Magical Flying Unicorns barely stay alive and then get funky

In one of the most frustrating games ever the Magical Flying Unicorns managed to barely stay alive for playoff contention. In fact, we control our own destiny as a win next week guarantees a place in the final four. It was far from easy though.

We breezed through the first four or five innings taking a 3-1 lead. This is when the game got frustrating though. Attempts to add on to the lead kept getting thwarted. First Sparky does what she does and got us a base hit to lead off an inning. So proud of her hit she preened and sparkled over at first. Unfortunately, this was just off first base. The pitcher was not amused and tossed the ball over and the light that lit Sparky died as she was picked off first.

Then JIT got a base hit and was erased when T-Bear (click on the blue link please) popped a ball into short right. Thinking it was dropping T-Bear stupidly over ruled the first base coach and yelled for her to go. The second base girl easily caught the ball and Jit was doubled at first.

Going into the last inning it looked like the game was ours with a 3-2 lead. Usually 1 run in softball is not a big lead at all, but both sides were having trouble on offense. Then the skies opened up and Pitch was unable to grip the ball and gave up 2 walks. They scored and the game was tied.

In extra frames Turk hit a smash for a lead-off double and it looked like we were on our way to a win. Then the stupid ump called him out for throwing the bat. This was the dumbest call ever and the ump even apologized after the game. We thought the short fat ump with the Hitler like moustache was bad, this guy was in a new category of incompetence. He called a strike out on Legend on a clearly deep ball and then did not give Pitch the same call several times later in the game.

Legend pitched inspired ball, but the other team was able to score two runs on a parade of errors. Going into the bottom of the 9^th things looked dim. Then with two outs a runner on and the game on the line it was Legend time. This scenario has occurred several times before and usually ends with a Legend pop up.

As Aragorn said in the Lord of the Rings “not on this day,” and Legend lived up to his name and sent a pitch to straight away center (believe it or not it was not foul) and the ball split the outfielders. T-Bear was sending him home despite the lack of speed and this time Legend was not gunned down at the plate, although it was close.

The play tied the game and this was how the game would end. We are currently in 5^th place at 2-3-1. The fourth place team is 3-3. We play the fourth place team on Tuesday and if we prevail we take 4^th place with a 3-3-1 record, which tops a 3-4 record. Fourth place is good enough for the playoffs.

It is amazing we are still in contention as it seems the Gods are not on the side of the Unicorns. We have had to endure a case of diabetes, a pulled hamstring, horrible officiating, a hitting drought that rivals the Saharan Desert, errors in key situations, ramped absenteeism, and rain storms to only mention a few of the setbacks. Despite this we are in contention and control our destiny. We are the Rasputins of the softball world as we are hard to kill.

Nods go out to the Chiapet for amazing play in right field saving the game for us with some spectacular catches. The Legend not only had the key hit, but his work as relief pitcher was outstanding. The defense there was even better has he handled some hot shots and in turn got some easy outs. The Bassmaster continued to play great ball wherever she is needed. She looked like Ryne Sandberg our there at 2^nd base. Turk snapped out of a slump with a big game and Smores showed signs of doing the same.

There are certain plays that are so key, so big, so iconic that they forever known as just “the play.” There was Dwight Clark against the Cowboys that is now known as “the catch,” there was Elway against the Browns and the “the drive” and so on. In this game we have “the slide.” Jit slide head first into first base in a pool of mud. Unfortunately, she was out, but it was a beautiful effort.

The game was just the beginning as the Unicorns then hit Cactus bar. We closed the place and even had to desert a pitcher of beer as they were starting to stack the chairs we were sitting on on the tables. Next stop was Hangouts.

We partied there to the wee hours dancing away on their dance floor and drinking too many beers. T-Bear and Sparky met a new friend. There was this fifty year old plus lady there by herself at 3am dancing up a storm on the dance floor. We could use her as a sub someday.

T-Bear decided to go home at one point, and left. He did not consider that he was miles from home and must have thought he was only blocks. He finally flagged a bus, then another bus, then a burrito, got lost in an industrial area, and finally flagged a cab. A half hour or one hour ride home took at least two. This explains why it has taken so long for the write up as a hangover delayed the weekly blog. It was unfortunate the Unicorns #1 fan was not there as he is in charge of T-Bear security and would have put his ass in a cab from the beginning.