New Lenox, IL - August 5th shaped up to be the last three games played on Tuesday at the Lions Den before action moves over to Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex of New Lenox. That is a mouthful. Paradise Bay visited the Volts in the 2025 Summer rubber game match as the latter was seeking their third consecutive league championship. The game started out like the ump was going to run out of softballs and the official scorer was going to run out of ink and paper as Paradise opened up with a five run first inning, to be followed by a Volts eleven run barrage. That's where the game calmed down and the power went out and the home team's bats went Low Voltage. Bay scored four times in the second inning and held the Volts scoreless to cut the lead to 11-9. Bay scored a single run in the third and fourth innings while shutting down the Volts on ground ball double plays in each frame to tie the game at 11. Bay went scoreless in the 5th inning and the Volts took a 12-11 lead after five. Each team put up five runs in the sixth inning, and the Volts had a chance to win on time but failed to keep their at-bat alive for literally 60 seconds. That would be the closest the Volts would come as Bay scored four times in the final inning to take a 20-17 lead to hold in the bottom of the frame. The Volts went out quietly in their half of the inning with a home run out, a base running out, and a fly out to end the game, and thus end the playing days at The Lions Den. Congratulations to Paradise Bay on their victory on the improved defense. The nightcap was Transcend Realty taking the championship game in the wee hours of the night to close out Tuesday night play at The Lions Den. Congratulations to the champs. Next game is at Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex of New Lenox on a new night, Wednesday early in September. Every fan bringing a cooler and a chair will be escorted to the new holding cell for park offenders that was built at the facility at the mear cost of an extra $11.4 million.
Notables:
Champions - The night took an unexpected twist early on when an incident at Stapleton Manner precipitated an emergency in which Stapes had to immediately vacate the proceedings in the third inning. Long story short, Little Vinny got away and was found the next day and reunited with the Stapes family. Hats off to the teammates, spouses, friends, and family who joined the search to find Vincenzo long after the game had ended and the calendar flipped to Wednesday! The team didn't win the championship on the field Tuesday, but more importantly, the team is comprised of Championship individuals who crowned the Volt team of life as Champions. Good on all of you!!!
Rystrodamus - The team that is "too cool to try hard" is nothing if not predictable. Ryno called a shot early on Tuesday morning in the team chat. Paradise does not want to pitch to Sutes and has been walking him at a higher rate than Barry Bonds in his prime. Ryno suggested that Sutes swing and miss at a ridiculously high pitch and that J-bats would pitch the next one closer, at which Sutes could drive a homerun. It all happened exactly like that in 6th inning as Sutes got a not as bad ball to hit, and launched it towards Minooka. Eight other guys in the lineup can hit home runs, and oddly enough, three of them did with one homer being an out in the final frame. Other notables from Tuesday team chat: Choice of Ghost energy drink, LeBron vs. Jordan, Android vs iPhone, Coffee vs Tea, and lastly......the cost of a hot dog at Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex of New Lenox.
Shades of Koz - Jerry is seen here pinching in on a Bay batter during the early part of the game. This writer LOVES the tactic. So what if the ball is hit over your head; it's either a home run or a double. Confident outfielders can make the plays drifting backwards and occasionally get beat. Most often, they make the play or alter the hitter to do something that they normally are not comfortable doing. Hats of Jer.
Last Leg of the Tour - The finale at the old ballpark spurred on a large crowd as people came from miles to attend the marquee event. It was interesting that all people leaving the field were frisked by New Lenox finest to avoid patrons from taking home souvenirs from Lions Den. It is reported that only 11 arrests were made on Tuesday night.
Top 5 Funnies - In a sidebar to last weeks tribute to the top moment in Volt franchise history at the Lions Den. It is the same night as the touching tribute to coach Kathy that a bloated old player with insomnia discovered this blog. A blog that is public and which dates back ten or so years. In the old days when the team could barely get out of its own way on certain nights, the Gazette was often more entertaining than the games themselves. Then the team got good. Then the team got great. Same guys with a change here and there but essentially the same core of eight guys. No ringers to come in and save the day. No ringers to come in and "take the title" for the hapless many that toil week in and week out on the field only to be replaced. Same core. Lose and people love you. Win and people start to hate you. Getting back to the story, the town cryer with no love for satire shouted to anyone who would listen of this forum for entertainment and one person bit, ending in a fall league post-game embarrassing meltdown. For those of you who have read The Lions Den Gazette all of these years and enjoyed the documentation of each Tuesday evening and its satire, thank you. For all of you haters who have gotten ass hurt over the documentation of each Tuesday evening and its satire, get over yourselves, and thank you.
- A tip of the cap to Paradise Bay on the win. Bay scored in every inning except one on three walks and 22 hits for 20 runs. High Voltage scored their 17 runs on 7 walks and 18 hits. Bay recorded two double plays, which are always crushing to any offense. Volts flew out 10 times and had a home run out. HV also gifted Bay with three foul ball third strikes. The game was befitting of these two teams squaring off with hits, power, defense, shit defense, good baserunning, bad baserunning, strike outs, walks, ebb and flow.
- Coach Kathy is seen lighting up the team after what she called an "unacceptable loss". The tirade went on for an hour and makes the Bobby Knight or Lee Elia rants look like child's play. The end result is that Jack has to earn a spot to play left field in the fall league but he is no longer the coach of the team. Kathy is taking on those duties, and promises a one-way ticket to Palookaville for any Volts who can't handle the big time over at the new place.
Big Shoes to Fill - Losing Stapes in the third inning of a playoff game is never really in the schematic. With the Volts fielding 11 players to start the game, a player leaving would result in an automatic out. Enter Ken. Ken came in as extra hitter and Pratl moved over to first base. The move delayed Ken's HOF eligibility by another year and force Jacky Stats to pencil him in this years record books. In Ken fashion, he logged a hit that didn't travel past the infield dirt. Another single and another pinch runner for Ken. Oh, and Stapes, I have your shoes.
Editor's Note: Good bye, and God bless!
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