So opening day has come and gone 
Both the Blazzers and 1Z’s were in action this week to kick off the 2010 season.
Before I get into the games, I need to bring up the concept of the “Blazzers Inning”. This is an inning, usually occurring once a game (towards the end), where the Blazzers defence becomes as watertight as a sieve in a rainstorm. It usually ends with us turning what would be a comfortable win into a nervous last few outs.
With that in mind, first up is the 1Z Blazzers vs the Wildcats of Castleknock. Personally, travelling to that game was a nightmare. I ended up being 15 minutes late, and as such not in the starting lineup. After a 3-run first inning for the 1Zs, we then proceeded to have the Blazzers Inning, conceding 14 runs to a castleknock team who seem to have had their bats working right from the start. Anything hit into the outfield would carry due to the pitch, and there was not much that can be done when a team is in that mood. After that, it was very hard to get back into the game, the 1Zs eventually losing 37-15 after 6.
Alot of positives can be taken from that match though. The new players are settling in very well, and will only get better with each game. We’re working the bats quite well considering the amount of BP we’ve been able to get in due to our training ground being mostly unavailable; Steve and Dan in particular hitting home runs in our defeat.
I also went to watch (and eventually track the stats of) the first team when they took on Marley on Tuesday night. I couldn’t believe my eyes when they too had a Blazzers Inning the first inning of that game, conceding 13 runs. Of cource, we were playing with only 9 at the time, with Ruth running late. What made it worse was that all 13 runs came after two outs had been attained, which, I know from experience, is painful.
The game was quite even after that, with both teams exchanging runs. That was until the Blazzers had a superb 4th inning, getting in 13 runs of their own and almost batting around the order twice. Special mention has to go to Ruth, who hit her first league home run (after what must be at least 20 years of trying I assume 
) and couldn’t believe she was being told to round third. I thought of telling her it was an error in the outfield, but I couldn’t be that cruel. It was 25 – 20 blazzers after 4. (Apparently, premier league games are supposed to be low scoring affairs, but that certainly didn’t seem to be the case)
There was controversy when the game was not being called for light, even though the normally steady Jens and Conor both made errors that wouldn’t have happened under normal conditions. Eventually, time was called with Marley leading 30 – 25 in the middle of the top of 6, and will have to be continued (decision reached after a rulebook lookup – who knew) apparently it should have been brought back to the last full inning played, which would mean a 25-23 Blazzers win. We shall see how this unfolds.
I’m going to try get to alot more games than I did last year, and bring my camera next time. All those embarrassing moments have to be documented
April 22, 2010 at 10:56 pm
According to ASA rules, your Blazzers have already won the game. Because 5 innings have been played — making it a legal game — and the game was stopped due to a safety concern (light), the game as it stood at the end of the 5th inning (the last completed inning after becoming a legal game) is the final result.
Congratulations!
April 23, 2010 at 8:04 am
I thought that too, but the ruling on the day was that because the 6th inning had started, and Marley had gone ahead in that 6th inning, the game would have to be continued from the point of stoppage