GAME 1 - FIELD 1 ISOTOPES – 8 VS IRONPIGS - 21

The anticipated Spring 2021 season kicked off for the little Piggies against the Andrew William’s led Isotopes.  The best player in the league, Mr. Williams,  had his team ready to roll in the top of the first inning.  One hit after another saw the Isotopes take a 4-0 lead. 

In the bottom of one, Adam “Schodaddy” Schor started the offense with a single, immediately followed by a Spencer “BroMANZer” single pushing Schor to 3rd base.  Matt "Brumbledore" showed off his magic wand by blasting a no doubter Grand Slam to tie the game at 4 a piece.  Greg Aymond, Jeff “Wild Thing” Roberts, Tony “Stretch” Lowery, Ronn Forniglia, and Brinkman all singled in the inning, coupled with walks from John “JZ” Zielinski and Brandon “Cbass” Alford.

Brumley stayed hot in the 3rd inning as he blasted another ball over the fence, but the real fireworks came with the bases loaded.  Ronn “I bleed Ironpigs red” smashed a ball to the fence to clear the bases for, an amazing to watch, stumbling 3 run single.  The floodgates were open as the score ballooned to an Oinkers advantage of 19-4.  

The Isotopes never quit as they put up runs to stave off the run rule led by an Andrew Williams 694 ft homer.  Matt Ruckel made his Shalom league debut as a Pitcher only, and struggled to settle his nerves a bit, as can happen to us all, the first couple of innings, but found his groove as he held the Pigs to only 4 hits and 1 run after the 3rd inning.  Isotopes flashed some leather led by Mr Edgerton at second base robbed Cbass of a bases loaded hit in the 5thinning.  

While the Pigs were victorious, don’t sleep on the Isotopes.  Tons of talent all over the field, the Piggies just had some luck with getting to play this team before they have gelled.

GAME 2 – FIELD 4 IRONPIGS – 11 VS PIRATES - 13

Feeling good after a dub in the books, the Piggies played, my preseason favorite, Pirates.  Pigs grabbed a quick 2 run lead thanks to BroMANZer’s single and Brum Brum’s double, but ended the first down 3-2. 

Cbass, Schor and Manz created another 3 runs for the Piggies, but the pesky Pirates defense countered and created two 5-4-3 double plays thanks in part to the Zachary San Roman, Lance Gandy and Brian Strull combo, stifling any big inning for the Pigs.  Kevin Gandy was dealing and cooled off the redhot bats of the Bacon Boys.  

By the 6th inning the Pirates started to pull away, but our 10,11,12 rounders would not let the Pigs go quietly into that good night.  Lowery singled, Ronn singled, Brink had an RBI single (yes, Brinkman), Cbass an RBI double, and Adam “Who's your Schodaddy”tied the game at 11 with a two run dinger over RCF.  

This game was back and forth, and saw great play from both teams in the OF and INF.  Mike Anders did a great job filling in for the ailing Paul Rakofsky, but the Pirates Cody Strull was simply unstoppable as he walked off the Pigs with a moonshot HR to LCF for a final score of 13-11.  Congrats to the Pirates, and heck of a job Cody!! Lock down D and the game winning homer!!