Blue Gray Tourney, Game 1.Smoke and Mirrors: Pittsburgh Blues 6 Lancaster Illusion 3

Goldie, 3-4, 2-r

one Amish disemboweled

Ashcroft (1-0)
9 IP, 3ER, 8, 4h
six dismemberments
two Amish speared with flagpole

Pittsburgh NABA Pitcher of the Year. Jason Aschroft (1-0) pitched a complete game victory, scattering four hits over nine innings as the Blues overcame deficits of 2-0, and 3-1 to defeat the Illusion in the Blue & Gray Tournament opener.

The visiting Illusion jumped out to a 2-0 lead in he first inning.

Blues CF, Jason Goldie singled and stole second in the bottom of the second Vinny Gala singled to put runners on first and third with one out. Goldie scored the Blues first run on a double steal by pinch runner Ben Gwin who entered for non-runner Gala.

The game was fast paced; solid defense by the Amish and a good pitching performance by Henry VI kept Lancaster in the game early.

Lancaster added a run in the top of the fourth. Lancaster lead 3-1 going into the bottom of the fifth when Gwin tied the game with a two run single, tying the game 3-3.

i'M CALLING ON BEN SOROSKY IS PINCH-BLOG FROM THE DAYS INN IN DUMFIRES, VA WHILE I SMOKE A CIGARETTE.

While I lay here and pinch blog, I would like to give a personal shout to Ben Gwin for his amazing play in RF today. Reminded me of a Grady Sizemore type play. 2B Joe Graff was leadoff hitter today and was like Jose Reyes getting on base everytime. Jason Ashcroft aka Brandon Webb pitched a gem of a game today and I enjoyed all the groundballs that I received at 3B. It's fun when the pitcher throws strikes and keeps the fielders in the game. There is a reason why he was the NABA pitcher of the year. BTW, Ben Gwin was right with his prediction of cheaper prices in Virginia. Gas is 3.35 a gallon and most importantly, Blue Moon, my favorite beer, is 6.75 a 6 pack. Well, Gwin has returned and I will let him return to his blog.......

So in the bottom of the seventh I made a diving catch in right, then SS, BJ Rankin made a barehanded play on a bad hop when a ground ball hit off the infield lip.

Highlights of BJ Rankin vs the Illusion


The game was tied at three until the bottom of the eighth, when Brian Strom, after two failed bunt attempts doubled home two runs to put Pittsburgh up 5-3.
Strom would later score on Garrett Moore's broken bat ground out, and Ashcroft shut the door in the bottom of the ninth preserving the 6-3 victory.

The Blues will secure a spot in the championship with a win over the Florida Rangers tomorrow at 8am.

Ben Sorosky is on the hill tomorrow,


Bad news for the Rangers


***

In his quest to find the Dicks sporting goods in Manasses, VA, Garret Moore got lost in the back woods of Virginia for literally three hours and arrived forty minutes late to the game. He had Guthrie, Homa and Christian's equipment in the trunk of his car. It was a bad scene.
Garrett Moore has been owned at paper-rock-scissors and has slept on the floor for two nights.
Moore had an RBI in the game.

***

Jeremy Barchie has demanded his 2009 Ducks contract include Redman.

(profanity)



Go Blues
Quack.

Blues

The Middlesex Pirates have dropped out of the Blue & Gray Classic.
the Blues are now guaranteed three games, and have to finish in the top two of the four team pool to make the Championship game.
I disagree with this format, I'd rather have a semi-final game.
Saturday at 12:30 pm, it's Bad News for the Lancaster Illusion.

Sweet Virginia

Without Chuck Berry there is no rock 'n' roll, without the Blues there is no Chuck Berry.
Without the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance, there is no Marty McFly.

It is likely the Blues' schedule will change again, as the 18A schedule link on the national site can not be selected. That is one potent disclaimer, it is almost as if linking the temporary schedule on yesterday's blog post has caused a tear in the NABA space/time continuum.

Much of the Back to the Future soundtrack is written by Huey Lewis and the News.
Weird Al, parodied Huey Lewis and the News' "I want a new Drug" with this number.

Great stuff.

Theoretically which event do you think is more likely to cause the universe to collapse on itself, should it happen again :
The Ghostbusters crossing the streams, or Marty McFly meeting himself in the past?





The Blues will leave for Virginia tomorrow, and begin play on Saturday. The schedule is still in flux.
Look for Ben Sorosky's travel-blog tomorrow night when you get home from your Friday evening activities.

***
The South Oakland Ducks have had seven players selected to compete in national tournaments, the most of any Pittsburgh NABA team.

Ben Hartranft
Matt Swetz
Rob Swanger
Ben Gwin
Mark Guthrie
Nick Homa
Garrett Moore

Quack.

Unofficial Blues Schedule,

Go Blues

The Pittsburgh Blues officially have no history; unofficially, it starts Saturday at 12:30pm. the Blue & Gray Schedule was posted, with this disclaimer:

2008 Blue & Gray Schedule

This is a preliminary schedule and is subject to change. A final schedule will be produced and provided to manager's at check-in.

DO NOT duplicate or distribute this preliminary schedule. Only a schedule which reads "Final Schedule" should be used for tournament purposes.

I'm guilty of possession of preliminary schedule with intent to distribute.

The Blues are one of five teams in the 18A pool.
As of now, the Blues are scheduled to play the Middlesex Pirates as 12:30 pm at Prince William Stadium, Home of the Potomac Nationals, the single A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Personally I'm looking forward to playing in a stadium names after a fellow Welshman.

No word on whether or not this blue mascot will be in attendance, ironically, he's also a fellow Welshman.

The Blues are scheduled to play two or their four guaranteed games at Prince William Stadium.

Is that grass on the infield?

Judging from the GoogleEarth pictures of Prince William Stadium,I linked we are probably playing our other two games in the complex surrounding the stadium, but I'm not sure.

the Stadium has actually been renamed,

G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium
7 County Complex
Manassas, VA 20110
703-590-2311

Know Your Enemy: Scouting report for the other teams in the Blue & Gray Classic 18A Division

As I mentioned yesterday, the Florida Rangers will fight .

The Rangers came in second in the Cooperstown 4th of July Tournament.

There was once a Pittsburgh NABA team named the Rangers, they became the Phantoms and played a key role in the development of South Oakland Duck, Chris Wojoton.
Coincidentally the Texas Rangers used to be the Washington Senators, the team that replaced the first Senator team that left to become the Twins. The second Senators were replaced by the Washington Nationals, whose minor league park will be the venue for half of the Blue Gray Tournament games.

Judging by their website the New York Metro's don't mess around. By taking advantage of deep player pool of the densely populated NY metropolitan area, they probably have assembled a nasty squad.

All business.


Metro's second baseman, has an astronomical OPS.

***

The Middlesex Pirates Myspace page.

This team is from New Jersey, but I'm guessing there's a Pittsburgh guy with a man-crush on Andy VanSlyke on the roster somewhere.

Perhaps it is Steve Bovo (via. Middlesex Pirates Myspace)

Other reasons they could be named the Pirates include; cheapest jerseys available since the Pirates are terrible, or maybe they just like Pirates.

leaf blower with stocking.

We have to beat the Pirates

***

The enigma of the 18A Pool is the Lancaster Illusion.
The folks at NABA National HQ said they were a team of eight, that filled out their roster will pool players/mercenaries.

I've been to Lancaster, and I'm guessing we'll see this guy on the hill. His stuff is filthy

Those of us familiar with Richard III know the house of Lancaster was dominated by the house of York. Look for the New York Metro's (and the Blues) to beat the Illusion.

The Lancaster Illusion is the Ducks blog favorite non-Blues team in the division. Here's why, besides the obvious, creative, non-plural name.

There is a chance their front office is operating on this kind of a level.

Richard III is my favorite history play by Shakespeare.

The house of Lancaster was represented by a red rose.


Guns 'n' Roses also incorporates the red rose in the band's logo


Guns 'n' Roses' third double album is none other than

Use Your Illusion.

Note: Use your Illusion II contains the ballad Civil War, which I have alluded to in relation to the Blue Gray Classic.

Video "Don't Damn Me", (profanity)



Your satisfaction lies in your illusion.

Coby this is solid Rock 'n' Roll.


There are also the obvious connections between Axl Rose and Richard III and the dastardly things they did in their respective quests for glory, which I may develop into a thesis.
If these guys from Lancaster did this on purpose they are my heroes.

Go Blues.

***
Quack, quack.