Season Starts Right With 9-5 Win

It wasn't error-free softball, but it was good enough — particularly after a long-delayed start to the season.

Nearly a month passed between the Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton scrimmage on April 13 and yesterday's season opener against Kohn Pedersen Fox, with two rainouts being rescheduled later this summer, but the 2009 PCF/HH team made the best of the cards that were dealt to them. Led by a recouperated shortstop Mark Maljanian (3-for-3 with 3 doubles, 1 RBI, and 3 runs scored), The Black and Red jumped on the opportunity to start the season off on the right foot, a 9-5 win at Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 4, last night.

Maljanian, returning to the fold after an elbow injury sidelined him for the entire 2008 S.L.A.M. season, looked good in the field and scored his second run thanks to some heads-up baserunning in the bottom of the fourth inning, plating on an infield groundout.

Despite winning the coin toss to be the home team, things didn't start off well for PCF/HH, as KPF jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. The Black and Red responded quickly, tying the game in the bottom of the first. After a scoreless second, Mike Copeland helped swing the pendulum of momentum permanently in the home team's favor, smacking a bases-clearing double — part of a 5-run inning.

KPF tried to climb back into the game in the top of the fourth, with leadoff hitter Keisuke Hiei (3-for-3, 2 runs scored) advancing on a bloop single by Li-Min Ching. But centerfielder Eron Ashley (1-for-3, 2 RBI) one-hopped the ball and fired a Tomahawk to third baseman Ron Rainone (1-for-3, 1 run) for the put-out as Hiei attempted to stretch from first to third. Maljanian scored his third run in the bottom of the sixth to put PCF/HH up 9-3. KPF scored their final two runs with two out in the top of the seventh before the game was finally put away on a 6-4 fielder's choice.

Yusuke Okabayashi, serving as catcher for part of the game, was 1-for-2 with 1 RBI. Carl Pearson was 1-for-2 with a walk and 2 runs scored. Dwidson Metayer, a latecomer to the game, singled in his only plate appearance as a pinch hitter.

Note: Another recap of the game can be found on the S.L.A.M. Blog.