Meatsticks close season with upset win over Talk of the Town

Huh huh, I said “meatstick”

by Than Acuff

The local softball league is rife with spoilers, three or four of whom could make a prolific playoff run and end the expectations of any one of the top three teams, Pita’s OGs, the Eldo or the Talk of the Town.

One such team is the Meatsticks. They have just the right mix to make anything happen with power at the plate, solid women and Jell-O shots on the bench. (JELL-O pudding pops, you put the drug in the woman’s drink and then you…)

Furthermore, they appear committed to the game given a comment by one of the players.

“I got two joints,” said a Meatstick. “But those are for after the game. Can’t hit home runs, can’t even hit really.”

Now, that’s commitment.

And that kind of focus paid off in the end as the Meatsticks handed the Talk of the Town a 12-11 loss Tuesday night at Gothic Field.

Granted, the Talk had just seven players to start and the Meatsticks used that advantage to build an early lead. Bryan Densmore and Heather Cooper opened things off in the top of the first with back-to-back base hits. Ben “Dead” Sexe drove Densmore home with a double off of the right field fence, and Jessica Thomas tapped a two RBI single into one of the several massive gaps in the undermanned Talk outfield to build a quick 3-0 lead.

Talk player Molly Keating rolled up to the field then and immediately stepped to the plate in the lead off spot to drive a single. Robbie Vandervoort followed with a single as well, and hits from Bruce Winchenbach, Kelly McGuire and Tom Consentino tied the game up 3-3.

By the start of the second inning the Talk was up to nine players filling some of the holes on defense, but the Meatstick bats remained hot to rebuild a three-run lead. Cody “If you think I’m” Sexe led off with a double, Kelsey Walstad doubled to push Sexe home, Calin Ackerman doubled and then Thomas McLean scored two more Meatsticks for a 6-3 Meatstick lead.

The Talk ultimately reached full strength and looked to hit their stride, but after scoring two more runs on a hit by Ali McGuire to close the gap once again, the Meatsticks took out their big bats.

Ben and Thomas knocked base hits, and Cody cleared the bags with a moon shot high over the left field fence. The Meatstick defense held the Talk scoreless the bottom of the third, and then McLean and Densmore each crushed solo shots for an 11-5 Meatsticks lead heading into the fifth. At this point, the Talk was at full strength with Dave McGuire on the mound and plenty of game left to play. It seemed it would just be a matter of time before the Talk would eventually tie it up, take the lead and then the win.

But, as fate and talent would have it, the comeback would never come to be, though the Talk got close.

Winchenbach opened the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot over the right field fence. Kelly and Consentino singled, and Alkire scored Kelly with a big hop RBI single. Dave golfed a RBI single to the gap in right field to cut into the Meatstick lead.

Cody provided one last blast for the Meatsticks in the top of the sixth to keep them four runs ahead, and that would prove to make all of the difference.

The Talk closed in on the Meatsticks in the bottom of the sixth as Winchenbach, Consentino and Alkire drove in runs to pull the Talk to within one run and last ups with the top of the order stepping to the plate in the bottom of the seventh.

Miraculously though, the Talk bats fell silent and the Meatsticks clamped down for the 12-11 win proving that, as we enter into the post season, anything can happen.