahal bell rings at 1pm every Saturday (or as Jaspreet Sanghra calls it: Wake up & Loki)
- Where was the Misfits bases guy?
- Outstanding jerseys: Dorrington, Lowry, Pidhirny, Stinson?
- Peter Gauthier only starts games at Brewer when the Misfits are in the 1st base dugout
- Josh Ramage isn’t used to being hit square in the back by a hard thrown ball from CF
- You’re supposed to turn the book, not the page. Whoops.
- Cory Bond has now qualified for the playoffs
- Josh Ramage’s 1 putout at 1B in 6 innings might be an all-time record low
- An operation is a procedure, but not all procedures are operations
- It’s perfectly normal to frost your nuts in a wedding cake you see in the fridge of a couple you’ve never met before, in the middle of the night
- Josh Ramage wouldn’t wish missing fingers on anyone
- Cory Bond wouldn’t wish zero run support on anyone
- Mark Bond will only bend down to show he can’t bend down
- Ross Hughes is cool standing in a sketchy circle in the dark
- Cory Bond was not concussed, those were fireflies
- Craig Cornell keeps his pants on until told otherwise
- Pork + Pork = Goat?
- Jaspreet Sanghra will not confirm that he confirmed that he cannot confirm nor deny what does and does not happen in the house – if there is a house
- Josh Ramage is always looking… …to avoid
- I, Shaun Keay, will not go to Vegas unless there’s an itinerary
- Itinerary Item #1 – Tequila shots at McCarran
- Itinerary Item #2 – Eat the flower at Chandelier
- When I, Shaun Keay, don’t golf, my mental health suffers
- If John Taffer sees a bartender drinking on the job, he’s shutting that establishment down
- Summerhays finally took the $0.01 per transaction hit and got the tap
#WONTHEHYJINX