Fog Open Season with Doubleheader Split

AP - Ballard, WA

After much off season news, The Fog were finally able to return to what they know best - softball. 2006 is a new year and gone are the familiar faces of Mike Carlson, Darin Jensen, Curtis Feddern and Jody Wilkins. Likewise, sidelined for this coming season is Daunte Gouge. This left a hole in the Fog roster, and a common email subject, who would fill out the roster.
Boyd and Nate had a plan and they had their four: Aaron, Derek, Will and Ben. As players arrived to the field for the first game of the season they were introduced to their new teammates.

Play Ball.

For the first time since 1995, the opening day starting pitcher for the Fog was not Nate Watson, instead Joe Gerltiz took the mound. The Excitable Boy's opened the first with three infield outs sandwiched around a infield error. The Fog started their half of the first with a single from Boyd, after a fly out by Nolte, Graeme grounded into a fielders choice, sending Boyd to 2nd. Derek recorded the first RBI of the season with a single that drove in Boyd. Nate followed with a singled, then Aaron introduced himself to the Fog with a 3-run HR to left center. Just like that it was 4-0. Ben singled, bringing up Dan for his 2006 debut. After watching to straight balls, Dan too a called strike before swinging and missing the next pitch - a big fat K to end the inning.

The Fog got another run the 2nd, the ExBoys got 3 back in the top of the third. Nolte led off the bottom of the 3rd, reaching base via error, Graeme followed with a 2 run HR and before the inning was over, the Fog sent 5 more across the plate for a 10-3 lead. The ExBoys scored 5 over the last two innings but it wasn't enough and the Fog won 14-8.
Joe was economical in his pitches, hitting Boyd's glove and needed only 60 pitches over 6 innings.

The second game of the night saw the Fog playing host to Coopers. Again Joe kept the ball in the infield for the first inning, this time only needing Boyd and Aaron as each batter was set down 1-3. Good thing Joe brought his glove. Like the first game, The Fog got the scoring going early, this time pushing three across in their half of the first.

One of the golden rules in softball is, stay away from the big inning. Last nights 2nd inning was just that, a big inning. Coopers sent 12 batters to the plate, at one time 9 reach base in a row. A 3-0 lead was quickly a 7-3 deficit. The Fog chipped away, scoring 1 in the 2nd, 1 in the third on Graeme's second HR of the night and finally retook the lead in the 4th with a 5 spot for a 10-7 lead. The inning was capped by a bases loaded walk by Will - what an eye, forcing in Aaron. Like Gil Meche, no lead was safe with The Fog. Coopers evened the contest in the 6th and went ahead by 2 in the 7th. The Fog were down to their last three outs, and went quietly. Coopers 12 Fog 10. Joe finished with 72 pitches in game two or 122 for 13 innings, not bad.

The Fog return to the diamond this coming Wednesday, May 10th at 6:15 vs Casey Warren.

The Fog 2006 Regular Season Stats
Player	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SF	GIDP	AVG	Total Bases	Slugging Percentage	On-base Percentage	OPS
Graeme Hanson	6	3	5		1	2	5					0.833	13	2.167	0.833	3.000
Aaron Sorenson	5	3	4			1	4			1		0.800	7	1.400	0.667	2.067
Derek Kensinger	5	2	3				2			1		0.600	3	0.600	0.500	1.100
Peter Watson	5	3	3	1			2	1				0.600	4	0.800	0.667	1.467
Brent Amsbary	6	0	3				0					0.500	3	0.500	0.500	1.000
Joe Gerlitz	2	1	1				5			1		0.500	1	0.500	0.333	0.833
Nate Watson	6	2	3				0					0.500	3	0.500	0.500	1.000
Matt Cook	5	0	2				1	1				0.400	2	0.400	0.500	0.900
Will Stroud	5	2	2				3	1				0.400	2	0.400	0.500	0.900
Ben Byrd	6	1	2				0					0.333	2	0.333	0.333	0.667
Eric Nolte	7	3	2				0					0.286	2	0.286	0.286	0.571
Steve Boyd	7	2	2				0					0.286	2	0.286	0.286	0.571
Dan Houser	6	2	1				0		1			0.167	1	0.167	0.167	0.333