Rhinos Game Summaries, Summer 2006

Game Number	Record	Summary
1	0-1	The Rhinos knew they were in trouble when they looked at the lineup. First game of the year, playing against last year's champ, BG Assembly. The game was close until BGA put up a 12-run 4th inning to take a 20-9 lead. The Rhinos fought back, but it was a case of too little, too late. The final score was 14-20.
2	0-2	In the second game of the double header, the Rhinos find that their bats have gone cold. They only scored one run in the first three innings, and give up another huge inning, allowing Arvin Meritor to score 13 in 4th. This time, the fielding was the culprit. That, and a bad defensive outfield scheme by manager Rick Grieve. This was a game the Rhinos, on paper, win. Unfortunately, there is a reason why the games are played. AM: 16, Rhinos 7.
3	0-3	The worst start in frachise history continues. The visiting Rhinos (can we catch a break and be home team for one game?) jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Then, the home team Logan Aluminum went ahead 6-5. It was close until the 3rd inning, when the visitors gave up 15 runs to Aluminum folks. "I was just out there throwing batting practice," said starting pitcher Rick Grieve. Final tally: Rhinos 8, LA 23.
4	1-3	The Rhinos get on the winning track, first by winning the coin toss (but still having to bat first by virtue of having only 9 players), and then hitting the fire out of the ball, highlighted by Rick Grieve hitting an inside-the-park home run and Pitt Derryberry getting off the schneide. Rhinos 23, Tidballs 13.
5	1-4	The nightcap was a different story. Lost the coin toss. Sean Rubino had difficulties hitting the plate and was torched for 13 runs. However, it was reliever Rick Grieve who took the loss after giving up 4 runs. Alan Cowles went 4-4, one of many people who hit tonight. Final score: Rhinos 15, Fire & Safety 17.
6	2-4	The visiting Rhinos jumped out to 1-0 and 3-2 leads before blowing the game wide open in the third innning with six runs. Sean Rubino led the hitting attack with a double, a triple (yes, he was safe at third), and three RBIs. Tony Paquin, Stephen King, and Tony Lajimodiere all had two RBIs, as well. Rick Grieve continues to be the winning pitcher for the Rhinos, while Pitt Derryberry maintains a 0.00 ERA and picks up the (gimmee) save. Finaly tally: Rhinos 16, Metalforming 6.
7	2-5	This one started fine. The Rhinos won the coin toss and were home team. They jumped to a 4-1 lead and then the wheels fell off. Too many low lights and not enough high lights to the game. I just want to forget it ever happened. Final score: Rhinos 6, BG Assembly 21.
8	3-5	Pitt Derryberry wins the coin toss, and the Rhinos get to bat last, again. They go up 5-1 after one inning and then bat around in the second. Everybody hits, inspired, probably, by the mid-season acquisition of Nick Butler. Cruise control comes on and they win big. (The game was probably extended by Marty Bink's offer to give the first person to hit a home run over the fence $5; there sure were a lot of fly outs in the late innings.) Quoth Tony Lajimodiere: "I wish we could have played BG Assembly like this." Final: Rhinos 18, BG Metalforming 6.
9	4-5	Everyone loves a forfeit, except for the team that does it. Fortunately, the Rhinos had some extra guys, so it was not them.
10	5-5	In the nightcap, the Rhinos take on the Fire & Safety guys, who just came off a big victory over Bowling Green Assembly (though the ump said neither team really hit well; BGA could not keep the balls in the park--Hobson, with the wind blowing out). The Rhinos go up 3-0 after one due to Sean Rubino's over-the-fence home run (Hobson Grove, wind blowing out, remember?). Then, came the big inning. For Fire & Safety. They went up 10-3 after two, but the Rhinos clawed back and Rick Grieve scored the tying run in the fourth inning off of Sonny Onedera's single. Stephen King scored Sonny and Nathan Phelps scored Jason Simpson, to give the Rhinos a 15-13 lead going to the fifth. The Fire guys tied the game in the fifth, but the Rhinos batted around, scoring six runs. Sean Rubino only allowed one run in the sixth inning, and the game was called on time. Final score: Rhinos 21, Fire & Safety 16.
11	5-6	The softball gods giveth and the softball gods taketh away. The Rhinos start out with an 11-0 lead, mainly because the Tidballs' pitcher could not find the plate with both hands and a hint. But, the umpire decided that he did not like Sean Rubino's pitching, either, and it was game on. Tidballs kept scratching away and ended up pushing the winning run across with one out in the last inning. Two good notes: Tony Lajimodiere hit the Rhinos second over-the-fence home run of the year (a monster blast) and Alan Cowles is off the schneide. Final Score: Rhinos 21, Tidballs 22.
12	5-7	It was a bad night for the Rhinos. First up was Logan Aluminum, who jumped out to a 9-3 lead. Then, Sean Rubino hit his second home run of the game to left field to cut the lead to 9-6 (which shut their mouths up, at least briefly). But, the Rhinos could not make any more in-roads, and an 8-run fifth inning sank the ship. Final: Rhinos 6, Logan 17.
13	5-8	The nightcap was a comedy of errors on the basepaths. First, Rick Grieve gets pegged out at home, then Sean Rubino tries to stretch a gimme swinging bunt into a double and gets thrown out (injuring his shoulder in the process). Then, Tony Lajimodiere stays put on second with a runner on first and a ground ball to the second baseman. Oops, oops, and oops. A small bright spot--Chris George is finally approaching the Mendoza line...from below. Score: Rhinos 10, Booth 19.
14	5-9	Once again, the Rhinos seize defeat from the jaws of victory. BG Metalforming scores more runs in this game than they had in the previous two meetings with the Rhinos combined and the home team could not muster enough defense, nor runs, in the final inning to put them away. Final score: Rhinos 13, Metalforming 16.
15	6-9	It's playoff time! And that means we must be playing Tidballs! This game starts out much better than the previous three, with the Rhinos taking a 7-0 lead. And, unlike the last game against Tidballs, the Rhinos are able to hold on to the lead. Tidballs got close--12-10 close--but the Rhinos never surrendered the lead. Nathan Phelps went yard late in the game, prompting Sean Rubino to exclaim, "That little $#!+ went yard!?!" The entire lineup hit well, with Jason Simpson leading the charge, going 5-for-5. However, Chris George (3-for-5), Jim Sauerheber (2-for-5) and Stephen King (4-for-5) all had good games, as well. Final: Rhinos 23, Tidballs 17.
16	7-9	Well, whaddaya know?!?! The Rhinos exorcise one of their demons from the past year by defeating Bowling Green Assembly. Just goes to show that a lot of singles can beat a few home runs (or none, as the case may be) most every day. Sean Rubino (4-for-4), Rick Grieve (3-for-3), and Jim Sauerheber (4-for-4) led the way hitting, and Jason Simpson went yard when it was desperately needed. BGA had closed to within 5 when Simpson put the game out of reach in the 3rd. The team as a whole played good defense, probably the best of the season, while pitcher Pitt Derryberry (who was effectively wild) becomes only the third Rhino to win a playoff game. The spunky Rhinos will best last year's fourth place finish, as the worst they can place is third. Final Score: Rhinos 20, BGA 8.
17	7-10	The Rhinos hung with Logan Aluminum for three innings, and then the wheels kind of came off. A couple of missed plays, a bad call, and the Rhinos were down 9 going into the bottom half of the seventh. They could not make up the difference, so they drop into the losers' bracket. Game notes: Sean Rubino keeps leading in his bid to be the Triple Crown winner for the team. The only competition he has is in batting average, where Rick Grieve and Jim Sauerheber are within 10 points of him. One bad night...Defensive play of the game goes to Chris George, who made a sparkling diving catch and a throw from one knee to peg the runner at second. Final Score: Rhinos 12, Logan 21.
18	7-11	The Rhinos were a player short and just could not make up the difference against BG Assembly. The long and the short of it was: Final score Rhinos 3, BGA 15.