Archive - 2003
Our tenth year in existence found our First Team in Prem 1 and our Second Team in Prem 2 (after barely scrapping through the playoffs last year!).
We knew this season was going to be tough, but perhaps didn't expect it to be quite so tough! Neither team won a league game until 28th May, when the 1Zs finally got a win on the board. This was after the Firsts had lost their first four games (though very unlucky against Batpak and MarlayB) and the seconds had lost their first three (once again the addition of new players making it difficult!).
Obviously, wins were going to be needed, and the Firsts finally got the 5 points at the end of June against the Warriors, in a great game that we they won with 11 runs in the last inning! This win seem to galvanise them, and the following week they got the win that had alluded them for so long, finally beating Batpak in a good close game. The Seconds meanwhile were very unlucky to lose by 1 run away to the Flyers, but a win against Shutout7 gave them much needed points.
Halfway through the season, and it wasn't looking good, but with so many games to be rescheduled (due to the weather, and also to the tragic death of Brian Walshe), it was hard to figure out how the league might finish. A 1 run win for the Firsts over MarlayB was essential, as was the Seconds beating the Kegs with a walkover, but loses to the Suspects and Slammers (the Seconds) and to Dodder and Oddsox Green (the First) meant that safety was anything but guaranteed.
Eventually the resheculed games got played in a hectic few weeks, and a great win for the Firsts against the Warriors (in a big hitting game, with over 50 runs scored) guaranteed them mid table obscurity, finishing in 5th place with 5 wins.
The Seconds weren't as lucky, and a vailant 1 run loss to the Dogs in the 9th inning (while only fielding 9 players), and loses to Oddsox Red and the Flyers meant they were in the playoffs for a second year running, finishing in 7th place with 3 wins. Their first playoff opponants were Shutout 7, and a 1 run loss meant the Seconds were playing in the Senior division next year...
In the Blites, we managed to always beat the Suspects (bless them! :) but not many other team, and even got as far as the Plate final at the Suspect's Blitz. Special word has to go to Conor for catching a fly ball with his eye!
All in all, it was a hard season for us, but we got through it, got some new players, and the Firsts managed to keep their Prem 1 status. To be honest, a year in the Senior shouldn't hurt the Seconds too much, and it'll give the new players a chance to learn the game more.
Finally, congrats to Ruth Kelly, Paddy Aylward and Jason Browne for making the National Team Squad. Paddy was also Irish Male MVP at the World Series of Softball tournament in London in September.
We knew this season was going to be tough, but perhaps didn't expect it to be quite so tough! Neither team won a league game until 28th May, when the 1Zs finally got a win on the board. This was after the Firsts had lost their first four games (though very unlucky against Batpak and MarlayB) and the seconds had lost their first three (once again the addition of new players making it difficult!).
Obviously, wins were going to be needed, and the Firsts finally got the 5 points at the end of June against the Warriors, in a great game that we they won with 11 runs in the last inning! This win seem to galvanise them, and the following week they got the win that had alluded them for so long, finally beating Batpak in a good close game. The Seconds meanwhile were very unlucky to lose by 1 run away to the Flyers, but a win against Shutout7 gave them much needed points.
Halfway through the season, and it wasn't looking good, but with so many games to be rescheduled (due to the weather, and also to the tragic death of Brian Walshe), it was hard to figure out how the league might finish. A 1 run win for the Firsts over MarlayB was essential, as was the Seconds beating the Kegs with a walkover, but loses to the Suspects and Slammers (the Seconds) and to Dodder and Oddsox Green (the First) meant that safety was anything but guaranteed.
Eventually the resheculed games got played in a hectic few weeks, and a great win for the Firsts against the Warriors (in a big hitting game, with over 50 runs scored) guaranteed them mid table obscurity, finishing in 5th place with 5 wins.
The Seconds weren't as lucky, and a vailant 1 run loss to the Dogs in the 9th inning (while only fielding 9 players), and loses to Oddsox Red and the Flyers meant they were in the playoffs for a second year running, finishing in 7th place with 3 wins. Their first playoff opponants were Shutout 7, and a 1 run loss meant the Seconds were playing in the Senior division next year...
In the Blites, we managed to always beat the Suspects (bless them! :) but not many other team, and even got as far as the Plate final at the Suspect's Blitz. Special word has to go to Conor for catching a fly ball with his eye!
All in all, it was a hard season for us, but we got through it, got some new players, and the Firsts managed to keep their Prem 1 status. To be honest, a year in the Senior shouldn't hurt the Seconds too much, and it'll give the new players a chance to learn the game more.
Finally, congrats to Ruth Kelly, Paddy Aylward and Jason Browne for making the National Team Squad. Paddy was also Irish Male MVP at the World Series of Softball tournament in London in September.