Rhinos Game Summaries, Summer 2007

Game Number Record
Summary
1
1-0
 Coach Rick Grieve was worried five minutes before game time when he looked up and saw only 7 guys standing around. Then Quentin Hollis, Marty Arnold, Ollie Trospar, and Sean Rubino made their way to the game. After a big sigh of relief, the Rhinos take an early 2-0 lead in the first. They fall behind 5-2 after the end of one, but batted around in the second to take the lead for good at 8-5. They added 5 more in the fourth and 2 more in the seventh. Big hitters: Jason Simpson (4-5, 3B, 3 RBI), Tony Lajimodiere (3-5), and Quentin Hollis (2-3, 2B, 3 RBI). Final Score: Rhinos 15, Booth 10
2
2-0
 The visiting Rhinos jumped out to a 8-run lead and never looked back. Pitt Derryberry, Tony Lajimodiere, Quentin Hollis (6 RBI, too), and Jason Simpson were all perfect at the plate. Sean Rubino also added 4 RBIs. Final Score: Rhinos 20, CLC 4.
3
2-1
 The visiting Rhinos (we really have to get 10 guys to show up before the start of the game some day...) started off well, scoring 3 runs in the top of the first. But, then the dropsies hit and Tidball's more than batted around in their half of the inning, going up 9-3. The Rhinos fought back and only gave up 8 more runs throughout the game, but it was not enough in the end. Quentin Hollis hit two over the fence, newcomers Gary and Wes were perfect from the plate. I guess every once in a while you have a game like this. (I'm sure pitcher Ollie Trospar feels like Nate Robertson of the Tigers right now...) Final Score: Rhinos 13, Tidballs 17.
4
3-1
 The visiting Rhinos started the game with nine players. Fortunately, it was against CLC, and, after batting through the first eight, Quentin Hollis showed up. This really was no contest. Everyone in the lineup had at least one RBI. And winning pitcher Pitt Derryberry seemed to get his bat back, too. Final Score: Rhinos 18, CLC 3
5
3-2
 This game started well for the visiting Rhinos (by a coin toss this time). They stormed out to a 10-3 lead over Tidball's. Then, everything went to hell in a handbasket in the fifth inning. Wes "Schnoz" McAdams gets spiked in the nose and is bleeding, the umpire missed an out at home plate, Chris "Stitches" George tries to catch a ball with his mouth, and the next thing you know, it's a tie game. Wes hits a home run in the sixth to put the Rhinos up 11-10 (and, the Rhinos left ducks on the pond at the end of the inning, too), but the Tidball's guys score four in their half of the inning. A hit here, a walk there, and the Rhinos pull to 12-14, with hero Wes McAdams up again. Tidball's pitcher pitches to him and Wes tommyhawks a single into left field that scores both Jason Simpson and Rick Grieve to tie the game. Two scoreless innings later, the Rhinos give up a couple of singles and a walk to load the bases and then Tidball's gets a bloop single to win it. Final Score: Rhinos 14, Tidball's 15.
6
4-2
 The Rhinos have 10 guys, win the coin toss, and get to be the home team. They jump out to a 2-0 lead over Booth Fire and Safety, and never look back. The Rhinos put up their best defensive effort ever, Sean Rubino and Ollie Trospar go deep, and it was a pretty easy victory. A couple of highlights: the D-P (Derryberry-Paquin) play in which Pitt Derryberry lines to center and Tony Paquin is caught almost to second. Paquin turns and tries to run back to first, but really looked like Wile E. Coyote going against the Roadrunner. Needless to say, he got pegged at first. The second highlight was the T-n-T play, where Tony Lajimodiere scoops from left center and fires a rope to Tony Paquin at the plate to get the runner. Much better than the first play. Final Score: Rhinos 14, Booth 1.
7
5-2
 The home team Rhinos score in every inning and play pretty darn well defensively. Home runs by Ryan Haggarty and Wes McAdams are offensive highlights. Tony Paquin goes 3-for-4 as the leadoff hitter and Jason Simpson is 3-for-3. Final Score: Rhinos 17, BGA 8.
8
5-3
 This was the continuation of the rain-delayed game. The Rhinos started in a 6-14 hole. They climb out of the hole and take a 15-14 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. And then the wheels fell off. It looked like they forgot how to play defense. Ten runs later, BGA felt lucky to go home with the win. Final Score: Rhinos 15, BGA 24
9
6-3
 The home team Rhinos took an early 4-0 lead, and emergency starting pitcher Rick Grieve scattered 4 Tidballs' hits over 5 innings to take an 11-0 lead into the sixth. A couple of hits--one really nice opposite field in-the-parker, and it's 11-2 going into the bottom of the sixth. Chris George and Pitt Derryberry end the game with a triple and a single. Ryan Haggarty also had a very offensive game, going 3-for-3, with a home run and 5 RBI. Final Score: Rhinos 12, Tidball's 2
10
7-3

In the nightcap of the double header, the Rhinos ended up the visiting team. They took a 2-0 lead after their turn at bat, with Wes McAdams knocking in Sean Rubino and Tony Lajimodiere. But Booth Fire and Safety came back and tied the thing up. It went back and forth from there. Booth went up 6-5 after three, the Rhinos came back and took a 7-6 lead after four. They added one more run in the fifth and sixth, and were ahead 9-7 when starting pitcher Pitt Derryberry yielded to reliever Rick Grieve. Each team added some in the seventh inning, but, in the end, it was too much Rhino for the Booth. Lisa Gardner went 3-for-3, including a double, and played a flawless second base. Wes McAdams also was perfect from the plate, 4-for-4, with 3 RBI. Sean Rubino had 3 walks; they just didn't want to pitch to him. Final Score: Rhinos 13, Booth 10.

11
7-4
 We really don't want to talk about this big choke, though Wes McAdams hitting the team's fourth home run over the fence with bases loaded probably warrants special mention. That and the fact that the Rhinos were up 22-3 in the third and let it slip away. Final Score; Rhinos 27 BGA 28
12
8-4
 The Rhinos redeemed themselves in the night cap, taking on Tidballs and limiting their hits. The Rhinos played good defense and made smarter throws and got enough offense from the guys that they could pull off the victory and guarantee a winning season. Final Score: Rhinos 10, Tidballs 3.
13
9-4
 The visiting Rhinos got up 5-0 before CLC came storming back to tie and then take the lead in this game. However, the Rhinos had a much stronger finishing kick and, once the dust settled, had pounded away a very solid win. This one was much harder than it had to be as the Rhinos were missing key players like Sean Rubino, Tony Paquin, Ryan Haggarty, and Jason Simpson. However, Ollie Trospar (4-4, 2B, 4 RBI), Rick Grieve (3-3, 2 BB, 2B, 3 RBI), Wes McAdams (2B, 3B, 4 RBI--just a HR short of the cycle), and even Big Dave Carner (2-4) came through for the team. Final Score: Rhinos 20, CLC 12.
14
10-4
 The Rhinos jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and watched as CLC tied them. Then, the Rhinos batted around almost twice in the second inning, scored 13 runs and never looked back. Offensive producers of note: Ryan Haggarty (4-4, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI), Wes McAdams (5-5, 2B, 3 RBI), David Carner (1-1, 4BB), and Quentin Hollis (2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI). Final Score: Rhinos 25, CLC 11.
15
10-5
 So, it's the playoffs, right? So, that must mean that the Rhinos start leaving the team. The team was missing regulars Tony Lajimodiere, Jason Simpson, Tony Paquin, and Quentin Hollis. The problems began before the game, when only nine were available to play, meaning that, even though they won the coin toss, the Rhinos would have to bat first.They put up five in the first, but could not hold the lead. In the end, Tidball's just had waaaayyyyyy too much for the Rhinos, spoiling Ollie Trospar's two-home run night..Final Score: Rhinos: 14, Tidball's: 26.
16
11-5
 So it was off to the losers' bracket for the Rhinos. They draw CLC in the first round and are the visiting team. The first inning was very rough for the Rhinos as Rick Grieve leaves the bases loaded with a weak grounder to short. CLC loads the bases themselves in the first, but could not do anything with it. That was the last time CLC was a threat, as the Rhinos put up 13 runs in the second inning. They also added another nine runs in the fifth to close the game out. Ollie Trospar prospered in the leadoff spot, going 4-for-5 and beling a home run. Ryan Haggerty and Karl Case (who has some speed--just ask David Carner) also went deep for the Rhinos. Final Score: Rhinos 26, CLC 5
17
12-5

In the nightcap, the Rhinos played the always pesky Booth Fire and Safety. This one was never in doubt, as the home team Rhinos shut down Booth in their half of the first and then rattled off seven runs. This one went all of three innings before it was called on account of mercy. Almost everyone had a perfect night at the plate: Ryan Haggerty, Chris George, Rick Grieve, Wes McAdams, and Quentin Hollis all were 3-for-3. Ollie Trospar, Wes McAdams, and Quentin Hollis all went deep for the Rhinos. Final Score: Rhinos: 22, Booth: 2.

***Please note that the combined scores of both games this Monday night was: Rhinos: 48, Other teams: 7. I really want to bottle what we were drinking and take it with us for the rest of the tourney.

18
13-5
 After getting a forfeit from BGA at 6:05, the Rhinos head to the Championship against Tidball's. The Rhinos jump out to an early 8-1 lead, and then hang on for dear life as Tidball's shakes off three weeks of rust and starts hitting. The final out causes David Carner to yell, jump, and reinjure his foot (I told you plantar fascitis). Big hitters for the Rhinos: Ollie Trospar (5-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI), Quentin Hollis (2-4, HR, 2 RBI), and Karl Case (3-4, 2 RBI). Final Score: Rhinos 14, Tidball's 13.
19
14-5

The nightcap started the in the same way as the opener: the Rhinos jump out to a 4-0 lead. But, then, Tidball's starts playing like they can and went ahead 6-4. It looked bleak for the good guys. However, they caught fire in the fourth inning and batted around, taking the lead for good at 14-6. Each team added a couple late, but in the end WE WON THE WHOLE DARN THING!!! Final Score: Rhinos: 16, Tidball's 8.

I'd like to thank all of the guys who played with us this season. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you all put into it this summer. We had more guys play more games consistently with us this year than we ever had, and it showed in terms of play. We were a much stronger offensive and defensive team (even though we had our lapses in this area, too....*ahem* losing a 19-run lead...) than we have been in the past. I hope you will all consider being Rhinos next season, as well.

I have had a blast this summer. Thanks, Rick (Papa Rhino)