Lucky 13: Wolverines Out-Pitch Nationals

On a night when the Washington Nationals completed the biggest comeback in their 10 year history with a 13-12 win over Atlanta in a slugfest, the West Potomac Wolverines also scored 13 runs, but held the Annandale Atoms to two runs in a Conference Seven game that featured less drama but better pitching.

The team relaxed with a rousing game of

 London Bridge.  Capture the flag is

on the schedule before Friday's game.

Oh, yes, the Wolverines also can claim a comeback victory, but being down 1-0 after the top half of the first isn't quite as dramatic as being down 9-1 after the second inning.  Besides, the Wolverines only needed two pitchers and gave away just one unearned run, while the Nationals used five pitchers and gave away five unearned runs (which seems on the low side for them so far this season, he writes bitterly.)

Not a fall from Grace, but a slide from Grace.

The Wolverines only needed four innings to reach lucky thirteen runs, while it took the Nationals nine innings to score that many (admittedly, Dan Uggla's three run homer in the ninth was a tad more dramatic, if not nearly as efficient as the West Po offense).

Fewer fans watched the game at West Potomac (30ish), but they went home happier than the 14,833 Braves fans did.  (No doubt many of them left early, and no doubt they were quite surprised!).  To be fair on the attendance comparisons between high school softball and major league baseball, the paid attendance for the West Potomac game actually FAR outnumbered Wednesday's Orioles paid attendance.

These guys. . .

aren't doing as well. . .

As those gals

With the win, West Potomac improved their record to 11-5 overall, and 7-1 in the conference.  Meanwhile, with the win, the Nationals improved their record to still-pathetic 8-13 overall.  Why? Well take a listen to the link!

Now, some would argue that the Braves are a better team than the Atoms, but they ought to be -- Atlanta's payroll is about $97,000,000, while Annandale's payroll is approximately $97,000,000 less (or at least it is supposed to be, and I will give them the benefit of the doubt on this).

Jayne Orleans started the game with a strikeout, but the next batter reached on the only Wolverine error of the game, and scored after a walk and a single.  With runners on second and third (the runner on second advanced on the throw), Jayne induced a lineout and earned a strikeout to end the threat.

Grace Moery reached first by taking one for the team.  She stole second, and then was pushed to third after walks to Annabelle Miller and Olivia Manous.  A wild pitch moved them all up, and the game was tied 1-1.  Jayne continued her torrid hitting with a two run single to center to put the Wolverines up for good (which the Nats couldn't do until the ninth!).

I did check the rules. . .the team still only gets one run

even when touching both feet on home plate.

Then, the Wolverines strung together three impressive at-bats.  Raven Williams and Torie Bolger both walked, and then Maddie Miller became the second West Potomac hit-batsperson of the first inning to make it 4-1 and keep the bases loaded.

Raven wanted to hit, not walk,

but didn't get a hittable pitch.

Editor's Note: What's impressive about those three plate appearances?  Reporter's Reply: Well, I'm not sure if I was using irony or just checking to see if anyone is paying attention.  Either way, you noticed, and I must admit I'm touched (sniffle, sniffle).

The Wolverines Beach Boy'd the inning ('Round, round bat around, they bat around) as Nikki broke the game open with a hard single to left which ended up scoring all three runners (she gets credit for two RBIs on the play).  Maddie scored from first as Annandale did their best Ian Desmond, which also allowed Nikki to get to third.  You know, on a single.  Grace doubled deep to left to drive in Nikki to complete the scoring for the inning.  And just like that, it was 8-1.

Even the unusual "umpire pick"

didn't stop Grace from her double.

That, of course, is eerily similar to the 9-1 lead the Braves had, except it is a different number and the team that had the one run in the softball game didn't make a dramatic comeback, and so there was nothing eerily similar about it, so never mind.

Coach Lee with his typical outburst

of uncontrolled enthusiasm.

Jayne struck out two in a one-two-three second inning.  Raven completed the trifecta for the night in the bottom of the second, as became the third, and last, Wolverine hit by a pitch on the night.  Torie Bolger slashed a single between third and short.  Maddie walked to load the bases, but the inning ended without a run.

Coach Craig ("The Big Manig") Maniglia made some changes for the third inning, bringing in Christina Dillard to pitch, Natalie Lerner to catch, and Harley Devine to play left.

Christina walked her first hitter, who stole two bases before scoring on a fielder's choice.  After that, however, Christina split through the Atoms batting order like Ernest Rutherford.

Unlike the Braves, the Wolverines didn't feel any pressure from the smaller lead.  Grace started the four run third inning rally with a single to left.  Annabelle looked like her twin, hitting the ball nearly the same speed in nearly the same spot,  With two outs, Christina walked to load the bases.  Grace scored on a wild pitch, Raven walked, Harley walked in a run, Maddie walked in a run, and then Megan walked in a run.  So, with two outs, the team batted around, scoring four runs on two singles, and five walks to lead 12-2.

Nikki settles under a popup.

For the final two innings (game ended after four and a half because of the mercy rule, which mercifully for the Nats doesn't apply in the majors!), Christina only gave up a walk and a single (separate innings), as the Atoms did not threaten at all.  Caroline Bowman came in at first base, and Elizabeth Drotos finished the game at second.

Natalie checks for the sign.

The Wolverines earned a run in the fourth to make it 13-2, a number the Nats could aspire to,  Annabelle singled, went to second when Natalie walked, and scored on an error.

As the Wolverines enjoyed the fruits of their win, the Nats were just getting started on their comeback!

Fun is what drew all these players to 

softball in the first place.

Wolverine Whispers: From the lovely and talented team rep's email this week:

On Friday, May 1, we play TC Williams away starting at 6:30.  The game against TC will be played at Witter Park - NOT at the high school.  The address of the field is 2660 Witter Street, Alexandria.  Coming from the West Potomac area, plan on making a left turn off of Duke Street on to Witter Street.

Reporter: Thank goodness it's not "Witty Street" -- this job is hard enough as it is!
Editor: True, you've proven you can't find your way to Witty Street!
Reporter: You're really funny!
Editor: What do you mean I'm funny?
Reporter: It's just, you know. You're just funny, it's... funny, the way you tell the story and everything.
Editor: You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?
Reporter: Okay, Tommy, calm down!

(Back to our regularly scheduled blog:)

Jayne went two innings, gave up one hit, gave up one unearned run, walked one, and struck out four.  Christina went three innings, gave up one hit, gave up one earned run, walked two, and also struck out four.

West Potomac scored their 13 runs on seven hits, three hit-by-pitches, and eleven walks.  Grace led the team with two hits, including the only double.  Nikki, Jayne, and Maddie each had two RBI.

Wolverines Start Second Half of Conference Play With Win Over Woodson

It wasn't their prettiest win, or their most dramatic, but two four run innings that bookended the game led the West Potomac Wolverines to an 8-1 victory over the W.T. Woodson Cavaliers on Friday night.  The win raised the team's record to 10-5 overall, and 6-1 in conference play.

The Wolverines are all business as the 

second half of the season gets underway.

Despite the eight runs, the Wolverines batswomen had problems generating any consistent offense, as the Cavalier pitching came in at two speeds -- slow and slower.  This led to a number of at-bats where players would start their swings, stop them to adjust, and then pop out.

Fortunately, rhythm is NOT a prerequisite

for being a winning softball team.

That noted, Woodson could not generate much offense either.  The Cavaliers only run was unearned, and they only had baserunners in four of their seven innings.

Micaela Neulight settles under the

second out of the first inning.

In the home half of the first inning, the Wolverines scored four runs on just two hits, taking advantage of three walks, two errors, three wild pitches, and two stolen bases.  Nikki Minnis and Grace Moery earned back-to-back walks to start the game.  Nikki stole second before Grace walked, and went to third on a wild pitch.  Annabelle Miller earned an RBI with a fielder's choice that was turned into an error by the first baseman.

Grace fully runs all out to catch

the third out of the first inning.

Jayne Orleans drove Grace home with the first West Potomac hit, a single to left.  Elizabeth Drotos ran for Jayne, and scored on this sequence -- defensive indifference to take second, wild pitch to get to third, and wild pitch to score.  It was, uh, wild.

Grace scores on Jayne's single.

Olivia Manous singled, stole second, but was left on third.

Elizabeth beats the throw on a wild pitch.

Woodson scored their only run of the game in the top of the second, after an error was followed by a double.  After a strikeout, the next Cavalier knocked a single, but the runner on second was unable to score.  Jayne ended the threat by striking out the next hitter and inducing an unassisted ground out to Raven Williams.

Grace shows confidence in Raven's defensive play.

Wolverine bats went silent until the seventh inning.  Only three West Potomacites (Editor's Note: This reporter leads the league in made-up words!) reached base in the next four innings, two on walks and one on an error.

Eight strikeouts are nice, but no walks is even better.

Not to be flip or cavalier about this, but Woodson actually had more hits in that stretch, scratching out a single in the four and rapping a lead-off double in the sixth.  Neither runner advanced, and the lead was a somewhat flat 4-1 going into the bottom of the sixth.

No walks makes for a happy dad.  Of course,

the team on his hat better win Game 7

With one out in the seventh, pinch-hitter Caroline Bowman reached on a two base error by the center fielder.  Caroline reached third on the ubiquitous wild pitch.  Harley Devine worked a walked, and suddenly it was first and  third.  Nikki and Grace followed with RBI singles.  Nikki later scored on another wild pitch.  Raven reached on a fielder's choice, earning an RBI in process.  Jayne singled to left, but the inning ended.

The Wolverines only used their new cluster

defense once or twice during the game. 

It sure puts a lot of pressure on Grace.

This time, the Wolverines scored their four runs thanks to three hits, two walks, two errors, and "just" two wild pitches.

Woodson got its fifth (as many as West Potomac) hit of the game in the seventh inning with one out, but the runner went no further after a fly out to center and pop out to second to end the game.

West Potomac Whispers: Spring allegedly reappears this week, he writes bitterly, as Annandale comes Tuesday to West Potomac.  Then, on Friday, which is May Day, West Potomac heads over to T.C. Williams, although the game isn't played at T.C. Williams -- it's played at an address to be sent later by our lovely and talented team rep.  High temps for those two days are to 69 and 70 degrees respectively, so gloves, coats, and winter hats can be put away, probably for good.

While your faithful blogger did not write-up Thursday controversial loss to Lee, Annabelle Miller's hitting deserves a shout-out.  She blasted a two run home run in the fourth to score the first two West Potomac runs in 9 1/3 innings against Lee, and smacked an RBI double in the sixth that should have scored two runs had the home plate ump not overruled the base ump with a bizarre call.

Back to Friday night's game.  Jayne had eight strikeouts, allowed just five hits and no walks in her seven innings of pitching.

The defensive gem of the night was scored 3-4-3, as tricky grounder hit off Raven's mitt.  Grace was racing to cover first, so she had to dive back in the other direction.  She then flipped the ball back to Raven from her prone position on the ground for the third out of the fourth inning.

Jayne continued her hot hitting of late, having two of the West Potomac five singles.

Conference 7 Standings

                                                 Wins       Losses       Winning Pct.
Lake Braddock                             5               0               1.000
West Potomac                              5                1                .833
West Springfield                          2                3                .400
South County                               2                3                .400
TC Williams                                 1               3                .250
Woodson                                      1                4                .200
Annandale                                    0                 3               .000

And so you ask yourself, how has West Potomac played six games, when other have played between three to five conference games.

Answer: Tarpy!  Yeah for Tarpy!

Standings provided by Coach Lee Harrington.

(Dislaimer: This blog is not affiliated with Fairfax County Public Schools, with West Potomac High School, or with the West Potomac Wolverine softball team.  There is nothing official about this blog.  It is intended solely for the private use and entertainment of the emailed readership.)

Top Eight Reasons Wolverines Defeat West Springfield 3-1

by Cindy Jackson

#8:  Defense Wins Games.

It may not be a glamorous but it’s got teeth. If you have a team that makes ZERO errors like West Potomac did Friday night – that team will most likely win.

This was the best West Po’s infield has played all season. Nikki Minnis held on to a bullet line drive in the bottom of the fourth to get the out. Grace Moery proved she was reliable at second base, time and again getting the 4-3 out at first. Raven Williams snagged several grounders for the unassisted out at first.

#7  I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for ….. cupcakes?

There would be no stopping for ice cream on the way home Friday night, but if this team pulled out the win, there were some snazzy cupcakes waiting for them to help Raven celebrate her 17^th birthday. Happy Birthday, Raven!

#6 Unearned Runs Count Just as Much as Earned Runs

To be quite honest, I’m still trying to figure out the difference between the two – especially when it’s on  a wild pitch (if you understand this, please explain it to me sometime). According to Game Changer (which is only as good as the guy doing the inputting – and we have a pretty good guy), West Springfield’s only run was earned.  West Po had two earned runs, and one un-earned. Does it really matter? Nope. A run is a run. (Just like a snake is a snake … it doesn’t matter if it’s a big snake or little snake … it’s still a very scary snake.)

#5 All ‘bout that Base, ‘bout that Base

Baserunners are important. You know the saying “you can’t hit the ball if you don’t swing?” Well the same is true for scoring. You can’t score if you don’t have baserunners. West Po had only four hits Friday night (more on that later), but they managed to put 12 runners on base. In comparison, West Springfield only had 2 base runners, and no base runners after the 3^rd inning.

#4 We Ain’t Afraid of No Fences!  

Catching a fly ball up against the fence is something every fielder struggles with. Not West Po. Not Friday night.

Catcher Torie Bolger made a nice catch on a high foul pop-up in the bottom of the second. This ball was way over near the first base dugout. Torie managed to spot the ball, come up from her crouch, throw off her mask, and make the catch up against the fence.

Maddie Miller made two similar plays in the bottom of the 7^th (though she wasn’t crouching and she wasn’t wearing a mask). With 1 out, Maddie made a running catch past the foul line, up against the fence to get the out. Then with 2 outs, Maddie made a running catch past the foul line, up against the fence to get the out (deja’ vu). Game over.  

#3  Hits & Runs

West Po had four hits Friday night, the first of those coming in the top of the second. Annabelle Miller dropped one in the gap in Right-Center field and got herself a single. In the top of the fourth, pitcher Jayne Orleans hit a zinger to right field that sliced at the last second, causing the right fielder to miss it. Jayne easily made it to second. Maddie then walked. With two on, Torie Bolger drove a hard line drive to left field, scoring Elizabeth Drotos (courtesy running for Jayne) and got herself the first (and only) RBI of the evening for West Po.

Things got exciting in the bottom of the 6^th. Jayne got her second hit of the night, lining one up the middle. Maddie walked again. Runners had advanced on a passed ball and were on second and third when Annabelle walked on a wild pitch. With some “creative” West Po base running, West Springfield got confused and threw behind the lead runner, scoring Elizabeth, advancing Maddie to 3^rd, and Annabelle to second. (Did you follow all that?)

That was it for West Po hits, but they still managed to put up another run in the top of the 7^th. Grace Moery had an amazing “good at bat.” After fouling off many balls, she won the battle and took the free pass to first. She advanced all the way to home on passed balls and wild pitches to get West Po their final run on the night.

#2 Pitching Matters

Jayne Orleans has been on fire these past two games. Friday night Jayne faced 23 batters (the minimum amount she could face in a complete game is 21). In comparison, the other pitcher faced 33 batters. Jayne threw 85 pitches that night, with 58 first strikes (holy batman!). The Spartan pitcher threw 141 pitches. Jayne had 8 strike outs and no walks. She retired the final 13 batters to end the game.

#1  Teamwork Creates Synergy – Where the Sum is Greater than the Parts

For the past two games, West Po has worked together as a team, capitalizing on their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. This is an important – and sometimes overlooked – aspect of a successful team. The way the girls worked together and complemented each other’s efforts made them a force to be reckoned with.

Wolverines Earn Epic Victory Over Stallions

Unicorns.  Pots of gold at the end of rainbows.  A politician who consistently tells the truth.  The West Potomac Wolverines beating the South County Stallions in softball.  All four are things I thought I would never see.  I will take the one out of four, and I have pretty low expectations on the first three (I'm still holding out hope for the unicorn, but not the honest politician).

The Wolverines blew open a tight, taut, tightrope of a game with a seven run sixth inning, and defeated the Stallions 11-2 in one of the most complete, well-played games I've seen in my five years watching the team.  The game follows on the heels of last Friday's 13-0 loss to Lake Braddock, which was the (SAT word alert!) nadir for the program in that time span.  From zeroes to heroes in six days.

The win over South County marks the team's first win over one of the two Evil Empire schools (Lake Braddock being the other) in many years.  For years I believed if we were ever going to defeat one (or both!) of those two teams, it would be a 2-1 or 3-2 game.  Instead it was a comfortable win, although the final score belies the on edge feeling for most of the game.

It was a complete victory.  The fielding was flawless.  The hitting was timely.  The pitching was dominant.  The base-running was aggressive.  The parents were appropriately nervous through five innings.

Pitcher Jayne Orleans came out firing.  In the bottom of the first, she struck out the first two hitters and got the third out on a comebacker to the mound.  (Editor's Note: It's not a mound in softball, it's a pitcher's circle.  Reporter: Sportswriter creative license.)

Olivia Manous led off the top of the second with an infield single up the middle.  Not too many teams have the luxury of a clean-up hitter with speed to burn.  Olivia moved to second on a ground out. With two outs, Maddie Miller enticed a walk, with Olivia taking third on the wild pitch.  Jayne then smacked one deep to center.  The ball hit off the sprinting outfielder's mitt, and the Wolverines led 2-0 after her double.

The Stallions struck back in the home half of the second, scoring a run on two singles, a wild pitch, and two fielder's choice plays.  The damage could have been worse, as South County had runners on second and third with just one out, but Jayne induced two groundouts and allowed just one runner to score.

In the third, a Raven Williams single up the middle went for naught, but the Wolverines were hitting the ball, and bound to break through.

The game remained 2-1 until the top of the fifth.  Jayne led off the inning with her second hit of the game, singling to right.  Elizabeth Drotos came in to pinch run.  She went to second on a passed ball, went to third on a throwing error by the third baseman, and scored on a wild pitch.  The manufactured run put the team up 3-1.

South County answered back with a run in the home half of the fifth.  With runners on first and second, a Stallion single to left was fielded by Harley Devine.  The throw to the plate, the tag, and the out call.  Except the umpire inexplicably signaled safe.  After the game, when I checked with the catcher, she matter of factly said the runner was out.

(Editor's Note: "Factly"  Is that even a word?  Reporter: Probably not, but it should be.  Editor: Just because it "should be" doesn't mean it should be.  Reporter: Hey, if the language people can decide "literally" also means "figuratively," I can make up words that ought to be words.  Editor: I see you are literally still bitter about literally no longer meaning anything.)

Factly or not factly, it was now 3-2, setting up the Wolverines for a gut punch loss to South County where we lose 4-3 in extra innings because of a blown call.  (Admit it.  Anyone with a daughter on the team for more than this season was thinking that.)

But instead of a gut punch by the Stallions, the Wolverines connected in the top of the sixth with a haymaker.  It started harmlessly enough, but by the end of the inning, West Potomac had strung together seven runs on eight hits, and in the process threw the monkey off their backs.  All of the hits were singles, but they were hits nonetheless.  South County committed two errors in the inning, but it was the drip-drip-drip of eight singles that did the Stallions in more than their faulty glove work.

Raven started out with a single to right.  Olivia followed up with a single to right.  Annabelle Miller's single scored Raven.  Caroline Bowman reached first on an error, earning an RBI in the process.  Maddie's single to left drove in another run, and suddenly it was 6-2.  Jayne followed with her third hit of the game, an RBI single.  Megan Jackson reached on an error as a run scored.  Grace scratched out an infield single, driving in another run.

The Wolverines sang their version of (Old guy radio alert!) the Beach Boys "I Get Around," changing to lyrics to 'Round, 'round, bat around, I bat around."  Olivia got her second hit of the inning, singling to center to drive in the final two runs of the seven run stunner.

Handed a comfortable lead, Jayne did not fool with it.  She retired the Stallions 1-2-3 in the sixth, which also happened to be the first inning of the game where she did not get an out on a comebacker.

West Potomac then tacked on one more run.  Maddie ripped a double to left that bounced once and hit the fence. Jayne then smacked one off the wall in left center for back-to-back doubles and an 11-2 lead.

South County's fences are 220 feet from home, making it the biggest field in Conference Seven.  Jayne's hit would have easily been a home run at any other park the Wolverines play in, and Maddie's would have had a pretty good chance to get out as well.

The Stallions only managed a single in the bottom half of the inning.  When the last fly ball settled into Maddie's mitt in right, the Wolverines had knocked off the defending state champions in definitive fashion.

This is, as they say in sports, a statement win.  Rainbows come after storms, and the Wolverines found their own pot of gold following the storm that was the sloppy loss to Lake Braddock.  It's a long season, but there is no question that this victory is the best one of the season so far.

Wolverine Whispers: Because of the dramatic victory, Fairfax County kindly closed schools for today so the girls could celebrate last night, as the bus stopped for ice cream on the way back from the game.  However, there's no rest for the weary (except that they could all sleep late today), as the Wolverines travel to West Springfield tonight for a 6:30 game.  This one promises to be close.

Be sure to invite your friends, neighbors, people you know, and complete strangers to bring their cars to the Aldersgate Methodist church parking lot for the team car wash from 9am to 2pm tomorrow (Editor's note: Of course it's the parking lot!  What, are they going to drive their cars into the sanctuary for the wash?  Reporter: Sort of a car baptism, eh?).  No better day than an 81 degree day for a car wash.  The rules are that we can't set a price, so we rely on donations.  Don't let your friends be cheap!

The fielding gem of the night came when Maddie dashed the hopes of a Stallion by taking away a single.  Her throw to Raven at first just nipped the run, and the South County appeal was  nixed.  Maddie added seven putouts in right, as she and Grace Moery at 2nd base (three assists) saw the bulk of the glove action.  Jayne added five assists, helping her own cause with solid glove work.

After starting the game with two strikeouts, Jayne only got one more for a total of three (for those of you who reaching for a calculator, you are welcome for the time I just saved you there, although I just took it back, and then some, by forcing you to read this lengthy sidebar.)  She only walked one South County-ite, and scattered six hits for a dominant performance.

Jayne also went four for four with two of the team's three doubles, and four RBIs.  Given that South County had six hits off her, Jayne personally rapped two-thirds the number of hits that she gave up.

Olivia had three hits and two RBIs.  Raven and Maddie also had two hits.  Overall, the team had 14 hits, including eight in the top of the sixth.  Other RBIs were earned by Annabelle, Caroline, and Maddie.

On to the Spartans!  

West Potomac Remembers the Titans. . .Fondly.

If softball is a game about numbers, West Potomac put up a lot of them in Tuesday night's 19-1 thrashing of T.C. Williams to move to 7-3 on the season and 3-0 in conference play.

(Editor's Note: Softball is a game about pitching, hitting, and fielding.  Reporter's Reply: Oh, go edit for Rolling Stone magazine.  Editor's Reply: Sue me!)

Like the weather, Wolverine bats finally heated up.  Here's a rundown of some of the key numbers:

19 runs scored by 11 West Po players.
12 hits including 1 triple, 7 (!) doubles, and 4 singles.

Nikki's lead-off triple, one of eight 

Wolverine extra base hits on the night.

A total of 21 total bases.
10 players combined for 18 RBIs.
In 4 innings of play, the team batted around 3 times, sending 11, 11, and, yes, 11 hitters to the plate in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings.
For those running out of fingers and toes (most of you should), that's 33 plate appearances in those three innings, and 39 for the game.
West Po batters waited out 10 walks, and Olivia Manous had the 1 hit by pitch.  Only one of the walks came in the first two innings.

Defensively, there were 5 Titan errors, and only 1 Wolverine error.

Christina Dillard went 5 innings in the pitcher's circle for the complete game win, recording 10 strikeouts, allowing just 3 hits and 5 baserunners, including just 1 after the first two batters of the second inning.  Christina's ten whiffs in five innings means that she averaged two Ks per inning (that math lesson has GOT to help someone on their AP exam!) She only allowed 1 earned run (yes, statheads, I checked -- a wild pitch counts as an earned run, alas). pitching out of a jam in the 2nd to hold the Wolverine lead at 2-1.

Five innings, ten strikeouts.  

That's gotta be close to

two Ks per inning!

In summation (Editor's Note: Finally!), the big numbers the Wolverines put up against TC are the numbers you want to be big in softball, and the and small numbers the Wolverines recorded are the numbers you want to be small in softball.  (I will pause in writing to give our esteemed readership to reread that sentence a few times just to be sure each reader understand the subtle literary effort that makes this blog the best team-specific softball blog in the entire West Potomac neighborhood.)

(Pausing).

(Ah, I can see the light bulb go off over your head.  Resuming).

After the previous two games against T.C. Williams were close, this grizzled blogger noted that the Titans had much improved from past seasons (the Spring Break Tournament win does not count as a conference game, so there is still one more Titan game to go for the Wolverines).  Tuesday was so different, even though the game started with promise for the visitors from Alexandria.

Annabelle fires to first.

After two quick outs in the first, T.C. strung together three baserunners and scored a run.  The first hit was a triple on a pitch that was nose high and out of the strike zone.  The Titan reached up and clubbed it to the fence like a baby seal. (Editor's note: no actual seal was harmed in the game or in the writing of this poorly chosen, tasteless metaphor.)  

The Wolverines started the home half of the first quickly, scoring two runs on a triple by Nikki Minnis, an RBI double by Grace Moery, and an RBI double by Raven Williams.

Whatever Coach Lee said worked.

Olivia smacked two doubles.

The game turned in the second inning, with West Potomac up 2-1.  The leadoff Titan doubled, and next hitter walked.  TC attempted a double steal, but the runner on second was gunned down by Torie Bolger, as a covering Nikki made the tag in plenty of time for the first out.  Christina then beared  bore down for two more strikeouts, and the Titans never really threatened after that.

On this play, all three West Potomac

wide receivers were wide open.

Annabelle Miller reach on an error, stole second by enticing a pick-off throw from the catcher, and cannily (SAT word alert!) took third on the error by the first baseman throwing it into left field.  Maddie Miller then walked, and took second on defensive indifference.  Harley Devine scorched one to shortstop that the Titan erred on, earning an RBI.  Nikki hit into a fielder's choice for an RBI.  Grace hit her second double and got her second RBI to make it 5-3.

 Megan Jackson soon had a two-out single that knocked in two runs.  Torie followed up with a run scoring single to left.  Annabelle had a double that led to a run thanks to a TC error.  Suddenly it was 9-1 after two.

Wait.  Someone made an out?

How's that possible?

After a commanding 1-2-3 inning by Christina that included a nice scoop by Raven on a low throw, the Wolverines batted around again.  (It's like that page in "Go Dog Go" where they are on the ferris wheel and the one dog shouts "Go around again!" and so they do.  Oh, I know some people are "Cat in the Hat" people, while others like "Goodnight Moon" or "Brown Bear, Brown Bear."  And those are all nice books, but they don't measure up to Go Dog Go!  Remember, it's a dog party -- a big dog party!  But, I digress.)

Best kids book ever!

Puppy tried out for a role in "Go Dog Go"

(Editor's Note: Again.)

(Reporter: If you see me at the game Friday and you agree that "Go Dog Go" is the king of children's books, just give me a knowing nod.  And a fist bump -- that way I don't wonder if you just have a nervous neck tic.  In fact, skip the knowing nod and just go with the fist bump -- less confusion that way.)

It's very thoughtful for our photographer to

let us know what sport this photo is from.

(Cindy's the best! -- and I'm the worst!)

Back to the action in the bottom of the third. . .Harley walked.  Nikki singled to left.  Grace reached on an error by the third baseman, and Harley scored (with all runners advancing).  Raven earned an RBI with a sac fly to center.  Olivia got two RBI with a double to center.  Megan walked, Annabelle singled to center.  Maddie and Micaela Neulight each got RBIs from bases loaded walks.  Suddenly it was 14-1.

When I was a kid, we used to play a game called Polish

kickball, where you ran the bases backwards.  

Besides being confusing, it was politically incorrect.

All Torie is doing here is returning to first after rounding the base.

Man, things were different back then.  (Not better, just different!)

(Reporter: I'm sorry, but I have to go back to it.  Editor: WHAT? Reporter: "Go Dog Go," of course!  The line "The blue dog is in.  The red dog is out." is a prophecy of the game -- West Potomac is in blue, while TC is red -- okay, with a little blue.  In the game, the blue dogs ((West Potomac)) came "in" to score 19 times, while the red dogs ((TC)) were out 14 of their 20 plate appearances.  P.D. Eastman knew what was going to happen all the way back in 1961!  Editor: SMH.)

In this analogy from Go Dog Go, Elizabeth

is the blue dog -- in safely.

Despite an error that eventually got a Titan runner to third base, Christina cruised through the TC top of the fourth.  Which, of course led the team to "Go around again!" in the home half.

Caroline hit this grounder so hard it went all the

 way to the fence.  "Amazing," Grace thinks

to herself as she heads toward second.

Grace walked.  Caroline Bowman smacked a grounder through the hole between short and 2nd base so hard that it went all the way to the wall!  On the ground!  Oh my.  Olivia got her second double of the game for an RBI.  Elizabeth Drotos walked, on her way to scoring her third run of the game (two as a pinchrunner).  Natalie Lerner smacked a sac fly to center for an RBI (Reporter: why does RBI need "an" instead of "a" in front of it?  Editor: Great, now I get to lose sleep pondering that!).

Natalie nails an RBI sac fly to make it 16-1.

Annabelle walked, Maddie walked in a run, Micaela also hit a sac fly to center, Nikkie walked, and Grace ended the scoring with an RBI single to left.  It was 19-1.

Despite being up 19-1, half of 

the senior six were tense and nervous, they

couldn't relax.  (Psycho Killer is a

great song, but not as good as this parody.)

Any hopes of a TC comeback went up in smoke quickly -- as Christina struck out the side to end the game.

Wolverine Whispers: Friday night.  Lake Braddock.  At West Potomac.  Be there (unless. of course the potential thunderstorm happens and the game is cancelled).  Lake Braddock is number 3 in the Post, which means the higher they are, the harder they fall.

Web gems were turned in by Torie Bolger (twice -- a caught foul tip for strike three, and a would-be thief thrown out at third by a long ways) and Raven Williams (nice catch of a bounced throw).

Multiple hit games were turned in by Grace (three hits), Nikki, Olivia, and Annabelle (two each).  RBI were earned by Grace and Olivia (three each), Raven, Megan, Maddie, and Micaela (two each), and Harley, Nikki, Torie, and Natalie (one each).

Our beloved Tarpy made an appearance after the game.  Tarpy was in good spirits, and happy to protect the infield from the ensuing rain.  Tarpy's the best!  (Except when Tarpy is full of water, but then Tarpy is just doing its job.  So don't blame Tarpy!)

Conference Seven Standings as of April 8

WP	3	0	1.000
West Spr	2	1	0.667
Lake Brad	2	0	1.000
Sou Cty	1	1	0.500
Woodson	1	1	0.500
TC	0	3	0.000
Annandale	0	3	0.000

All standings are compiled by Coach Lee Harrington and should be considered unofficial, although very close to correct.