Elevate rises over Talk of the Town

Like quick rise yeast

by Than Acuff 

I’m just looking for one Talk of the Town title before I stop doing this thing called journalism, which tends more toward journaling really.

For example:

Tuesday, June 23

Dear Diary,

Today was not the best day. Up early, thank you prostate, but after a healthy breakfast with plenty of coffee, but not too much, I was ready to attack some home improvement projects. I had most of the tools I needed. I could have the rest of the tools I needed as I have the money to buy them, but my parents had the money to buy a color TV but didn’t. And they had the money to buy a Toyota Corolla but went with the Chevy Chevette instead. Is it because they grew up in Missouri and embraced that Midwest frugality?

I apparently inherited some of that Midwest frugality but certainly not the work ethic, or know how, as I stripped a screw, stripped another screw, got a splinter under fingernail, split a board, ran the battery out, found the backup battery not charged, couldn’t find charger and decided to call it and research the project with how-to videos on the Internet only to surf said Internet for soccer cleats, skis, shooting drills and cat fighting videos.

How can I find focus and follow through at 57?

Ask therapist about following through in your 50’s. Better yet, save money on therapist and ask the Internet.

Hold on a second. World Cup special, Puma Kings are 50% off? Back to surfing for soccer cleats, skis, shooting drills and cat fighting videos.

Why is my phone alarm going off. Softball at 6:30 at Tommy V.

Maybe softball will save the day. Sunflower seeds, Gatorade, a nice evening in the park and friends.

And we’re back. If I could just see the Talk win a title, I could move on in life and… who are we kidding. Gotta keep covering softball because if the Talk wins a title, I have to see if they can win another. Plus, they’re just good people with deep roots in the community.

But the title might not come this year from what I witnessed Tuesday, June 23 at Gothic Field as they fell behind early to Elevate and never quite recovered. Kind of like a Talk patron who decides to give day drinking a try and falls behind in life.

Wait a minute…

Anyway, Elevate started off early and scored often spraying Gothic Field with base hits. Sam Reaman and CJ Hoover knocked base hits to open the top of the first inning followed by an RBI double by Rob Holleran and an RBI single by Liz Wigginton for a 4-0 lead.

Two walks and a base hit then loaded the bases for Hoover, and he knocked two in with a double only to have Holleran one-up him two hitters later with a two RBI triple with Wigginton putting the finishing touches on the rally again to score a run for a 9-0 lead.

By the time the top of the fourth inning came around, Elevate was out to a 16-0 lead but when the Talk turned a double play I thought, it’s early, they could still make it at least a close game because I was hearing cheers from another field that sounded like a close game.

Adding fuel to my fire of hope, Elevate lost a player and Mikah Fontenot stepped to the plate to knock a solo Inside the Park Home Run (ITPHR) to get the Talk bats going. Max Bethurem and Kelly McGuire each singled to put runners in the corners for Erik Ervin and he delivered an RBI single for another Talk run. Ali McGuire then singled to load the bases and when Dave McGuire joined the family affair to drop a two RBI single down the third base line the Talk had four on the board.

Sure, Paige Eddy might have doubled and then scored when Hoover smashed a two-run ITPHR in the top of the fifth, but the Talk bats remained inspired to score three more runs. Fontenot tripled and scored on a single by Steph Reeves and after hits from Bethurem and Kelly loaded the bases, Ervin pushed two more Talk runs in swatting a single to rightfield.

Now for the bad news. While the Talk did have seven on the scoreboard, Elevate had 17 and recorded a double play and a Talk batter struck out to end the inning just when it was starting and Elevate then added one last run when Nick Klaus drove an RBI single capping the 18-7 Elevate win.