Could Go Either Way

The NPC softball team tries to solidify its hold on first place in the Layhill Division with a doubleheader this Saturday against ABC News and WTTG Channel 5. Big Blue could easily sweep, and could just as easily lose both. It depends on which players show up for which teams.

ABC, a powerhouse in the league's early seasons, has fallen on hard times recently, but began the season 5-1 before dropping a doubleheader before the Memorial Day break. ABC was blown out by CNN, the same team that we beat, 16-0, the week before. WTTG has been one of the league's strongest teams in recent years, but began the season 2-6. ABC has an easier schedule than WTTG, since the schedules reflect a team's performance in the previous season, but WTTG has flourished in the past with a tough schedule and ABC has floundered with an easier one.

So if the ABC News team that missed the playoffs and lost badly to CNN shows up, and the WTTG team that is 2-6 shows up, it could be a good day for Big Blue. Likewise, if the NPC team that crushed CNN and was one hit away from defeating perennial powerhouse WRC shows up, it could also be a great day. But things could be reversed if the NPC team that blew a 10-0 lead to Allbrittion faces an ABC team that won five of its first six games and then a WTTG team that went deep in the playoffs a year ago. We'll know what happens Saturday afternoon, weather permitting.

The doubleheader starts at 10 am at Capitalview/Homewood Park, on Plyers Mill Road in Kensington.

0 comments - Posted by Jonathan D. Salant at 10:04 AM - Categories:

In Control

The National Press Club softball took control of the Layhill Division race with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday against arch-rival Associated Press and perennial powerhouse Gazette. The wins gave Big Blue a one-game lead in the division but most importantly ensured that if NPC and the Gazette are tied at the end of the season, the press club gets the division title and the accompanying playoff spot. So if Big Blue goes 5-3 the rest of the season, which is reasonable, the Gazette would have go to 7-1 to win the division, which is less reasonable.

NPC's magic number is 7, meaning any combination of press club wins and Gazette losses will give Big Blue the division championship and a third softball trophy to put on display at the club.

0 comments - Posted by Jonathan D. Salant at 9:41 AM - Categories:

Biggest Game of the Season

The MMSL's schedule was rained out last weekend, so the divisional games will be played May 16 instead. For the National Press Club, this will include the biggest game of the season -- the rematch with the Gazette. The two teams currently are tied for first place in the Layhill Division with 3-3 records, though NPC is listed on top because it beat the Gazette earlier in the year.

Head-to-head competition is the first tiebreaker when divisional teams have the same record. If NPC wins on Saturday, not only would it be one game ahead of the Gazette, but would also win the divisional title if it finishes with the same overall record as its rival. That would require the Gazette to be two games better than the press club during the second half of the season.

In the first game of the doubleheader, NPC plays its arch-rival, the Associated Press. The two teams have always played each other tough, even during times when one or the other team was winning most of its games while the other team was losing most of its. NPC has won the last three meetings between the clubs. The two teams will meet again this season, as it traditional, in the final game of the year.

On an unrelated note, NPC President Donna Leinwand received laughs from the audience at the Monday luncheon with Baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson when she identified the softball players sitting at the head table. Coach Jonathan Salant, a member of the Speakers Committee, organized the luncheon, and John Domen, Karrye Braxton and Chris Morin sat at the head table.

0 comments - Posted by Jonathan D. Salant at 4:49 PM - Categories:

NPC Softball Team Preview

This was posted on the MMSL Web site in April before the season began, and before we re-established the NPC softball blog. As part of the previews, submitted by the team, every coach was asked to name a historical figure that he or she believed the team would be.

National Press Club

The NPC president may change each year, but our team will be basically the same one that made the playoffs last year and ousted top-seeded Gazette before succumbing in three games.

Pitcher Ryan Donmoyer has already been tapped to start Opening Day, with John Domen and Mike DeSenne ready to back him up on the mound. Infielders Frank Fuhrig and Jon Allen, and outfielders Clay Kaufman, Ken Giglio and Mike Young will supply crucial power and defense. Outfielder Chris Morin, who missed last season due to injury, is back as well, along with infielder-outfielders Mike Diegel. Bill Holland and Richard Scorza.

Brian Taylor is back after an absence of several years, and former coach Jeff St. Onge, now a nonresident member of the club, plans to fly in from Bloomberg’s London Bureau for at least one doubleheader. Newcomers include Sean Crowley, Kyle McKinnon and Jim Seminaria.

Big Blue’s recent success is in large part a product of our women players, led by Sarahanne Driggs, Staci Maiers and Dana Brown, all of whom are returning; as well as mainstays Amy Fickling, Maria Young, Melissa Robinson and Patti Giglio. To that list, add newcomers Karrye Braxton, Amy McKeever and Jennifer Dickson.

A series of rainouts prevented Big Blue from learning how strong its newcomers will be, though even without them NPC expects to have enough front-line players and depth to seriously compete for a playoff spot and challenge the Gazette, the Associated Press and the Express for the Layhill Division title.

This will be the final season as NPC coach for Jonathan Salant, still the only coach to win MMSL division championships with two different teams (NPC in 1993 and AP in 2004). He’ll remain a member of the MMSL’s management council and still play first base on many Saturdays, but is giving up the coaching reins because he expects to miss too many games next season preparing for son Izzy’s bar mitzvah. (Veteran MMSLers may remember him changing Izzy’s diapers on the softball fields more than a decade ago.)

If our team was a historical figure, we’d be John Peter Zenger, because freedom of the press is central to the mission of the National Press Club.

0 comments - Posted by Jonathan D. Salant at 9:26 AM - Categories:

...And One That Will Be Hard to Forget

After Park Police were stopped from preventing the MMSL from playing on dry fields under clearing skies due to inclement weather, Big Blue began its second game much like it ended the first, opening up a 10-0 lead after two innings, the last five runs coming after two were out and nobody was on. Ken Giglio homered with a man aboard, and then Frank Fuhrig followed with a triple. Then the bats went cold, and so did the gloves. Allbritton scored seven runs in the top of the last inning due to lots of line drives and lots of errors, to take a 11-10 lead. NPC loaded the bases with one out, and Jonathan Salant drove in the tying run with a single, but with the winning run on third base and two chances to drive home the runner, NPC couldn't produce. Allbritton scored two runs in the next inning after two were out due to some more fielding lapses, and NPC plated one and had the tying and winning runs aboard with one out, but two fly balls ended the threat and the game. Instead of a 4-2 record and sole possession of first place in the Layhill Division, Big Blue fell to 3-3 and a tie for the lead.

0 comments - Posted by Jonathan D. Salant at 12:52 PM - Categories:

One to Remember ...

The National Press Club recorded its biggest-ever shutout in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, defeating CNN, 16-0, in a game shortened to five innings under the mercy rule. This was not the CNN of old, one of the best teams in MMSL history. The CaNiNes didn't get a runner to third base against pitcher Ryan Donmoyer, while NPC's bats, led by leadoff batter Mike Diegel, were hot from the start. Things worked so well for Big Blue that when center fielder Clay Kaufman was sat down to give extra playing time to others, his replacement in the outfield, Mike DeSenne, made a running catch. Dana Brown played outstanding defense at second base and shortstop Jon Allen hit two doubles and played a flawless shortstop. With the Gazette losing one of its two games, the NPC victory assured Big Blue of at least remaining in a tie for first place in the Layhill Division. 

Mike DeSenne connects against CNN. That's Jim Seminara, third baseman, stretching by the fence. (Photo by Patti Giglio)

Clay Kaufman scampers home with a run for Big Blue. (Photo by Patti Giglio)

0 comments - Posted by Jonathan D. Salant at 12:48 PM - Categories:

2009 Schedule Almost Complete

Most of the 2009 schedule has been posted, so here are the NPC games and fields we play them on. Upcoming are games against the other four print teams in the league -- Washington Post, Washington Times, USA Today and Examiner -- plus rematches against the Express and Gazette and two games against the Associated Press. 

The playoffs, should we make them, are July 11-12 at Cabin John Regional Park, one of the best softball facilities in the county, with manicured fields, stationary bases and outfield fences. If we keep winning, it will be an all-day affair on July 11, and then we could return July 12 for the semifinals and finals. The playoffs are double-elimination, meaning that every team that makes them gets to play at least two games.  The rain date for the playoffs is July 18-19, the following weekend.

The schedule is subject to change, especially if we get rained out this weekend, but here it is so far.

May 9, 2009/Week 4 (Second Week of Division Games)

LAYHILL

National Press Club v. Associated Press, Field 2, 10:15 AM (Press Club provides bases)

Express v. Gazette, Field 3, 10:15 AM (Express provides bases)

Gazette v. National Press Club, Field 2, 11:15 AM

Associated Press v. Express, Field 3, 11:15 AM

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May 16, 2009/Week 5

ASPEN HILL

Associated Press v. USA Today, Field 2, 10 AM

National Press Club v. Examiner, Field 3, 10 AM

Examiner v. Associated Press, Field 2, 11 AM

USA Today v. National Press Club, Field 3, 11 AM

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May 30, 2009/Week 6 TBD

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June 6, 2009/RAIN DATE

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June 13, 2009/Week 7

CAPITAL VIEW/HOMEWOOD

National Press Club v. Washington Post, Field 1, 10 AM

Associated Press v. Washington Times, Field 2, 10 AM

Washington Times v. National Press Club, Field 1, 11 AM

Washington Post v. Associated Press, Field 2, 11 AM

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June 20, 2009/Week 8 (Final week of division games)

National Press Club to play Examiner and AP

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June 27, 2009/RAIN DATE

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July 4, 2009/OFF — INDEPENDENCE DAY

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July 11 and 12, 2009/Playoffs

0 comments - Posted by Jonathan D. Salant at 2:08 PM - Categories: