WHAT A WAY TO CELEBRATE
Team Captain Alison Hale drives in winning run to celebrate 50th birthday.
OTTAWA — The Fun Bunch managed to extend their perfect record to 7-0 by beating the Aquabats 13-12 with some late inning heroics. Carrying a respectable two run lead heading into the top of the ninth, it looked like smooth sailing to their seventh straight win. Unfortunately the Aquabats had different ideas and rallied with two out to score three runs and move one run up on the Fun Bunch 12-11. In the bottom of the ninth, after a leadoff homer to tie the inning, Scott Saunders tripled with one out to set the stage for a come from behind victory. Alison “don’t throw home” Hale was next to the plate. Alison – the team captain- was celebrating her fiftieth birthday and was in the midst of a torrid hitting streak. One pitch later, the ball found a rare patch of outfield and Saunders trotted across home plate with the game winning run as Hale leapt in the air in exultation immediately after reaching first. “It’s my birthday and I’m on top of the world”, Hale rejoiced as her teammates carried her off the field on their shoulders.
The Aquabats are an elite team of semi-pro players who have a “take no prisoners” approach to the game, which is unique in the otherwise friendly league. Fireworks started shortly into the second inning when an Aquabat outfielder deliberately ran into Fun Bunch second baseman Glen Rankin in an attempt to break up a double play. “This is not going to end well”, said Fun Bunch shortstop Steve Saunders as he observed the action from close quarters. As if on cue, Rankin hoofed the surprised Aquabat smartly in the mid section.. “Let’s see you try that next time”, Rankin hollered as the Aquabat player limped off the field. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed and both teams settled down to provide an exciting, tightly played game much to the excitement of the Fun Bunch hall-of-fame alumni who had come out in support of the team and to celebrate Hale’s 50th birthday. Paolo Daros, attempting to work his way out of the doghouse after he misplayed a fly ball which led to a big rally by the Aquabats, came up with a clutch grand-slam homer to cap a five run inning – the turning point in the game. “I don’t know what it is – last game I dropped a fly ball, this game I was playing too shallow – maybe I need glasses”, Daros remarked rhetorically. The team celebrated both their win and Hale’s birthday in style in the burned-out-shell of Whisper’s Pub in Westboro after the game.
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