Folks, in case you have missed it the first three games of the series have exceeded expectations. Although it has gotten downright nasty at times, the series has featured outstanding plays, great pitching, and clutch hitting. It is a classic pairing of two very good teams with neither wanting to give an inch while doing everything they can to help their team win. The one who prevails and becomes the next M Street Softball champion will have overcome adversity while persevering under pressure and will have earned the title. The following recaps of the first three games should give you an idea of what this series has been like.

Game 1 - August 28, 2006: the Sidewalk Café jumped out to a quick start when they scored four runs in the top of the first inning on RBI hits by Mike Stankina, Mike Smith, and Charles Zaniboni but then nearly let the game slip through their fingers. Although their infielders played sloppily (seven errors) and nearly handed the game away it was a mistake by a Lynx base runner that became the key play of the game.

In the memorable seventh inning, the Lynx offense was sputtering as it had only managed four hits up until this point but found themselves still in the game and trailing by just a single run, 6-5. Catcher Al Martin got things started when he reached on another Sidewalk miscue. Danny Ackasela followed with a single to left and the tables were set for the 2-3-4 hitters. Mike Hoadley then followed with a walk and suddenly the Lynx thought they had the game in their hands and were prematurely celebrating their come from behind victory. Then like a New York minute, things quickly changed.

With Marty Jimenez batting, Sidewalk thought they had the first out of the inning when Jimenez took a fastball inside that appeared to be a strike. The umpire called it a ball and after a brief explanation of where the pitch missed play resumed. Two pitches later, Jimenez hit a ball to shallow center field where Brendan Flynn came charging in and caught it by his shoe tops. Flynn alertly fired the softball to third which caught the Lynx base runner trying to scramble back to the bag.

The out at third then started a heated argument between the Lynx players and the umpire as they felt their base runner got back in time. What they failed to acknowledge was the fact that their runner should have been tagging to score the tying run. Instead, the clutch double play by Flynn had turned this game right around for the second time in the inning. With the outcome of the game still up in the air, Sidewalk’s pitcher (Mark Senna) got the Lynx cleanup hitter to ground out to end the thrilling game.

Game notes: the game was delayed for 1/2 hour as the lights did not come on until 8:03 pm. The delay and the drizzling rain sent the capacity crowd home thinking that the game wouldn't be played.

Game 2 – August 30, 2006: with the scored tied 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Jerry Thomes and the Lynx pulled a reverse of roles against Sidewalk when they escaped a no out bases loaded jam. After Peter John led off the seventh with a triple to right Thomes intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases. Thomes got the next batter to ground out to first baseman, Danny Ackesella, who fired home for the force out. Still needing two outs Thomes then went to work against Jake Drew. On a 1-2 count, Drew hit a rocket to third baseman Mike Hoadley who stepped on the bag then fired to first to complete the game saving double play. What a play!

Earlier in the seventh, Hoadley had tied the game when he stroked a double to left field that plated Jason Allen and Kevin O’Hara. The Lynx then threatened to move ahead as they had runners on second and third with one out in the inning. After a coach’s conference at the mound, pitcher George Pratt went to work against Marty Jimenez. On a 1-1 count, Jimenez hit a ball to third where fielder Mike Smith held the runner then threw to first for the out. It was then decided to walk Juan Sanchez to face Dominic Lemarra. The strategy worked as Lemarra flied out to left to end the inning.

With the score tied 5-5, the game moved on to extra innings. The Lynx went right back to work when O’Hara (3 hits) banged a single to left and was followed by Jason Allen’s single to center. A fielder’s choice then scored O’Hara with the go ahead run, 6-5. Before Sidewalk could get out of the inning, Al Martin would single in another run to give the Lynx a 7-5 lead entering the bottom of the eighth.

In the eighth, Sidewalk didn’t make it easy for Thomes and the Lynx as they rallied to put runners on first and second with one out. Thomes then got a ground out which brought Peter John (4 hits) to the plate. John quickly smashed a Thomes offering to right that scored the runner from second making it a 7-6 game. With the game again on the line Thomes reached down and got a pop out to end another thrilling game.

Game notes: the city’s Parks & Recreation Department and Street Lightning crew did their part for this one as the field looked great and the lights were on by 6:30. Great job!

Game 3 – August 30, 2006: unlike the first two games of this series where there was good pitching throughout the game, game three started off like it was going to be a slugfest. Mike Smith got things going for Sidewalk in the first when he cleared the bases with a triple to center, 2-0. But the Lynx answered with four runs of their own in the home half of the inning on a homerun by Danny Ackesella and doubles by Mike Hoadley, Marty Jimenez, Juan Sanchez, and Jason Allen. The Lynx led 4-2 after one inning and were feeling very good about their chances of winning this one.

After a scoreless second inning, Sidewalk showed resilience and loaded the bases against pitcher, Dominic Lemarra. Mike Smith (4 hits) continued his hot night at the plate as he singled home the third Sidewalk run making it 4-3. Mark Senna then followed with a single that scored two runs and put Sidewalk ahead, 5-4.

Sidewalk’s offense then added another run in the fourth inning when Peter John singled home Michael Donovan making it 6-4. Sidewalk’s offense was continuing to put the pressure on Lemarra, who ran into more trouble in the sixth when he had to face Smith with runners on first and second. Smith delivered again with an RBI single to right and was followed by Jake Drew’s triple (2 RBI) to center that made it 9-4 Sidewalk.

While Sidewalk’s offense was heating up and scoring runs the Lynx bats went cold and were being held in check by pitcher, Mark Senna. Before running into trouble in the seventh, Senna had limited the Lynx attack to 5 hits and 0 runs after the first inning. The effort was enough to pick up the 9-5 win and put Sidewalk back in the driver’s seat for this final series.

Game notes: in the first inning, Sidewalk’s Josh Piekarski was cut on his leg while sliding into second base. The cut required ten stitches to close but Piekarski vowed to make a return to the series.