1) U.S. Exporters vs Bums played on 04/10/17
We open our season on Monday, April 10. We have LATE games starting at 8:30 pm at Jennie Dean Field against the Bums. This is the team Jason Boyd moved to join to try and play B Division. Jim Davis is on the team along with a few more guys we have played with. There were not enough teams for a B league so they folded the 3 teams into our division. This team will be a legitimate B-level team. They will be tough.
Game Analysis: We had a lot of new players this season so we moved several of them
around the field and the lineup as we learn what will work best. Glen
struggled to throw strikes and was relieved early in both games by
Kelly. The Bums featured several Exporter alumni on a team that hoped
to play in a B-division. The lack of interest in a B league forced the
3 teams into our division. The Bums are a good team. We didn't play
well and Roger struggles to find the best positions for the new
players. After Kelly got his timing down, he swatted a 2-run HR. He
also saw some time at pitcher, 1B, and a few places in the outfield.
Ryan saw time at 2B and a few places in the outfield. He hit the ball
hard, but unfortunately they were all right at defenders. Jose moved
around the outfield and got one deep for a triple. Mark hit very well
and anchored shortstop for the evening. Tim was adjusting to playing
again after a few years away from the game. Brian showed mid-season
form by blasting a solo HR in game 1.
The Exporters bats came alive to open the night scoring 11 in the first
inning which was enough to coast to victory in the opener. Jose slammed
a 2-run blast over the left-center fence. Matt had an excellent night
piling up the extra base hits including one over the fence. Eric in his
debut tried the last inning on the mound and pitched fine. The team is
slowly improving.
3) U.S. Exporters vs Fighting Penguins played on 05/01/17
In two very slow-played games, the Exporters failed to get the
strong-hitting Penguins out and could not consistently put runs on the
board this rainy evening. Charlie made his pitching debut and failed to
get an out as the Penguins roughed him up. Eric finished up the inning
before he had to leave. Glen returned to the mound and regained his
control. However, the game was called on time in only the bottom of
third. Jose belted two homers on the night as the only bright spot.
The night started fine, but the Exporters could not finish the Dukes off
in game one. The Dukes barrage continued to start the second game
hitting 3 homers and scoring 17 in the first for a total of 30 runs in
those two innings. In both cases, that was really all they needed in
each game. Bright spots in the night were 2 more homers by Jose and one
from Kelly. Chad also hit two over the fence. The Exporters need more
consistent hitting to compete in this league.
A short-staffed Exporters could field only 9. We managed to remain
competitive in the opener and actually out-hit St Arnolds in that game,
but too many free passes caused the defeat. In the nightcap, a complete
collapse of offense occurred that barely avoided the team being shut out.
6) U.S. Exporters vs P.E.D.S played on 06/12/2017
Poor defense and a lack of offense led to two bad games. It's difficult
to remain competitive in games when we give them 5 outs an inning. Jose
generated most of the offense with 2 HRs in the evening.
With only 9 players, the Exporters managed to pull off a win in the
opener behind the powerful hitting of Ryan and Jose who both went 3 for
4. Ryan was a single short of hitting for the cycle driving in 3 runs.
Jose hit 3 over the fence for 5 RBI's. Unfortunately, only 2 counted as
we had hit our limit by the time he hit his third in the last inning.
Good pitching by Glen and solid defense behind him kept us on top. The
second game saw the return of Huy after several seasons of retirement. .
.and the rust showed. Our bats were quieter in the nightcap and we were
unable to hold on in the last inning.
8) U.S. Exporters vs Big Sticks played on 07/10/2017
The Exporters could not dig out of the big hole after a poor first
inning. The second game had weak hitting which led to another loss.
We had 8 show up, but the Bums let us recruit two kids from the playground who never played softball in their life. They left after the first game. Then we got a girlfriend of Jose's guest player to play along with the father of a player on the Bums.
Both games were blowouts.
Missing 7 players to travel and work when playing the best team in the
league turned the evening into everything you would think. Even with
the Bums being merciful to avoid walks by swinging at bad pitches and
only taking one base on every hit, the games got out of control real
fast. The only bright spot for the old player/coach was catching the
Bums outfield disrespecting him in his last plate appearance of the
spring season. Roger drove a ball to the fence and touched them all
before they could relay it home.
"The U.S. Exporters will play the fall season on Monday evenings as the
Dudley's Exporters.
"I finally received confirmation from the owner of Dudley's they will
sponsor the team this fall in the leadup to their expected opening in
October.
"We finally have a new sponsor!"
Final Standings, Spring 2017
W L T Pts
Bums 16 2 0 32
Dukes 14 4 0 28
Big Sticks 12 4 2 26
P.E.D.S. 11 8 1 23
St. Arnolds 8 9 1 17
Update Sundays 7 10 1 15
Fighting Penguins 6 12 0 12
Canna Corn 3 14 1 7
U.S. Exporters 2 16 0 4