Rookies Split Doubleheader with Bayside to Stay out of the Basement

It's been a rough few weeks for our beloved Rookies that led to the titanic clash in the first ever “Battle for the Basement.”  Firstly Dean ”Deano” Henney, the Rookies cagey center fielder, won the Best-Injury-of-the-Year award before the season even finished when he broke his leg sliding into home plate during a game with the North Shore Giants several weeks ago. Then like the All Blacks in the 1995 World Cup Final, the whole team battled food poisoning prior a big game against the lads from Central City, during which larger-than-life second baseman Mark “Mad Dog” McLaren caught a wicked bad hop to the face. Fortunately with the power of modern electron microscopes, team physician, Dr. Ira Killmore, was able to locate the scratch and give Mad Dog a right bollicking for wasting his time.

So it really was a case of desperate measures coming into the twinbill vs Bayside as the Rookies sequestered themselves in an undisclosed location to work out their demons and prepare for the “Battle of the Basement.” In amongst all the pep talks and training camps during the week team Captain “Stealth” Hughes made some radical changes to the team structure. To get an injection of noise into the infield, Mark “Machine” Hall was officially made Senior Executive Officer in charge of talking crap. “We need screaming and noise in the infield in order to reign down confusion and disorient our opponent,” said Stealth of the radical plan. “And Machine is gonna give it to us!”   

The first game got underway at 10am at Bayside’s home ground Crossfield Reserve under drizzling skies. The Rookies got behind early as their bats were stifled by a young phenom who took the mound for Bayside. The game was interrupted by a steady rain in the bottom of the second; but resumed after a 15 minute rain delay and the Rookies continued to look overmatched as they fell behind 7 runs to nil after 2 and a half innings. However, things began looking up finally in the Rookies home half of the frame when they batted around to squeak in front 9 to 7, heading into the top half of the 4th.

Sophomore sensation “Pup” McKibben who took the mound to start the game and give staff ace “John Bullet” Ma’atafa a breather settled down and retired Bayside 1-2-3 in the 4th to preserve the lead for the Rookies. The game settled down into a back and forth slugfest with awesome displays of power from both sides and occasional brilliance in the field. Rookie veteran “Pops” McKibben once again flashed the leather in right field and took an effortless catch to show everyone the meaning of composure.

In the end, Bayside prevailed in the first game 16 to 14 after a grand slam home run in the top of the 7th  brought them all the way back for good after the Rookies re-gained the lead 14 to 12 in the bottom of the 6th inning. In the home half of the 7th and final frame the Rookies were unable to mount a comeback of their own.

The second game saw a very determined Rookie’s outfit take an early lead and hold it throughout the game for a final tally of 12 to 6. The final inning saw “Mad Dog” McLaren take two key outs at second base including a full length diving catch to clinch the game and end a late push by Bayside.

The Neville Meyer Memorial Chilled Beverage Award goes to “Machine” Hall for emptying the chilly bin at the post-game BBQ. “We can’t have anyone straining their backs lifting a full chilly bin” said the “Machine” after the match. Rumours abound that “Deano” Henney might be in a good position to take this award off Machine in the final matches of the season.

The Zingo Tromsko Hit of the Day Award goes to “Stealth” Hughes who got the Rookies started in the bottom half of the 3rd inning when he unleashed a monster hit out to right field. The right fielder had to get a taxi to retrieve the ball giving Stealth the extra 7 minutes he needed round the bases for an inside the park home run. Although an oxygen mask was required it didn’t take “Stealth” long to greet the press with a triumphant, “That's how they do it in Iowa, baby!!”. “Machine” Hall also smashed a ball out to left field for another inside the park home run in the second game of the double header but failed to clinch the Zingo award because his post hit celebration just couldn’t match Stealth’s enthusiasm (a hard act to follow).

Well done Rookies for staying out of the Basement for at least one more week!!!