Monday, August 27, 2007

Knights Laugh Their Way Into Playoffs

MALIBU, CA - The Knights dropped their final game of the regular season falling to 8-12 and really putting an exclamation point on the season. But, a new season starts on the 9th of September. One thing is for sure, the Knights can't do much worse.

So with that the Knights will face the Astros who put a 19-5 thumping on the Knights the last time the two teams faced each other.

A season that has seen more downs than ups will now hang on 9 innings...but what a story it would make.

I'm Max Mercy and I'll see you Sept. 9th Knights v. Astros a fight to the death, one ring to rule them all.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Knights Game Ends In Shame

CARSON, CA - Just when you think you've seen it all Knights fans...just when you think it can't get any stranger. It does. In a game which saw the Knights a man down, playing with 2 outfielders versus the first place Yankees...only down by one run going into the 9th inning. The game then was abruptly brought to a halt when Manager/Player Ryan Saul and 2nd Baseman Vincent Texiera were ejected from the game for "Unsportsman Like Conduct" what usually results in a 10 yard penalty and a loss of downs, resulted in the end of game.

So the Knights 7 were left standing on the field wondering what just happened...The Yankees were conflicted, on one hand they win and clinch first place, on the other hand they lose their 2nd baseman to ejection and an automatic one game suspension.

The Knights game started with the Lightning Bolt Boys playing hard despite being a man down, hanging with the Yankees and ready to play spoiler. Pitchers Rod Boaz and Jonathan Williams were dealing. Striking out 11 Yankees over the abbreviated 8 inning game. What the Knights couldn't get done on offense they took care of on defense. The speedy combo of Erik Barber and Pete Nelson patrolled the Carson outfield covering more ground than 3 outfielders. The underdog Knights were on track to upset the first place Yankees.

Despite being injured Knights starter Rod Boaz went 5 strong innings striking out 7 Yankees before being relieved by Jonathan Williams. Williams struck out 4 over his 3 innings of work, most of his strikeouts came on his split-finger fastball which was extra nasty this Sunday morning.

The only thing nastier was the ensuing fight in between the 8th and 9th innings. As 2nd baseman Ryan Saul began to jog out to his position, a unknown Yankee player shouted at him to "get in the box" referring to his last at bat where Saul took his time preparing for his at bat. This one remark changed the course of the game...and the Knights season. Mt. Saul erupted, making a B-Line for the owner of said comment. The Yankees headed Saul off at the pass and a good old fashioned baseball fight was in effect.

Like most Baseball Fight's there was a lot of screaming, name calling, individuals mentioning numerous times "I'll rip your head off" "No, I'll rip YOUR head off". But what really makes a Baseball Fight, a baseball fight...is that there are never any punches thrown. The only difference in this baseball fight is that is was 1 versus 9 and there was no one to hold back Saul. The Umps had seen enough, ejected Saul and Teixeira, knowing that this gave the Knights 7 players they headed for the hills, the 'Knights Game Ended In Shame™' and the Yankees clinched first place without having to finish the 9th inning.
The Knights historic skid continues losing their 6th straight game. The Knights having streaked into playoffs with a winning record the last 3 years and losing in the first round are trying something different, a losing streak. As it looks right now, with a loss next week versus the Cubs and a Storm win, the Knights will fall to last place and face the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.

I'm Max Mercy and this article took entirely too long to write.
View All The Exciting Photos From The Game Here









KNIGHTS QUEST FOR THE CUP

Knights will try to go for the championship starting in September, the return of El Toro...The return of the Murkules...The return of The Brooks...The Fike...basically everyone who has been missing for the last um, 6 months or so.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Knights Fall To 8-10 After Late Inning Melt Down.

CARSON, CA - Knights waste great outing by Rod Boaz. Boaz struck out 12 hitters for the second straight game over. But the Knights were unable to hold onto a 7-2 lead as a number of dinks and hand grenades kept landing just out of reach of Knights fielders. Boaz frustration showed on the field but when I asked him about these unfortunate events after the game he was frank. "That's baseball." Boaz replied "I could stand on the mound and cry about it, or just make a better pitch next time so they can't make any contact with it." Boaz did plenty of that in his gutsy 120 pitch performance striking out the side in the 5th and 6th innings.

The Knights were in an early hole after a 2 run double by Kirk Mayer in the first inning, a fly ball that Boaz felt should have been caught, but right fielder Ryan Saul lost it in the sun. The Knights "stormed" back scoring 7 unanswered runs, 3 on a bases clearing double by Jonathan Williams and another 2 on a Pete Halvorsen single. Brendan McDonald hit a 430 foot triple to the 510 foot center field fence.

But the Knights were unable to hold onto the 5 run lead. In the bottom of the 7th the Storm dropped some Global Warming on the Knights in the form a 5 run 2 out rally. The Knights playing with only 9 players had no one to warm up the defacto closer Jonathan Williams due to the absence of Steve Fike, Kevin Murkey and/or Tony Sulser. Williams entered the game in the 8th inning and got out of a bases loaded jam. But couldn't get the last out of the 9th inning when the Storm's Matt Kennedy hit the walk off hit scoring the runner from 2nd and ending the game. Tossing a bit more fuel on the burning ship that is the Knights season.

The Knights take on the First Place Evil Empire this weekend. While they have won 2 of the 3 meetings between the two teams, those were different Knights teams that the Yankees saw.