Rent-A-Gades hand Talk second loss in a row

Basile is back, Banford shakes off slump

by Than Acuff

Good news for the Wine House Monkeys, and really, softball in general, as Pete Basile is back. Basile suffered a near career-ending injury this spring due to a horrific billiards incident. Fortunately, he’s recovered and made a triumphant return last week, crushing the first pitch he saw all season over the fence. In fact, Basile stroked two home runs and a double to help the Monkeys hand the Talk of the Town their second loss in a row.

Things went from bad to worse for the Talk of the Town on Monday night as they dropped their third game in a row, losing to the Rent-A-Gades at Gothic Field Monday night.

The Rent-A-Gades are late bloomers by trade and were sitting in last place of the comp league standings heading into the game against the Talk. Prior to the game, Rent-A-Gade Jeff Banford remained confident of their shot at a repeat title though fully aware that the real season doesn’t start until August and the playoffs. Banford also reminded me that they were in a similar spot last year before cruising through the post-season to the title.

Speaking of Banford, the guy has had a rough start to his season but shook off his hitting slump Monday night to help pace the Rent-A-Gades to their win.

Build up to the game was a bit dubious for the Talk. On the one hand, Brent Laney was back after missing the last two games and looked to help return the team to their winning ways. On the other hand, they were short a few key players as game time approached. But, in true casual local softball fashion, a couple of key players showed up just in time and the Talk jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Laney and Ali McGuire tapped singles and Tom Consentino cracked a two-RBI triple to the gap in left center.

Nick Catmur and Leah Fisher connected to drive in the Rent-A-Gades’ first run and Justin Wheeler tied the game up with an RBI triple off the netting in centerfield.

The Talk jumped back on top in their next at bat helped by an error-assisted RBI triple from Molly Keating, but the Rent-A-Gades then blew the game open, scoring eight runs over the next two innings.

Jill Pitt started things off with an RBI single and Banford officially stepped out of his slump with a two-RBI double to center field. Heather Duryea flared a two-RBI single to right to complement Banford’s effort and Catmur capped the initial Rent-A-Gades outburst with another RBI double.

Six more Rent-A-Gade base hits in the bottom of the third inning drove in three more runs and the Rent-A-Gades were sitting comfortably on an 11-3 lead.

The Talk threatened in the top of the fourth inning, coming out hot when Courtney Bock singled and scored on a two-run home run from Consentino high over the left field fence, flirting with the Wine House roof and a subsequent free 12-pack.

But the Talk bats soon fizzled and the Rent-A-Gades tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Catmur connected again for an RBI double (note to other teams, Catmur will always go for two), Fisher crushed a powerbunt single that traveled less than a Canadian meter and scored on a base hit from Wheeler and Jeff Snyder pushed two more home with some assistance from a confused Talk defense.

The top of the fifth inning would make or break the Talk. They’ve got the power, the speed and the know-how to pull off a comeback but time was running out. Things looked good to open as Keating singled to center and then jogged home when Eric Ervin crushed a two-run shot over the fence in rightcenter. Michael Faktor dug deep for an infield single and when Dave McGuire slapped an RBI triple and Bock knocked an RBI single, the Talk was just six runs down.

Once again though, just as they were getting hot, they turned cold, kind of like at the Talk of the Town when things are going hot at the bar until the lights turn on at the end of the night and all of a sudden everyone looks older, drunker and a little bit uglier.

“Dude, where she go?”

“I dunno, things were going well and then she said she had to go to the bathroom. Is there a back door to this place? Maybe she’s upstairs.”

“No, I was just up there—just a couple dudes playing pool.”

“Bummer, this place is beat anyway. Let’s go to the Eldo and then head home and make a pizza.”

“Cool.”

The Rent-A-Gades then put the game out of reach for good in the bottom of the sixth inning as Catmur led off with a triple and scored on a sac fly RBI from Fisher that traveled a Canadian kilometer. Snyder drove two more in with a double and Kari Roberts closed out the 19-9 win with an RBI single.