With much better competition this season, Forrest Gump had it's work cut out for it. The semi-final game last night, against a team with a 2-5 record, almost ended in disaster. It seemed like Gump was batting with fun noodles, and the measly 3 runs scored against us started to look scary by the 4th inning, by which time we had zero offensive production. Then we got a base hit finally, and Brennan followed that with a homerun. 3-2. We hold them in the next inning and get double right off the bat during our turn at the plate. Then I hit a solid line drive to center, driving in the tying run. Our bats keep working, and I cross the plate with the go-ahead run. We score a few more and the scoreboard now reads 6-3 Gump. They roar right back, scoring 4 runs, then loading the bases and then belting a grand slam. 11-6. Then, it's put up or shut up time. Bottom of the seventh (our proverbial 9th). We have to double our score. The bottom of our order is up to bat. But they pull through, getting on base and coming around to score. The gap on the scoreboard slowly closes and we still have no outs. We work them to 11-10, and once again I find myself up to bat with RISP. I work the count to 3-2, and then hit a shallow blooper to center. Their CF charges in, their 2B charges out.......and the ball drops right in between them. Our runners advance to second and third with me on first. They hurry a throw to third to try and get out a slow runner, but overthrow the bag, so she trots home tying the game, and the guy on second moves to thrid. The ball ends up in the dugout, and the ump says each player advances one base. This brings the go ahead run across the plate, and since it's the bottom of the seventh and we're home team - game over, Gump wins!

Postcard Mania wins their game, so we play them for the finals. I guess we needed a warmup game, cause our bats came alive. In the first inning we bat around, scoring seven. They answer with 4. We reply with 4 and they answer with none. Back and forth it goes. Brennan hits two homeruns in the course of the game, which was cool. I also kept getting hits, nothing huge, but good, solid base hits. We turn double plays, indicative of our great defense. Finally, the game ends oddly. It is the bottom of the sixth (second to last inning) and the score is 19-9. We hold them to no runs and when they get out the third time, the ump calls, "That's game!" Most of us are confused. Then they explain it - the 10-run rule. Even if they score 10 runs in the next inning, that would mean they only tie us, and you can't tie in a championship game. My question was, why not let us play, see what happens. If they tie it, we have to keep playing. We weren't afraid they were going to, but the chance was there. But, apparently that wasn't in the cards. So, rather abrubtly and somewhat anti-climacticly, the game ends in victory for us. The defending champs retain their title. Forrest Gump - back-to-back Champions!

And...even better, Postcard Mania (actually one of the nicest teams we've played all season) isn't playing next season. So, in the parking lot, we were talking with them and picked up two of their strongest female players, filling a void we anticipated for next season - which is only two weeks away I might add. Our team continues to get stronger and Gump will be gunning for a third straight championship beginning April 2. See you out there!

-R