Hillbillies hang on to win a close one!
Hawaiian Hillbillies hold on in a nail biter!
After an impressive but disappointing double header against the league leading Rock All Gannets the Hawaiian Hillbillies were looking to take out their frustrations on the likes of Glacial Speed. This was a game that could make or break the Hillbilly season. In a day last week the Billies had gone from a three game winning streak to a two game loosing skid. Today was the time to build up a new streak, to begin to carry momentum into the second half of the season and ultimately the Phoenix Cup.
Uncharacteristically the Hillbillies bats were booming at the beginning of the game. In the second inning all but two Hawaiians crossed the plate in the Billie record 3rd time this season. After two innings of baseball the Billies had cashed in an unprecedented 11 runs and more than two thirds of the roster had had two at bats, with Charlie Brown gaining the harder half of the cycle (the home run and the triple). On top of all the offence, the Moonshine defence was in perfect form letting up only one run in the first two frames. The goal of thirty runs was looking like a certainty. In short this game was the picture painted in the Hillbilly media guide, high powered offence combined with stifling defence. But in the GSA there are nine innings of baseball to be played, not just two and the Hillbillies have not been accustomed to playing with such a large lead so early and it showed later in the game.
As the Billies slowly lulled themselves to sleep in the field and at the plate Glacial Speed started to make their push. In the 3rd, 4th and 5th the Hawaiians had surrendered ten runs while only managing three themselves. In these innings the Billies would have been more comfortable at a barn dance than on the field. The difficulties of the normally stalwart Bubba Gump netted him the grass skirt. It wasn’t that the defence fell apart, only that these Hawaiians on occasion did not make the plays they were accustomed to making and the smart hitting Glacial Speed took advantage.
After Captain Ron passed the wake up juice (no word on the contents of said juice) around the dug-out these Hillbillies were once again ready to get it going. The inning began with the Messiah on the mound and consecutive hits by Captain Ron and The Porn Lover, after an out the rally continued with hits by The BIG Unit and Bubba Gump. Then came the contribution of Billy Call-ups Jeff and Paulina. The prowess of these free agent gems was first spotted by The BIG Unit when he was relegated to scouting duty by the team manager Lil’ Hitler. With the absence of The Stink and Triple T plus an injury to The Cheetah, these new Billy prospects had the chance to shine…and shine they did. With runners in scoring position Jeff (also known as Brother-Schertzer) drove the ball into the outfield scoring a pair of runs…then with runners still in scoring position Paulina hit a single of her own cashing in another. The Billies held on defence and just like that the Billies were ahead 19-13…but the Speed weren’t through yet.
After The Ringer drove in the only Billy run of the seventh the Moonshine started to wear off and the Billies gave up two runs in the seventh. The Hustler and Brother-Schertzer game in on hits by Paulina, and the Porn Lover in the 8th before Glacial Speed exploded with 4 runs in the bottom of the eighth. So the Hillbillies limped into the 9th clinging to a 21 – 19 lead. This team is one who has had to step forward this season at the end of games so it was a surprise when in the top of the ninth Hillbilly Hitters went 1-2-3 in the ninth. So with one run to give to hold onto the lead the Billies took the field and retired the first batter. The second hitter found the base pads booming a triple into the outfield. The Hillbilly infield stood strong on the next batter getting the force at first, and holding the Glacial speed runner on third. But with two outs and a runner on third the Speed drove in the runner on third with a RBI single. With the tying run on first Tim, the BIG Unit’s land lord drove a ball high to the gap in right field. After giving chase the Unit stuck up his gloved hand and made the play.
Final Score: Hawaiian Hillbillies 21
Glacial Speed 20
So after a game in which they almost botched an 11 run lead the Hillbillies emerge victorious and although they looked like there were going to loose this one, the Billies once again proved that this is a team that believes in itself. More importantly though these Billies are looking like a team that is good at squeaking out tight victories; a skill which could take them to the top of the GSA!
