Thursday, August 8, 1996. Field 2 (turf) vs. EAPS. W 12-11
Final regular season record: 6 wins, 4 losses.
Thursday, June 6, 1996, versus Rigid Rotors
Rotors Sputter as Clippers Shine
Gellar comes through as closer
The Clippers had to get used to balls and strikes and an umpire in their first game in the Serious Slow Pitch League. They also found themselves playing after a hectic day preparing for commencement the next day, and had no chance to take any batting or fielding practice. But they showed their grit with pitching, defense and timely hitting to post a 5-3 win against the Rigid Rotors.
The Rotors posted their 3 runs in the bottom of the first around two strikeouts by starter Lisa and the Clippers were momentarily worried, alarmed by Bhaird's scouting report ("serious sluggers") which he compiled earlier while watching the Rotors' batting practice.
But the Clippers rolled back with four in the top of the 3rd inning, sparked by Tom's leadoff walk, followed by a double by Nelson, and singles by Robert, Greg, Dan and Bhaird.
After that middle-reliever Alice shut down the Rotors. After adding an insurance run in the top of the seventh (triple by Nelson, screaming sacrifice line-out by Robert), Stephanie came in as the Clipper's new closer. One batter reached base, but the other three made outs in identical fashion--grounding to Stephanie, who calmly threw them out at first.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Clippers 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 5
Rigid Rotors 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
Thursday, June 13, 1996, versus Atom Smashers
One Bad Inning
Clippers smashed in second inning, game
If you take out away the second inning, the Clippers would have dominated the Atom Smashers in their second game of the season. Instead, they gave up 14 runs that inning and despite the sterling performance of the defense after that--not to mention posting 8 more runs--they couldn't begin to salvage the game and went down 21-13.
Stephanie provided relief by coming in to pitch the third and held the Smashers to just 2 runs for the rest of the game. Caleb turned a nifty 6-3 double play, and catcher Alice was picture-perfect in her sweep tag of a runner at the plate even as she didn't quite make contact.
The Clippers easily won the cheer however: "Hit the ball, hit the ball, at 'em, at'em smashers!"
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Clippers 3 2 0 0 3 3 2 13
Atom Smashers 5 14 1 0 0 1 x 21
Friday, June 14, 1996, versus The Pits
Clippers Bat Around 14 Players--Twice
Complete game victory for Stephanie
The Clippers could do no wrong in their game against The Pits on Friday, winning 25-7. In the second and fifth innings they sent all 14 of their players to the plate, scoring 9 runs each time. In a way, they scored 10 in the second, as Barry hit a deep foul ball to left but was impervious to the cries of the ump and his teammates as they shrieked, "foul ball!" and was barreling into homeplate before he caught the drift.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Clippers 3 9 0 1 9 3 0 25
Pits 3 0 3 0 0 0 1 7
Thursday, June 20, 1996, versus TCS Killer Ts
One Good Inning
Excellent defense solidifies win
The Clippers enjoyed a 7-run second inning, and that was the difference as their defense took over and they beat the competitive and amiable Killer Ts 11-5.
The game was highlighted by a sensational over-the-shoulder tumbling catch by Nelson; an acrobatic move by Dan as he stumbled running toward first, recovered and was tagged out by the first basewoman; innumerable put-outs all over left field by Barry; great stretches by Will at first base, a clutch catch in right field by Linda; complete game pitching by Lisa, and a towering homerun by Jeff to cap the second inning scoring.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Killer Ts 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 5
Clippers 0 7 1 0 3 0 x 11
Thursday, June 27, 1996, versus EAPs
Sizzle in the Drizzle
Clippers put EAPS in orbit
The Clippers are a tough lot who don't let a little thing like like rain stop them, but clinging to a 4-1 lead after four innings, they found themselves doing a little raindance, not minding if the game got called after five innings.
But instead they hunkered down, added a little insurance in the sixth, and won handily 6-2.
The tough EAPS team, who seemed like they could erupt at anytime to catch the Clippers, turned in the two best defensive plays of the game. The short-centerfielder robbed D'Angelo of a hard-hit looping liner by ranging far to her right and scooping it inches from the grass. And in the sixth, Barry laced a bullet straight at the EAPS pitcher who caught the ball in self-defense and was knocked over backwards by the force.
The Clippers welcomed two rookies to the team, Zeke and D'Angelo, who wasted no time making their presence felt with singles and runs scored in the third. D'Angelo even pulled a Clippers first by stealing home, which was applauded heartily even as it wasn't allowed by softball rules.
Lisa pitched a complete game again, and further offense was offered by Nelson, going 3-for-3 with a homerun, Robert with a triple (and a run, as he took home on the overthrow to third), a single and double by Gretchen, and excellent patience at the plate by Will, who drew two walks. Anibal went 2-for-3 and Alice had a solid single to left, and in the long run, the rain felt pretty good.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Clippers 0 1 3 0 0 2 0 6
EAPS 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2
Thursday, July 11, 1996, versus The Pits
Turf War is the Pits
Don't even ask
The Clippers scored the second most runs in a game this season but were annihilated by The Pits 27-14 last night, who posted their first win of the season. The Clippers now have a 4-2 record.
It wasn't as though the Clippers were completely hapless--Caleb hit the longest homerun possible from Field 2, with the ball ending up in the Kresge parking lot. Dan and Nelson also homered, driving in 3 runs each time. Jeff went 2 for 4, Cal and Nelson 4 for 4. Stephanie, Linda, Will, Anibal and Kaj combined for 7 singles. Gretchen went 3 for 3 with a walk, as did Neal in his last game for the Clippers before he leaves for the Olympics (not to play softball, though the team is sure he would qualify, but to assist administratively in the wrestling events).
On defense, catcher Anibal made two dramatic plays at the plate, scooping low throws and then tagging out runners trying to score. But in general, the first game on artificial turf seemed to mess up the timing of the Clippers' defense, and balls scooted through infielders, bounced past outfielders, and seemed to roll a very long way throughout the very long game.
The Clippers baserunning was, well, creative. After Lisa reached at first, Caleb hit the ball sharply for a single which was stopped by the second baseman playing deep. Lisa prudently stopped at second and then watched in astonishment as Caleb raced past her in a blur, which resulted in him being automatically out. Then the next batter, Nelson, was tagged out trying to stretch a single.
Nonetheless, the Clippers will take their high run total of the game as a good omen for their seventh game of the season next week.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pits 4 6 5 6 2 2 2 27
Clippers 5 0 1 3 3 0 2 14
Thursday, July 18, 1996, versus Rigid Rotors
Lucky Thirteen
Clippers down 10-0, come back to win 13-12 in extra innings
No lead is safe, no deficit insurmountable in Field 7. Not for the Clippers, anyway.
Down 10-zip in the fourth inning last night, the team scratched back (of 24 hits, 21 were singles), and found themselves behind 12-11 entering the bottom of the seventh. Two outs were recorded before Linda reached second on an error. Will followed with a single which sent Linda to third. The Clippers on the bench had their rally caps on as Nelson came to bat--a solid single tied the game.
The top of the eighth started auspiciously. With one out, the Rotors put runners on first and third. The next batter sent a high fly to right, and Zeke broke back, making a dramatic catch over his shoulder. First baseman Will alertly called for the ball and doubled the runner off first. But that appeared to be for nought, as the third base runner had tagged up and scored before the third out was recorded.
However, Will sauntered over to third base and tagged it in an appeal that the runner left too soon, and umpire Marino (who also happens to be the commissioner), ruled that he was out. So under the seldom-used "four-out rule," the Clippers maintained a tie game.
Rally caps were the order in the bottom of the eighth. Anibal got it started with a single, and Gretchen followed with a walk. Caleb flied out to left, but Anibal tagged and reached third. A single by Barry won the game, and the Clippers mobbed Anibal as he crossed the plate.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Rigid Rotors 5 2 2 1 0 2 0 0 12
Clippers 0 0 0 5 2 4 1 1 13
Thursday, July 25, 1996, versus The Atom Smashers
Clippers get Smashed Again
Atom Smashers out of their league
Fresh on their dramatic win of last week, the Clippers were ready last night to avenge their earlier loss to the Atom Smashers.
However, the heavy-hitting team kicked Clipper butt and ended up with a 21-7 win and almost received the cheer, "Atom Smashers, Steroids Kill!"--which the Clippers nixed at the last minute in the interest of good sportsmanship. Clearly, however, the Smashers belong in a higher league.
The Clippers also played without several key players. Captain Alice sat out the game due to a broken finger sustained on a foul tip last week, and Dan's back injury prevented him from playing. Plus, three Clippers are at the Olympics this week, no doubt picking up some tips from the U.S. women's gold-medal softball team to bring home to their teammates.
Still, the Clippers had some good moments. Barry's gun in left field surprised the Rotors on three occasions--one caught a runner in a dramatic run-down between 3rd and home, with Will putting the final tag on the runner. Another throw caught a runner breaking for home but the umpire called him safe, and yet another put the fear of God on a runner's face even as he managed to score. The Clippers also turned a double play.
The Clippers are now 5-3 on the season.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Atom Smashers 9 5 3 0 1 2 1 21
Clippers 2 3 2 0 0 0 0 7
Thursday, August 1, 1996, versus TCS-Killer T's
In a Bit of a Slump
Killer T's turn tables on Clippers
Last night the Clippers noticed, as they took the field in their game with the Killer T's, that fertilizer of some sort had been applied to the field and that it stunk. Unfortunately, so did the Clippers.
To be fair, the Killer T's knocked the hide off the ball, sending it over or between outfielders who were already playing deep. But pitching wildness and shaky defense did not help the Clipper cause, and they ended up--after beating the T's in their previous meeting--with one of their worst defeats ever, losing 31-10.
There were some high points: Gretchen led off the game with a double (she reached base all four times she was at bat) and husband Nelson then brought her home with a homerun. Jeff and Anibal hit well, and the Clippers also turned another double play.
And the game was reasonably fun--as fun as a humiliating loss can be--due to the easy-going nature of the Killer T's, who did not take the game too seriously, unlike the previous week's Clipper killers.
The Clippers are now 5-4 on the season with next week looming as their last chance to finish above .500. They are 9-0 on cheers, though, and closed this game out by telling the Killer T's (as if they didn't already know it): "Killer T's! You kicked our asses!".
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Clippers 2 2 2 1 3 0 0 10
Killer T's 2 4 6 3 11 5 x 31
Thursday, August 8, 1996, versus EAPS
An Olympic Moment
Clippers stage 7-run 7th-inning rally to clinch playoffs
It took the return of Neal from the Olympics to provide the clutch moment of the Clippers' up-and-down season, and ensure that the scrappy team would still be playing next week.
A tight and competitive game was played during the first five innings, highlighted by a 4-6-2 double play turned by the Clippers in the first to extinguish an EAPS threat and by a great put-out at the plate by catcher Anibal in the second.
At the top of the 6th inning, the Clippers were clinging to a 5-4 lead when EAPS struck--some hard hitting combined with destructive defense led to 5 EAPS runs. In the bottom of the sixth EAPS' defense really kicked in as they turned a double play and made a great snag of a line drive at third. When they scored two more runs in the top of the seventh, the Clippers' fate seemed sealed, as they were now trailing 11-5.
After one out in the bottom of the seventh, Tom doubled, followed by a single by Zeke. Lisa then walked, and Bhaird provided an RBI with a single as did Linda with a groundout. With two out now, Jeff and Nelson each singled in two more runs, making it 11-9 with two runners on base.
Neal stepped to the plate, took a couple of dubious called strikes, then launched a ball to left field. The EAPS left-fielder lined it up and appeared to have it in his sights, but at the last minute it bounced off his glove and rolled back to the hedges.
Neal tore around the bases and crossed home plate. He hadn't been aware of the score and responded increduously, "You mean that won it?" as he was mobbed by his teammates, who were grateful that he had provided a little post-Olympics drama and sent the Clippers to their first-ever playoffs.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
EAPS 0 1 0 3 0 5 2 11
Clippers 1 3 1 0 0 0 7 12
Wednesday, August 14, 1996, versus PHB
Into the Playoffs...
...but not beyond
The Clippers thought they had PHB right where they wanted them--leading the Clippers by 5 runs going into the bottom of the 7th..
But alas, the Clippers could not duplicate last week's heroics and their playoff experience ended up being limited to just one game.
The game was a see-saw affair for the first four innings before PHB took the lead for good. PHB got on the board first with one run in the top of the first inning, but the Clippers roared back in the bottom of the third with Alice and Will getting on base followed by RBI singles by Greg, Dan and Barry to make it 3-1 Clippers.
In the top of the fourth, though, PHB made it 5-3, and although the Clippers closed it to 8-6 in the sixth--capped by a home run by Nelson--they couldn't stop the heavy-hitting PHBs who scored again in the seventh and then shut the Clippers down in their final at-bat.
The Clippers, however, intent on celebrating their excellent debut in the Serious Slow League, took to the field after the game for some vigorous fielding and batting practice, and several went on to the Muddy and a foray by the river to wax poetic over the year's highlights.
The team also bade farewell to summer visitors Jeff and Anibal who are returning to their home institutions after participating in a summer research program at MIT--as well as giving the Clippers a healthy boost of skill and enthusiasm.
Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
PHB 1 0 0 4 2 1 3 11
Clippers 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 6
Games 1997
