After a week of rainouts, the Rhinos were chomping at the bit. Here is a review by interim Coach Pitt Derryberry: We won 17-15.  Score makes it sound a lot closer than it was.  The other team wasn't that good but they got a lot of duck farts that dropped in at opportune times.  They'd get runs when we had big leads.  Never really was a concern or question in our mind whether we'd win. Ollie Trospar is ineligible for the season.  Tyler Pruden got us another pitcher, though.  His name is Tim Summers.  He's good - has a great quick pitch.  Jason Trombley is a freakin' stud!  I think he went 4 for 4 or 5 for 5 with multiple extra base hits.  All line drive shots and the ball. comes off his bat hard.  Strong as an ox.  He played LF and RF and was fine in both.  Not a liability at all in the field.  When Ryan Haggarty isn't there, he needs to be hitting 4th. Tyler Pruden and Karl Case were on fire.  I think Karl was 4-4 and Tyler was at least 3-4 if not 4-4.  They were flying around the bases last night.  I told them both, when the ball comes off your bat always think second.  I don't think either one was ever at first.  We need to make sure that they know to always, no matter what, trust their wheels and take the extra base.   They are going to beat throws way more times than they get thrown out taking the extra base.

Final Score: Rhinos: 17, CABG: 15

Unfortunately, after such a good start, the bats died for this game. No one hit against Booth. The Rhinos got down early 3-0 and then 5-1, came back to make it 5-3, but then were shut down and outscored the rest of the way. Ben Sims was 3-4 and Jason Trombley was 2-3 to lead the mediocre hitting.

Final Score: Rhinos: 9, Booth 17

Another case of no bats.

Final Score: Rhinos: 8, Wendy's 22

The Rhinos got off to a good start, 9-0, but then just let Tidball's back into the game a little at a time.

Final Score: Rhinos 15, Tidball's 19

The home team Rhino's fell behind 5-0 before putting up 6 in their half of the first. They never looked back, and gave the Bronx Bombers their first loss of the season.

Final Score: Rhinos 22, Bronx Bombers 7

The Rhinos were a bit tired after the first game, and started slow, but came around and took care of business.

Final Score: Rhinos 15, BG Metalforming 3

The Rhinos were the home team by virtue of the opposition only having 9 players (it wasn't us, for a change). Still, they stayed in the game with a lot of hitting. However, the Rhinos had their hitting stars, too, including Charlie Henry who was a triple away from the cycle and Pitt Derryberry who was 4-for-5 and ended the game with a bases-clearing triple.

Final Score: Rhinos 22, Weekend at Bernie's 12

The outcome of this game was never in doubt; the length of the game was. The Rhinos won the toss and elected to be home. 7 Innings Is a Stretch pushed 1 run across in their opening inning thanks to two errors by the Rhinos fielders. However, the hitters made up for the mistakes--5 hits and 5 runs in the first put them ahead for good, and they never looked back. Quentin Hollis, Charlie Henry, and Rick Grieve all had 3 hits in the game.

Final Score: Rhinos 20, 7 Innings 5

So, after a couple weeks of rainouts, the Rhinos finally take the field again. They get down 0-2 to Tidballs in the first inning and then come roaring back to lead 15-2 before Tidballs score a few in the last inning. The Rhinos get one in the sixth to close it out.

Final Score: Rhinos 16; Tidballs 6

The Rhinos started out a bit flat against Booth Fire. They fielded, but could not hit early on. However, a big third inning put them in the lead for good, and Wes McAdams' inside-the-park grand slam in the fifth sealed the deal.

Final Score: Rhinos 20; Booth 12.

In a game that had all of the excitement of a bedtime story, the Rhinos held on to win their 7th game in a row. The Rhinos were the home team, and gave up two runs to start the game. They then came back with five in their half, and never looked back. In fact, since Weekend At Bernie's had only nine players, they could have walked the last two guys in the game and still won. Highlights (and lowlights): Pitt Derryberry earning his new nickname of "Double Vision" and Tyler "Slapper" Pruden going yard.

Final Score: Rhinos 16, Weekend at Bernie's 11.

The bedtime story from last game must have put everyone to sleep, as the Rhinos could not hit a lick. They only scored in three innings, and in three innings either went down 1-2-3 or got a hit to lead off the inning and then went down 1-2-3. Thus, they gave 7 Innings their first win....ever.

Final Score: Rhinos 6; 7 Innings Are A Stretch 9

This one was never really in doubt. The Rhinos took a 4-0 lead, and never looked back, scoring in every inning. Hitting stars tonight were Karl Case (3-3, HR 2b, 2 RBI), Darryl Hester (3-3-, 2 3B, HR, 7 RBI), and Wes McAdams (4-4, 2 2B, 1 RBI).

Final Score: Rhinos 15, BG Metalforming 8

In a game that influenced tournament seedings, the Rhinos came out very flat. Tim Summers was late for the start, so Pitt Derryberry got the nod on the mound to start. He promptly walked the bases loaded--twice. Fortunately, the Rhinos only gave up 4 runs, and got Tim back soon enough to staunch the bleeding. The Rhinos then mounted a furious comeback starting in the third inning, when they were down 11-1, culminating in Rick Grieve's Grand Slam. However, Wendy's had much more gas in the tank, and scored another 12 runs. The score was 23-11 going into the bottom of the bottom of the 6th (shortened game because of time). The Rhinos put a couple of runs across, but had two outs and runners on 1st and 2nd for slugger Grieve. However, there is no joy in Muddville, for Rick did strike out.

Final Score: Rhinos 13, Wendy's 23.

First game of the tournament. This is usually when the Rhinos go to sleep. However, the foe this time was Weekend at Bernie's, the team that plugged Pitt Derryberry in the back of the head. So, the Rhinos were ready. The game went back and forth. Each team held the lead for a while and then let the other team back in. Both pitchers were jawing at each other. The catchers glared at the opponent's dugout. In the end, a timely non-report by Bernie's and some key hitting in the top of the seventh got the Rhinos over the hump, and a date with, most likely, number one seeded Wendy's. Hitting star tonight: Ryan Haggarty: 3-3, HR, 4 RBI.

Final Score: Rhinos 18, Weekend at Bernie's 14.

So, the Rhinos get Wendy's and win the coin toss to be the home team. Wendy's promptly goes out and scores 6 runs on some pretty bad fielding by the Rhinos. However, the Rhinos hit and tie the score at the end of the first. And then they find their fielders' gloves. And hitters' bats. And before you know it, Wendy's was arguing with each other. And then, a 1-2-3 7th inning, culminating in a dazzling spear of a line drive by Pitt Derryberry, and the Rhinos are through to the next round. Tim Summers is the big hitting star tonight, going 4-4, with a HR and 3 RBI, though Jason Trombley's 6 RBI were also huge.

Final Score: Rhinos 21; Wendy's 16

It's the Rhinos and Bronx Bombers for the chance to go to the Finals. Once again, the Rhinos win the coin toss, and this time get the team out 1-2-3, all via a Mike Kennedy-Rick Grieve connection. Then, the Rhinos go out and hit, putting up 4 runs in the first, accented by Jason Trombley's 3-run double. However, things slowly go to pot after that. The Rhinos kept the lead through the third inning, but just could not generate much offense through the latter stages of the game. They left 13 runners on base, and left bases loaded in two consecutive innings. A little more timely hitting and things could have turned out differently. Hitting stars: Darryl Hester (3-5, 2B, 3B, 3R), Tim Summers (3-4, 2B), Rick Grieve (3-3), Ryan Haggarty (3RBI), Jason Trombley (3RBI).

Final Score: Rhinos 12, Bronx Bombers 18

It's the rematch against Wendy's, and it does not look good for the home team Rhinos, as they start slowly and drop behind 2-5. Then, they realize that Wendy's is only playing with 9 players and the bats go off. When the smoke clears, Jason Trombley has gone deep twice (and racked up 7 RBI; a new team record for a game, I think) and the Rhinos have run ruled the dreaded foes.

Final Score: Rhinos 17, Wendy's 5

In the opening game of what the Rhinos hope to be a double-header against the Bronx Bombers, they start out hot, scoring 13 runs in the first two innings. They cruise to victory behind home runs by Jason Trombley, Charlie Henry, and Tim Summers. Another run rule victory.

Final Score: Rhinos 21, Bronx Bombers 9

The night cap did not start out well. The home team Rhinos (thanks, again, Jason Trombley for winning all those coin tosses) could only manage a single hit in the first two innings. The Bombers went off for 11 runs. Then, a successful challenge on a player substitution led to all sorts of fireworks by the Bombers. Unfortunately, the fireworks were coming from their mouths, not their bats. The Rhinos put together a 6-run third inning and a 4-run fourth inning to climb back into the game. They keep chipping away and the Bombers keep hitting balls out of the park for home run outs. Finally, it is 14-13 in the seventh inning. Good defense by the Rhinos keeps the Bombers from scoring. Karl Case leads off the bottom of the inning with an inside-the-park Home Run to tie the score. Tyler Pruden gets on. And Ryan Haggarty ends it all with a blast to straight away center field. Here's the radio play-by-play call:

"Haggarty steps up to the plate. He has had a pretty good night tonight; three for four with three RBIs. He takes ball one outside. Ryan a left-hander digs in. Here is the pitch. He swings! A long drive to deep center field! It might be! It could be! It is! Rhinos win the Championship!"