FXFowle Series Goes To A Third Game

A two-game sweep narrowly slipped through the grasp of the combined Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton softball team, last night, as they lost Game 1 to FXFowle 8-7 in extra innings before taking Game 2 in five official innings, 9-2.

PCF/HH took an early 4-0 lead after one and extended it to 5-0 through three innings before faltering on the defensive end and allowing 6 runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Black and Red knotted the game in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Sagastume (scoring J. Strong) and had a chance at the lead when Carl Pearson tripled with two outs in the seventh. The team scored their go-ahead run in the top of the eighth, on an RBI single by Juan Monahan that scored Addie Rodriguez. But, with 1 out, FXFowle wouldn't be denied as they hit consecutive base hits and scored their game-tying and game-winning runs on a double by third baseman Greg Epstein.

Seeking revenge, and not content to allow their season to set with the evening sun, PCF/HH fired right back in Game 2. After a scoreless first, The Black and Red chalked up 2 runs in the second and 5 runs in the third on a tired FXFowle team. With the game official after four innings and a 7-0 score, darkness began to creep in on both teams, as each exchanged 2 runs apiece before the game was called.

Pearson, the leadoff hitter and right fielder, led his team offensively and made a number of key outs in the field. Pearson finished the first two games 5-for-6 with a double, a triple, and 3 runs scored. Rodriguez went 3-for-5 on the night including 2 doubles, 1 sacrifice fly, 2 RBI, and 4 runs scored. Sagastume also went 3-for-5, contributing 2 triples, 1 sac fly, 5 RBI, and 1 run. Monahan, who was battered up a bit from the mound, made his usual solid contribution from the plate with 5 hits on 7 at-bats. Monahan doubled, drove in 2 runs and scored 2 of his own. Representing the league's women players very respectfully was Shadie Wiland, who was 3-for-5 with 1 run scored.

The 9-2 victory sets up a win-or-go-home Game 3 for PCF/HH. Game time is 5:30 p.m. at Central Park's Hecksher Field 1, on Thursday.

The combined team of SOM/Swanke/Cooper wrapped up their quarterfinal series against Polshek Partnership last night, advancing to the semifinals, where they will take on back-to-back champions Gensler starting tomorrow. SSC swept their series with 3-1 and 6-4 victories.

PCF/HH Opens Playoffs Againt FXFowle Today

The Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton softball team split its final two games of the regular season to finish in fifth place, good for their fourth-consecutive playoff appearance after years of troubled seasons that ended prematurely. They will face FxFowle in a best-of-three quarterfinal series — a formidable opponent who didn't see the full force of a shorthanded PCF/HH team when they met earlier this season. FxFowle won that game 10-3 and was also the team that bounced The Black and Red from the playoffs in the 2008 semifinals. FxFowle went on to lose to eventual back-to-back champions Gensler in the finals.

On August 10, PCF/HH won a very hard-fought 5-4 victory oer The Philips Group to bounce them from playoff contention. TPG took an early 2-0 lead on a 2-run home run, but PCF/HH knotted the game up in the second on a 2 RBI triple by Carlos Sagastume, who drove in Juan Monahan and Yusuke Okabayashi. Both teams exchanged a pair of runs again in the sixth, with J. Strong and Monahan coming across the plate. Entering the bottom of the seventh, small ball won the day as Carl Pearson singled to get on and advanced to second on a base hit by Mark Maljanian. Eron Ashley played the part of the willing sacrificial lamb, as he intentionally flew out to center field to advance Pearson to third. Strong singled Pearson in for the winning run.

Things weren't as pleasant for The Black and Red on August 17, their final regular-season game against Gensler. In all, the team was held to 5 hits as Pearson and Monahan scored the lone runs in a 13-2 mercy rout. Monahan and Sagastume were credited with the runs batted in.

The loss to Gensler should serve as a slice of humble pie for the team, as they prepare for what will undoubtedly be a very tough road in the playoffs. After the quarterfinal series against FxFowle, the winner will play first-place HMA/RAMSA, a 9-1 team that outscored their opponents 110-29 on the year. The winner of the other S.L.A.M. quarterfinal will face second-seed Gensler.

Today's playoff series opener is a double-header, meaning one team could pack it up for good in 2009 should they fail to perform. Game 1 begins at 5:30 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 3. Game 2 starts immediately after Game 1, with a 7 p.m. permit time.

PCF/HH Scores 35 Runs in Pair of Wins

The combined team from Pei Cobb Freed and Partners/Hart Howerton showed the S.L.A.M. league that when given the opportunity, they can score like the best of them. The Black and Red followed up a narrow 8-5 loss to SOM/Swanke/Cooper on July July 28 with back-to-back wins last week -- a 17-4 victory in six innings over Ronnette Riley/Davis Brody Bond and an 18-0 blowout through five innings against Gruzen Samton on Thursday.

RR/DBB showed some tenacity, putting up the first 2 runs of the game to take a brief 2-0 lead into the bottom of the first, but PCF/HH bounced back with 4 runs to take a 4-2 lead after the first that they would never relinquish. Against GSA, The Black and Red started off slow, with 1 run apiece over the first two innings, but began to put the game away after taking an 8-0 lead in the third.

While Mark Maljanian and Juan Monahan made tremendous contributions from the plate, Dwidson Metayer must be recognized for batting 1.000 on the week: a perfect 6-for-6 from the seventh spot in the lineup. When the bottom of your lineup comes through the way The Black and Red's has, it creates a multi-headed monster that most teams cannot control.

The following is a break down of all player stats from last week:

Carl Pearson: 4-for-5 with 1 double and 2 runs scored
Mike Copeland: 3-for-4 with 1 triple, 2 runs scored and 1 RBI
Mark Maljanian: 6-for-8 with 3 doubles, 5 runs scored and 5 RBI
Yusuke Okabayashi: 1-for-3 with 1 walk and 2 runs scored
Carlos Sagastume: 3-for-5 with 2 walks, 1 double, 5 runs scored, 1 sacrifice fly and 2 RBI
J. Strong: 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 4 RBI
Juan Monahan: 6-for-8 with 1 double, 2 triples, 1 home run, 4 runs scored and 7 RBI
Ron Rainone: 4-for-8 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 4 runs scored and 4 RBI
Dwidson Metayer: 6-for-6 with 1 walk, 5 runs scored and 3 RBI
Tony Rodriguez: 4-for-5 with 2 doubles, 1 run and 2 RBI
Brian Ferry: 2-for-2 with 1 double, 1 run scored and 3 RBI
Cate Foster: 3-for-6 with 1 walk, 1 double, 2 runs scored and 4 RBI

PCF/HH gears up again today to face The Philips Group (5-4) at 7 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 4. The two wins improved PCF/HH's record to 6-3, good for fifth place in the 12-team S.L.A.M. League.

Getting Back On The Right Track

It's been an interesting and, at times, difficult couple of weeks to start off the summer for the Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton softball team, but the group pulled themselves together and got back on the winning side last Thursday. The Black and Red were led by outfielder Eron Ashley, who smoked two home runs and 3 RBI en route to a 5-3 victory over Mitchell Giurgola Architects.

After suffering their second consecutive loss to FXFowle, a one-sided 11-3 affair on June 29, and witnessing the team's league-leading fifth rainout on July 2, the team came to Hecksher Ballfields with a purpose. Only they would have to dig deep and fight hard to get back on track.

PCF/HH took a 1-0 lead on Ashley's solo shot in the bottom of the first. MGA quickly tied things up with their own home run in the top of the second. The game slowed down in the third and fourth, as the defenses tightened with a tie score and PCF/HH failed to plate their base runners in the bottom of the fourth.

Finally in the top of the fifth, much to The Black and Red's dismay, MGA was the first team to rediscover their bats, as a two-run home run put the home team down 3-1. Third baseman Ron Rainone (1-for-2) came to the rescue with a 2 RBI single, the team's third consecutive hit, to score Yusuke Okabayashi (1-for-2, 1 walk) and Carlos Sagastume (2-for-3, 1 double) to again tie the game at 3-all.

Quality defense in the field helped PCF/HH keep their opponents off the scoreboard in the final two innings, including a pair of fielder's choice outs made at second base in the seventh, and Ashley gave his team their second lead of the night and an insurance run with his two-run blast in the sixth, scoring Carl Pearson (2-for-3). J. Strong contributed a steadfast 3-for-3 from the plate but wasn't able to factor into the line score through no fault of his own. Strong reached base with two outs in both the first and fourth innings.

The win not only puts momentum back on the side of The Black and Red, but it improves the team's 2009 record to 4-2. This places the team in playoff contention at fifth place. The top six teams qualify for the postseason.

It isn't too early for PCF/HH to start thinking about what it will take for them to make the playoffs, as only three scheduled games remain in the regular season. Rainouts against Gruzen Samton and Gensler have yet to be rescheduled. If those games aren't rescheduled, then the final three matches of the season will weigh heavily on PCF/HH's playoff hopes. If they are rescheduled, there's a chance the permits will need to come from the league's reserves for the playoffs, meaning The Black and Red will need to take on a killer mentality in the event that the early rounds will need to become a one-and-done series.

For now, rescheduled games not withstanding, PCF/HH takes the field again on Tuesday, July 28, against a formidable SOM/Swanke/Cooper team. Game time is 5:30 p.m. on Central Park's North Meadow Field 11.

HMA/RAMSA Narrowly Defeats PCF/HH

Forgive The Black and Red Report for the lack of an update last week, but players and management were still grinding their teeth over the first loss of the season. Despite the fact that the game didn't end in victory for Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton, the matchup did live up to all the hype that both teams produced the week before.

It proved to be a very evenly-matched game, in both strengths and weaknesses. Both teams stranded some runners, both committed a few errors, and both showed character by not losing composure.

PCF/HH opened the game with a 1-0 lead and had runners in scoring position with one out, but Holzman Moss/Robert A.M. Stern pitcher David Solomon worked his way out of trouble, eliciting a pop out and strike out to limit the damage. His team came back in the bottom of the first with 2 runs, and another in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead.

Mike Copeland (2-for-4) and Eron Ashley (4-for-4) scored on a sac fly by Mark Maljanian (2-for-3) and a base hit by Juan Monahan (1-for-4) to knot the game in the top of the third. But HMA/RAMSA bounced right back with 3 more runs in the bottom of the inning to grab a 6-3 lead.

Determination was the story for The Black and Red in the heart of this game, as they continued to chip away at the Orange Crush, tacking on 1 run in the fourth and holding HMA/RAMSA in the bottom of the inning. Maljanian and Ashley scored in the top of the fifth to once again tie the game, this time at 6-6. But as was the case earlier in the game, PCF/HH stranded two more base runners and missed the chance to take their second lead of the game.

A clear opportunity for victory wouldn't come again, as HMA/RAMSA once again responded to the threats by PCF/HH by adding 2 runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-6 lead. A scoreless sixth paved the way for a final comeback attempt and, with one out, Ashley reached base for his fourth time of the game. But with Maljanian running for him and Monahan at the plate, HMA/RAMSA turned a game-ending double play to seal our fate.

PCF/HH has the opportunity to start a new winning streak tonight, as they face another tough opponent in FXFowle during a rare prime time matchup. Game time is 7 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 3.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Mother Nature has shown some mercy on our opponents, sparing them a shower of extra-base hits by showering them with rain instead. The last two games on the Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton schedule have been rained out and there's a 40 percent threat of additional rain for our game against one of the S.L.A.M. league's hottest teams, Holzman Moss/Robert A. M. Stern Architects, on Monday.

Even if the rain stops on Monday, a chance of cancellation will occur if the Central Park fields have not have sufficient time to drain from the weekend before. If the game is played, it will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Great Lawn, Field 3.

PCF/HH has held a perfect 3-0 record thus far in the season, outscoring their opponents 31-16 in those games. HMA/RAMSA's record is equally impressive at 5-1. They have dominated their opponents, outscoring them 66-17.

If played, Monday's game will certainly be one to see.

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Also, if you have time, check out the tongue-in-cheek, WWF-style call out we gave to HMA/RAMSA on the S.L.A.M. Blog. I came up with the idea early Thursday and it was that much more fitting, a few hours later, when David Solomon quoted Rick Flair in his team's game recap.

Slugfest Keeps PCF/HH Perfect

The Black and Red remained the only undefeated team in the S.L.A.M. League, last week, after extending their perfect record to 3-0 with a thorough 16-6 victory over Polshek Partnership at Central Park's Hecksher Field 1, on Thursday.

J. Strong was a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, 1 RBI, and 3 runs scored; Cate Foster went 3-for-4 with 1 RBI; and pitcher Juan Monahan led the way for Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, 2 runs, and 7 RBI. Carlos Sagastume (2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Mike Copeland (1-for-1, 3 walks, 3 runs, 2 RBI) also homered for PCF/HH

Monahan and Yusuke Okabayashi (1-for-2) hit consecutive 2-RBI doubles in the first and Copeland's 2-run home run extended the lead to 6-2 in the second. PCF/HH extended their lead to 8-2 before the end of the inning on an RBI triple by Mark Maljanian (2-for-3, 1 walk, 3 runs scored), who currently leads the team in extra-base hits with 4.

The Black and Red jumped out of the gate in the third, extending the lead to 10-2 off a double by Sagastume, an RBI triple by Dwidson Metayer (1-for-2) and an RBI single by Foster. But Polshek showed they weren't going to go down easily in the bottom of the inning, as centerfielder Loren Supp hammered a 3-run home run that landed in the batter's box of the opposite field — part of a 4-run inning for the home team.

Seeing the lead narrowed to 10-6 did nothing to shake PCF/HH, as the team added 2 runs in the fourth, 1 in the fifth, and 3 more in the sixth, while surrendering only 4 total hits to their opponent over the final three innings.

The loss bumped Polshek's record to 1-2.

Weather permitting, The Black and Red will look to extend their streak tomorrow evening against an always-tough FXFowle team. At 3-1, FXFowle has outscored their opponents 26-10 in their first four games of the year. Game time is 5:30 p.m. on Central Park's North Meadow, Field 11.

Timely Hitting Leads PCF/HH Past PEA

Pitcher Juan Monahan (2-for-3, 3 RBI, 1 run scored) tripled in the tying run in the bottom of the fifth and left fielder Carlos Sagastume (2-for-2, 2 RBI, 1 sacrifice fly) drove in the winning run with an RBI single as Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton pulled off a rainy come-from-behind win against Perkins Eastman Architects at Central Park's Hecksher, Field 1, last night. The win over previously-undefeated PEA leaves the Black and Red as the only remaining undefeated team in the S.L.A.M. league.

Neither team played error-free softball, but it was timely hitting by both teams that made last night's match an exciting one to watch. After holding PEA scoreless at the top of the first, home team PCF/HH put together four straight hits, followed by Sagastume's sacrifice fly to left and another hit by third baseman Ron Rainone (2-for-3), before finishing the inning up 3-0.

Next it was Perkins Eastman's turn, rolling out four consecutive hits with two outs, including a 2-run triple by their right-centerfielder, to knot the game at 3-apiece. Monahan and company prevented further damage by getting PEA's left-centerfielder to fly out with the bases loaded. But PEA kept the momentum rolling their way, tacking on another 2 runs (over a span of four more hits with two outs) to take a 5-3 lead.

But after a scoreless fourth, with time becoming an issue, the top of the order for PCF/HH gutted out a series of hits to make their comeback. Mike Copeland (2-for-3) singled, but was forced out with Mark Maljanian's fielder's choice. Maljanian (2-for-3, 2 runs) scored as catcher Yusuke Okabayashi (2-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 run) singled in the next at-bat. Like Copeland before him, Okabayashi was forced out on J. Strong's fielder's choice, but the Black and Red catcher would get his revenge as a courtesy runner for Strong (1-for-3, 2 runs). Down 5-4 with two outs in the fifth, Okabayashi blazed a trail around the bases to score on Monahan's RBI triple to tie the game 5-5, before Sagastume would play the hero singling in Monahan from third.

Despite the poor field conditions brought on by a constant drizzle, both shortstops were a defensive beacon for their teams. PEA's Mike Bruno made a diving catch to his right in the top of the first to deny Copeland a leadoff single. Bruno made an equally-impressive stop in the second, lunging to his left and nearly over second base, to rob Teresa Parziale (0-for-2) of what otherwise would have been a clear single to center field. For the Black and Red, Maljanian turned two double plays because of his defensive awareness; in the third catching a line drive and doubling off the runner at first base and, later in the fourth, catching another line drive and diving to tag the runner leading off at second base.

PCF/HH returns to the field against a tough Polshek Partnership team on Thursday, June 4. Game time is 5:30 p.m. at Central Park's Hecksher Field 1.

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.

Season To Finally Begin Tonight (Hopefully)

It's been nearly a month since The Black and Red Report was last updated, but for good reason ... Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on the 2009 S.L.A.M. schedule. Not only has PCF/HH seen its first two games rained out, but the league has been forced to postpone as many games (six) as it has held. With the forecast looking pretty good through Wednesday, it will be an opportunity to finally catch up and get some much-needed playing time.

PCF/HH will officially open the season tonight against KPF. Game time is 7 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 4.

Scrimmage Today — 7 p.m.

The PCF/HH softball team will officially open the seasom today with a pre-season scrimmage against KPF on Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 4. The 7 p.m. meeting is sure to be a cold and short one, as daylight will continue to play spoiler to the S.L.A.M. schedule for another month or so.

The light-duty contest will be an important proving ground for newly-rostered players, as well as an exercise for returning veterans to stretch their muscles.

The Black and Red will open the season officially next Monday, in a 5:30 p.m. game against Perkins Eastman on Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 3. The right-side info bar now contains the first two months of PCF/HH's schedule. It will be updated accordingly when the full schedule is released.

The 2009 S.L.A.M. season kicks off today with the first game between Gensler and The Philips Group on Great Lawn, Field 3. Check out the full league schedule at www.slam-league.com/schedule.cfm and, while you're casually browsing the web, also check out the new S.L.A.M. League blog at http://slam-talk.blogspot.com/.

Meeting Paves Way For Season Opener

From the tough economy to rule changes and digital enhancements, the 2009 S.L.A.M. Manager's Meeting — held at Gensler HQ over pizzas and views of Rockefeller Center — presented a unique opportunity for managers to overhaul a number of league practices for the good of all the firms involved. Here is a recap of some of the major points discussed last week:

• The Commissioners and the Managers in attendance voted to lower the league fee to $500 per team due to the current economic issues facing all of our firms. As a result, the league will cut out the annual All Star Game T-shirts and will be drastically scaling back the end-of-the-year party, if not eliminating it completely. They will also be reducing the number of awards that are given out at the end of the season.

• Also because of costs, preseason practice permits will be limited to the first week’s 7 p.m. permits. The idea behind this is that if we have 5:30 p.m. permits, why waste them on practices/scrimmages when we can get the season rolling and possibly cut back on the number of extra permits we may need at the end of the season?

• There was an extensive discussion about the rules in the playoffs. The league is considering one of two new formats: 1) that only the top six teams make the playoffs, as most of the teams under that spot (for years) have finished far below .500; or 2) allowing eight teams to make the playoffs with the following format: a bye week for the top four seeds and a single-elimination round for seeds 5 through 8. Second week quarterfinals: bye week for seeds 1 and 2, best-of-three series for remaining teams. Semis bring the top two seeds back into the mix to face the winners of the quarters, etc.

Some managers (including myself) who supported the six-team bracket, expressed that playoffs should be a best-of-three during all rounds. Still, we agreed that we would be willing to support an eight-team bracket, but only if the lower teams were forced to play single-elimination to preserve permits for the teams who “earned” higher seeding during the regular season. A decision on which one we’ll use will be made before the season starts.

• Similarly, I introduced a discussion that all regular-season games and playoff games be considered official after five innings. Most agreed that, because we’re trying to move towards a best-of-three playoffs, there’s no reason to force teams to continue games (thereby creating unfair advantages and burning extra permits).

• Finally, it was obvious from the reactions around the conference room table that our PCF/HH blog made a big splash with the rest of the league last season. Partly in support of our efforts, S.L.A.M. webmaster Josh from The Philips Group has started a S.L.A.M. blog where managers can talk smack. They may open it up to comments from others who have to first register with the webmaster, but this is a precaution because the league doesn’t want a flood of activity on the board, as well as non-league players from the outside spamming it. In addition, not only will the scores be put up there each week but each manager will select a “player of the game” to get some props up there too. The S.L.A.M. site is already posted as a copy-paste link on the right side of this blog.

Gmail and Blogger users can post their reactions to all of this news right here on The Black and Red Report. Voice your support, concerns, and ideas. And dust off your cleats, because the 2009 S.L.A.M. season is right around the corner!

Big Decisions at S.L.A.M. Manager's Meeting

The S.L.A.M. Manager's Meeting was held last night at Gensler HQ in Rockefeller Center. Details on the entire meeting — and the many decisions that were made — will be listed here in the very near future.

In the meantime, check out one of the newest components of the S.L.A.M. media family: the S.L.A.M. Talk blog. It's a brand new feature and is still in its infancy, but it's sure to be another fun component of the Architect's League. There is also a copy-and-paste link to the blog now listed in our "Links" section along the right-hand column of this blog.

Dust off those cleats and start stretching! The 2009 S.L.A.M. season is right around the corner!

Party Reminder and Information

This is just a reminder to everyone that the PCF/HH team softball party will be held THIS FRIDAY NIGHT -- 7 p.m. on Mike Copeland's roof deck. Food and drinks will be served.

His place is located at 320 East 34th Street (between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue), Apt. 6C. Below is a map showing the location. It's real easy to get to. If taking a subway, we recommend the 6 train to 33rd Street and walk east from there.

Buzz when you get there. If you don't get a response, call either Mike, Steven, or Brian to get let in. Their numbers were included in the reminder e-mail that went out this week.

See you there!

Finals Begin Today

Defending 2007 champions Gensler will play FXFowle today in the start of the 2008 S.L.A.M. Finals.

According to the league website, the teams will attempt to play a Game 1/Game 2 double header today, meaning the hottest team may come away with the S.L.A.M. championship tonight. The games begin at 5:30 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn Field 4.

If necessary, the finals will be concluded using Hecksher Field 4 tomorrow (5:30 p.m.) and/or the same field and time on Thursday.

Great Monday Means Nothing on Tuesday

An inspiring two-thirds of Game 1 wasn't enough to keep FXFowle from sweeping Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton in a best-of-three semifinal last week, advancing FXF to face the defending 2007 champs Gensler. The loss left the PCF/HH team with a bitter taste in their mouths.

PCF/HH mounted a solid 11-7 lead through four and a half innings on August 25 before a controversial call and game postponement took the wind out of the Black and Red's sails. The controversial call came when the head umpire postponed the game without allowing the home team to get the final at-bats of the night. With the sun setting, FXF (the visiting team in Game 1) was allowed to bat in dusk conditions and register their seventh run of the game. Rather than allow the home team to have the same advantage for the bottom half of the inning, the head ump made a judgment call by postponing the game, to be concluded before the start of Game 2 the following day.

August 25 had been a banner day for PCF/HH bats and the team was rollicking from their offensive showing. Every batter in the lineup reached base successfully at least once and scoring no fewer than 2 runs per inning during the four the team batted in. Three players — left fielder Doug Chu, pitcher Juan Monahan, and third baseman Ron Rainone — were a perfect 1.000 from the plate, each going 3-for-3, scoring a total of 3 runs and driving in a combined 5 runs. Eron Ashley was 2-for-3 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. Steven Peterson, Carl Pearson, and Carlos Sagastume went 2-for-4 with a combined 4 runs scored and 4 RBI. Jen Hagan was 1-for-3 with 1 run scored and Leslie Cacciapaglia remained hot, going 1-for-2 with a run scored and 1 RBI.

Picking up the conclusion of Game 1, and playing Game 2, couldn't have gone worse for the Black and Red. In addition to missing slugger J. Strong for both games, PCF/HH lost Chu and Ashley to availability conflicts. This forced manager Brian Ferry to press into service Dwidson Metayer and Mike Copeland — both were still recovering from injuries. To make matters worse, the ace pitcher and red-hot batter Monahan got a late jump on the afternoon because of deadlines, and the team was forced to finish Game 1 without him. Ferry was left to pitch in the wake of Monahan's absence, with occasional batting practice as the only experience under his belt. PCF/HH registered just 2 hits in the three innings remaining to be played in Game 1. While the defense got through six full innings with the score still to their advantage 11-7, Ferry experienced location issues with his pitching and the defense couldn't come up with the plays to bail him out. The manager took the loss, surrendering 8 hits and 5 runs while walking 2 in two innings pitched.

The shock of a 12-11 loss, in the face of such dominance the night before, did much to shake the confidence of the Red and Black. FXFowle jumped out to an early 5-1 lead after one inning and had mounted an 8-3 lead before the midpoint of the game. FXF's road to the finals appeared to be paved as they took a 10-3 lead in the fifth. But PCF/HH showed that they weren't just going to roll over when Peterson (2-for-4 in Game 2) singled in Ferry (1-for-1 in Game 2) for a run in the top of the seventh.

In spite of the scoring depression PCF/HH experienced in Game 2, there were still standout performances by individual players. Pearson was 3-for-4 batting from the No. 2 spot, contributing a double, a triple (that turned into a run-scored on a wild throw to third base), 2 runs scored and 1 RBI. Yusuke Okabayashi went 2-for-3 with 1 RBI and Copeland went 2-for-3. William Work and Hagan also contributed 1 hit apiece in the Game 2 loss.

When all the frustration settles, members of the 2008 PCF/HH team will look back upon a difficult season when a number of players learned to shoulder new burdens and a crop of S.L.A.M. sluggers honed their skills. Pearson led the team in batting average and on-base percentage for a regular starter, with and average an OBP of .682. With zero walks, Pearson was swinging whether he was coming or going. Sagastume produced the most extra-base hits with 7 on the regular season and, accordingly, led the team with a .957 slugging percentage.

Strong had a phenomenal season, driving in 12 runs in 10 games played. Copeland led the team with 17 base hits during the regular season and "The Hammer" Peterson lead off the batting order this season, en route to a team-high 13 runs scored.

But there were major contributions by players who saw limited actions too. Cacciapaglia and Chu are two of the most significant. In four games played, including the playoffs, Cacciapaglia finished 5-for-9 with 4 runs scored and 3 RBI. In the same number of total games, Chu was a nearly-perfect 7-for-8 with 2 walks, 6 runs, and 1 RBI.

It all means that PCF/HH is set up for a big 2009 season.

Stick A Fork In Us ...

... because we're done.

Details will follow, but the combined team of Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton lost their semifinal best-of-three series to FXFowle two games to none. Players are still stewing over the loss.

Check back with The Black and Red Report early next week for details on the semifinal series and scheduling information for the finals between FXFowle and Gensler.

Top Seeds Struggle in S.L.A.M. Quarters

In a bizarre twist that fits right in with the way the 2008 season and post season has developed, No. 8 seed Kohn Pedersen Fox beat No. 1 Holzman Moss/Robert A.M. Stern Architects 8-6, last night, on North Meadow Field 11. It marks the third time in the eight-team bracket that a lower seed has eliminated a higher seed in the single-elimination quarterfinals.

Details of the game itself weren't available at the time this story was written, but KPF has FXFowle to thank for their opportunity to unseat the best team of the 2008 S.L.A.M. season. League rules stipulate that playoff-bound teams boast an above-.500 record, but because FXF beat third-place SOM/Swanke/Cooper in the final game of the regular season on Monday to clinch a post-season bid, the league pulled KPF into the playoffs to create a balanced bracket. Ironically, KPF also beat SSC by a 7-0 forfeit to finish their season just above ninth-seed Ronnette Riley/Davis Brody Bond.

HM/RAMSA was flying high for most of the season, boasting a 10-1 record. But as the start of the playoffs neared, HM/RAMSA seemed to fall into a slump, just beating our own Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton team 5-4 before losing their final game of the season by an astounding 20-7 score to RR/DBB.

This marks the second season in a row that Holzman Moss was eliminated in the quarterfinals. The team finished the 2007 regular season with a strong record and good seeding before facing PCF/HH. In that game, the two teams battled to a 3-3 tie and continued their quarterfinal into an eighth and deciding inning days later, when PCF/HH pulled the game out 7-5. Immediately following that game, the Red and Black began their semifinal match against Gensler Associates, who swept them en route to a 2007 S.L.A.M. championship over SSC.

Even Gensler — the sole remaining team from the top four — struggled earlier this week, having to make a comeback from a 2-0 deficit against Polshek Partnership for a 4-2 final.

Here's how the current standings appear, with regular season standings, winning percentage, and run ratio — runs against divided by runs for — in parenthesis. Eliminated teams are indicated with a strikethrough:

1. Holzman Moss/Robert A.M. Stern Architects (10-1, .909, 1.299)
2. The Philips Group (9-2, .818, 2.159)
3. SOM/Swanke/Cooper (7-4, .636, 1.338)
4. Gensler Associates (7-4, .636, 1.290)

5. Polshek Partnership (5-5-1, .500, 1.206)

6. Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton (5-5-1, .500, 1.108)
7. FXFowle (5-5-1, .500, 0.925)
8. Kohn Pedersen Fox (4-5-2, .455, 1.216)

Defending champions Gensler assume the position of top seed and face a high-scoring KPF team in their best-of-three series. The first two games of that series will be played as a double-header this Monday.

The Black and Red also get to bat as the home team in their best-of-three series against an equally matched FXF team. Their series also starts on Monday, with Game 2 on Tuesday.

Six-Run Third Advances PCF/HH Past SSC

Pitcher Juan Monahan (above) was solid on both sides of the plate, striking out 4

and driving in 3 runs. Right fielder William Work (below) batted 1.000

to help lead his team to a quarterfinal victory. (Photos: Stuart Philips)

It's only right that after a wild 2008 regular season that saw down-and-out teams resurrect their bats and perennial contenders falter in the field, the playoffs should contain a few curveballs.

Playoff dreams for the combined team of SOM/Swanke Hayden Connell/Cooper Robertson began and ended on Monday, as the third-place team dropped their final game of the season 13-9 to seventh-place FXFowle (and opening the postseason to eight teams instead of six) before losing their single-elimination quarterfinal to No. 6 Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton, 11-4, that evening.

The quarterfinal game was as well played by the Black and Red as any this season. SSC jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead after one, but PCF/HH knotted up the game at 1-all in the top of the second. SSC threatened in the bottom half of the inning, but pitcher Juan Monahan (2-for-3 with a double, 1 run scored, and 3 RBI) struck out the side to keep the game tied. After that, it was up to the offense.

And did they ever deliver. With Steven Peterson (2-for-3, 2 runs scored) on second base, and two outs, the Black and Red put together seven consecutive base hits to bat around their lineup and blow the game open at 7-1. SSC responded with a run in the bottom of the third, but PCF/HH wouldn't be denied. The team followed their brilliant hitting and base-running performance in the third by capitalizing on more of SSC's misplays in the fourth. Leslie Cacciapaglia (1-for-2, 1 run) and Peterson singled before Carl Pearson (1-for-2), J. Strong (2-for-3) and Monahan each smashed doubles to tack on 4 more runs.

The game was quickly defined by composure by PCF/HH, and a lack of composure by SSC. Three unofficial throwing errors committed by the 2005 and 2006 champions in the third aided in the Black and Red's two-out magic in the third. But errors were never as costly to SSC's momentum and morale as they were in the fourth. When the centerfielder Pearson doubled to score Cacciapaglia, the throw came home to pitcher Scott Habjan in an attempt to catch Peterson running home. It was a misfire, and as Peterson reached the plate safely, Pearson took off for third. With the ball back in his hands, Habjan overthrew third base. Pearson most likely would have made third safely on his slide, but the overthrow allowed him to get back on his feet and cross the plate.

On the other side, PCF/HH outfielders didn't fall for the old tricks, and allowed runners to move from first to third in exchange for a cut-off throw that kept batters to single bases. Overthrows and unnecessary attempts at throwing out base runners were non-existent.

Utility outfielder and infielder William Work was the epitome of PCF/HH's consistency, going 3-for-3 on Monday. Peter LoGiudice went 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and an RBI, and third baseman Ron Rainone was a dependable 2-for-2 with 1 RBI before being tossed from the game in the bottom of the third for throwing a phantom tag.

… … … …

Playoff matchups were still in the air after Monday's win, but FXFowle played the role of the spoiler again on Tuesday, as the No. 7 seed defeated No. 2 The Philips Group 10-3 in a single-elimination game. FXFowle will now play the Red and Black in a best-of-three semifinal, beginning on Monday at 7 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn Field 4.

Gensler Associates (No. 4) also advanced to the semifinals on Monday, defeating Polshek Partnership (No. 5), 4-2. Gensler came from down 2-0 to earn the victory. They will play the winner of tonight's game between No. 1 Holzman Moss/Robert A.M. Stern Architects and No. 8 Kohn Pedersen Fox, held after this story was published.

If any of the non-playoff teams have a bone to pick — and we're not saying they should — it would be Ronnette Riley/Davis Brody Bond. The ninth place team finished out of playoff contention after KPF was seeded above them by run ratio. Both teams had the same winning percentage (RR/DBB had one more victory than KPF, the latter had one fewer loss and two more ties) but KPF would have fallen completely out of playoff contention had it not been for a 7-0 victory by forfeit over SSC in their final game of the regular season. This fact stings that much more for RR/DBB when you consider that the team finished their regular season on a strong two-game win streak.

Equally-Matched Polshek and PCF/HH Tie, Both Advance to S.L.A.M. Postseason

Catcher Leslie Cacciapaglia led the way for PCF/HH in just her first start this

season, going 2-for-3 with 1 run scored and 2 RBI. (Photo: Stuart Philips)

Those looking for answers about the 2008 S.L.A.M playoffs weren't going to get them Wednesday night, as Pei Cobb Freed/Hart Howerton's make-up of a make-up game against Polshek Partnership Architects created more questions than answers.

The answers finally came Thursday morning, as the Commissioner's Office confirmed from Rockefeller Center that both team would reach the postseason after playing out a 5-5 tie the night before.

Originally rescheduled for Monday after a rainout in May, PCF/HH and PPA found themselves without a diamond when early showers and the threat of thunderstorms forced the New York City Parks and Recreation Department to close the Great Lawn ball fields.

Gathering at North Meadow on Wednesday, the two 5-5 teams were looking for any opportunity to give them an edge in what could be one team's final game of the year. Polshek got off to a quick start, going up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. After a few squandered opportunities, third baseman Ron Rainone (1-for-3) hustled out a double to lead off the top of the third. Rainone scored later in the inning when catcher Leslie Cacciapaglia (2-for-3) singled to short centerfield. The Red and Black were on the board.

PCF/HH kept momentum going in their favor, holding PPA scoreless while they tacked on a run in each of the following two innings, to take a 3-1 lead entering the bottom of the fifth. But Polshek wouldn't go easy, tying the game up on three consecutive one-out hits (including two doubles) from the top of the order. Both teams were making errors in the field and everyone soon realized that the game would likely be decided by the team that capitalized most often on these opportunities.

The sun was setting and the tension was palpable as the 3-3 game continued through a scoreless sixth into the final inning. PPA manager and pitcher Steven Chang walked leadoff batter Cate Foster (1-for-3) and Cacciapaglia had the opportunity to play hero again. She again singled to short centerfield and, because of some confusion and throwing errors, Foster was able to score from first and Cacciapaglia found herself 60 feet from putting her team up by 2. She scored from third on the ensuing play, an RBI single by Steven Peterson (2-for-4). PCF/HH tried to keep the pressure on, but centerfielder Mike Copeland (1-for-3) suffered a severely-pulled hamstring while running to first base. The resulting double play slowed the Black and Red just enough to re-open the door of opportunity for Polshek.

With the first two batters on in the bottom of the seventh, PPA centerfielder Danny singled to left-center. The hit scored their runner at second and, while trying to tie the game up from first base, a heads-up play by the PCF/HH outfield saw the resulting throw hit the cutoff at second base and a relay throw to pitcher Juan Monahan (1-for-3), who tagged the runner out at the plate. Polshek still tied the game with a sacrifice fly to Carl Pearson (3-for-4), who slid over from right field to fill in for the injured Copeland, but the put-out at the plate saved the game as Rainone ran down a second foul-territory pop up to end the game two batters later.

Monahan gave up the 5 runs on 15 hits, but a surprising number of those hits were credited to Polshek after fielding mistakes. The PCF/HH starter pitched well, walking just 1 while striking out 2 through seven innings of work. PPA's Chang kept the formidable middle of the Black and Red lineup on their heels, holding sluggers J. Strong and Monahan to a combined 1-for-6.

Yusuke Okabayashi and Peter LoGiudice also came through for PCF/HH. Both went 2-for-3.

With identical 5-5-1 records, it wasn't until the following day that both teams learned they would reach the playoffs, which begin on Monday. Though one remaining regular-season game will be played earlier that day, the Red and Black will face SOM/Swanke/Cooper at 7 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn, Field 3 to start their push towards a S.L.A.M. championship. Depending on the outcome of the final regular-season game (between SSC and Kohn Pedersen Fox Architects), which will determine the final number of playoff-eligible teams, the PCF/HH match may be a single-elimination quarterfinal.