Game 3

AP - Ballard, WA

The Fog returned to the diamond last night, facing Casey Warren. Like all teams in the Loyal Heights A League, the opponent and their skill is unknown. As the visiting team, the Fog managed to put two runners on base, but they were left stranded when Nate flew out to right field.

Joe took the mound again for the Fog and proceeded to retire Casey 1-2-3, including what would be a reoccurring them, two of them on fly balls. The Fog started the scoring action in the 2nd, with 5 of 6 batters reach base safely. Houser drove in the first run, Ben followed with a rbi single, then Peter cleared the bases with a 3-run bomb. Fog 5 Casey 0.

Casey got two back in the bottom of the second, again two of the three outs were via air to the outfield. The Fog played add on with 3 more in the 3rd, including Graeme's third HR of the season - Graeme now has a OPS of 2.500 and a Slugging Percentage of 1.8000. Graeme is almost half way to his own Fog record of 7 regular season home runs, and he is now tied with Mike Carlson with 15 home runs since the 2001 season. Casey was unable to keep pace in the third, and again two more fly outs.

The Fog plated one more in the 4th, though Casey pushed across 3 in their half to trail 9 to 5 going into the 5th. Casey failed to score again and the Fog sealed their victory with a 3 spot in the top of the 7th for a 12-5 victory.

It was during Casey's half to he 4th, when they scored 3 runs, that the Fog almost lost catcher Steve Boyd. With two runners on base, Casey hit a drive over Aaron's head in right center. Just as the Fog practiced, Aaron fired a strike to his cutoff man, Graeme, and from the grass, Graeme fired a strike to home. The runner was just rounding third when Graeme let loose and though the ball was up the line, the throw was going to beat the runner, the one problem - they would be arriving at just about the same spot. As Boyd reached from the throw, one eye spied the runner, and the ball glanced off his glove. Gone was the first chance for a runner at home.

Other Notes: Joe retired a Fog record 12 batters on fly balls to the outfield, including 6 alone to left fielder Derek. Way to keep your outfield involved. Likewise, for the third consecutive game, Joe was hit by a line drive. Following the shot off his foot, Nolte's favorite umpire, Howie, asked if he was okay, Joe replied "Don't worry, it's a prosthetic."

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	10	4	7		1	3	8					0.700	18	1.800	0.700	2.500
Derek Kensinger	9	2	6				3			1		0.667	6	0.667	0.600	1.267
Peter Watson	8	5	5	1		1	5	1				0.625	9	1.125	0.667	1.792
Aaron Sorenson	8	3	5			1	5			1		0.625	8	1.000	0.556	1.556
Joe Gerlitz	5	1	3			1	5			1		0.600	6	1.200	0.500	1.700
Ben Byrd	9	2	5				2					0.556	5	0.556	0.556	1.111
Brent Amsbary	9	2	4				0					0.444	4	0.444	0.444	0.889
Nate Watson	10	3	4		1		0					0.400	6	0.600	0.400	1.000
Matt Cook	5	0	2				1	1				0.400	2	0.400	0.500	0.900
Will Stroud	8	3	3				3	1				0.375	3	0.375	0.444	0.819
Eric Nolte	9	5	3				0	2				0.333	3	0.333	0.455	0.788
Dan Houser	9	4	3	1			1		1			0.333	4	0.444	0.333	0.778
Steve Boyd	10	2	2				1			1		0.200	2	0.200	0.182	0.382

Ballard Tribune Article - Fog Mentioned! Joe player of the week!

JASON WILLS;
Ballard Tribune
Published: May 10th, 2006

Catcher Steve Boyd has taken his responsibilities behind the plate so seriously he’s been known to take the blame for poor pitching performances.
So how did he feel when Joe Gerlitz, was named Loyal Heights League Player of the Week?
“I feel a lot of pride for him, and for myself,” Boyd said Tuesday. “I have a part of it – in fact, I think Joe should bring me something.”
Then he laughed.
“I’m joking, Joe's cheap” he said.
When Boyd makes himself accountable for walks or home runs hit against his pitcher, he is making a conscious effort, he said, to ease their burden after a tough game.
“The starting pitcher (Joe) has at least four days before he can go out there again,” Boyd said. “I can go to a co-ed team the next day and have a good game. He cannot. I don’t want Joe feeling bad for four days.”
So when he tells the press a bad game was his fault?
“I’m sending a little message through the media,” he said.

Next Game

Tomorrow at 6:15 vs Casey Warren.

Scouting Report:
Casey Warren is 0-1, losing to The Hoggs 17-4. To put that into perspective, The Hoggs lost 28-10 to Cooper's, which is the team we narrowly lost to last Wednesday.

Joe's on the mound with a 80 pitch count limit.

Our Founder

Tuesday marked the 12th season Fog Founder, Steve Boyd, has taken up residence behind the plate. Often compared to his counterpart on the Mariners, Dan Wilson, Boyd has chartered the Fog to 6 title games and 4 Championships - '97 SPU, '98 SPU, '01 Queen Anne/Magnolia and '04 Queen Anne/Magnolia. Boyd lives to get on base and is willing to use all means necessary, including intentionally running into the first baseman. So today, take a moment and send Boyd and email listing the 8 intangibles you feel he brings to the Fog.

Boyd's 2001-05 Regular Season Stats

Player	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SF	AVG	Total Bases	Slugging Percentage	On-base Percentage	OPS
Steve Boyd	165	63	71	10	0	0	39	7	2	1	0.430	81	0.491	0.451	0.942

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

Fog blogg begins

For all the Fog fans out there - this is your chance to enjoy the Fog without attending every single game. The blog will have many writers including guest appearances by Coach Nate Watson with "Nate's Pregame Meals"... and also assistant to the XA, Brent Amsbary with "Brent's big time effort player of the week". Please keep the suggestions coming. This is a new team with a new identity.