Whiting for MVP?

It is a difficult task for any team to start a winning streak, let alone one with such little depth, a shortened season, playing a game on one day’s notice, and a missing mascot. But, our motley crew never took into account the factors stacked against them, and Fleishman-Hillard convincingly brought home their second win in a row, defeating Ogilvy on Monday night, 22-13, a particularly sweet victory for Jon Berke who was facing his former firm.

Co-Coach Dave Whiting was the star of the afternoon, going 5-for-5, scoring in all five at-bats, with three home runs. Even with the eight RBIs he brought home for FH in his MVP-caliber performance, the always-competitive Whiting still yearned for one more at-bat to grab a single and thus complete the cycle for the evening.

He certainly was the only player who noticed this “lack of achievement” as both squads sang his praises. Ogilvy did so in a less sincere manner, as the sore-losing opponent attempted to sour the cheerful atmosphere with their negative remarks toward the FH players. Nothing would bring down the FHers spirits, however, as each of Fleishman’s 22 hits later became a run. As co-coaches Whiting and Craig Paridy discussed following the game, “The best part about a win like that is that everyone contributed. You have to be happy with a game like that, it is so much more fun to win that way.”

Berke (4-for-5), Dave Forman (3-for-4), and Jason Werden (3-4) accounted for three runs apiece (for those who are counting, Whiting, Berke, Forman, and Werden collectively scored more than the entire Ogilvy team, and we’re not done yet!).

Paridy began the game on the mound, but strategically moved to first base after the first inning. Mattitude Navitsky got the call from the bullpen in the second inning, throwing a slew of “aggressive” yet effective pitches that the Ogilvy players could not wait to complain about. Along with a number of gold-glove caliber catches at first, Paridy went 4-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Navitsky went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI, a respectable outing for any pitcher.

Two outfield performances stood out late in the game, holding the Ogilvy hitters at bay. Mahesh Subramanian and VOX’s Callie Baum made it look all too easy as they efficiently covered leftfield and right-centerfield, respectively. Even though both went 1-for-4, their sole hits each accounted for a run.

Stephanie Slobodian and Ellen Black held down the fort behind home plate while simultaneously padding their stats, as Slobodian earned an RBI and Black scored a run in the sixth. Amanda Schildt scored two runs off of two hits and an RBI.

Fleishman-Hillard’s next game is slotted for Thursday, July 2 versus Edelman as we head into the July 4 holiday. Come support your fellow FHers before heading out for your weekend plans as they go for their third consecutive win. The office is closed Friday – what better way to spend a summer afternoon? See you there and have a Happy Fourth of July!

Who & Knowlton?

April showers usually bring May flowers, but unfortunately those showers extended to plague June with miserable waterlogged weather and three consecutive rainouts. The sun gods finally shone down brightly on Fleishman-Hillard yesterday, however, and FH trounced H&K in a 16-3 romp that featured a number of fresh faces. The freshest face of all was the new team mascot, Mr. and Mrs. Coach’s most recent addition to the family, Frank the pug.

Summer interns Dave Forman, Ellen Black, Stefanie Litman, and Laura DeSantis provided spirit, tenacity and heavy bats all throughout the game. Black and Litman talked a big game all week leading up to Thursday’s game, while Forman and DeSantis took the more humble approach; all four proved to be true diamonds in the rough.

Forman kept his eyes open in left field for the first half of the game and was the ideal designated hitter in the final innings, going two for three at bat with three RBIs, two runs, and an inside the park homerun that sent the place into a frenzy. Black scored a run during her only at bat, splitting the catching duties with Amanda Schildt, while Litman and DeSantis dominated second base during their respective shifts. DeSantis also earned a run and brought one home between her two times at the plate.

FH also had two guest appearances from our extended family and friends. Callie Baum and Jen Anderson of VOX fame were great additions to the squad, between Baum’s 3-for-4 performance and Anderson’s RBI single in the fifth inning. Former intern Amanda Schildt was her usual rock-solid self, chipping in with two hits, sterling defense at catcher, and rides to the field.

Silvio Marcacci (2-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBIs) and Craig Paridy (4-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) both produced big offensive numbers while also splitting time pitching a gem on the mound. Will Sullivan’s glove was a magnet for the ball at third base, as he made two acrobatic diving catches in a row in the third inning.

Jason Werden had a banner day, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs and one standout defensive tag-team play from right field with David Wickenden to throw out an advancing runner at second base in the fourth inning. Jon Berke, Mahesh Subramanian, Lowen Baumgarten, and Matt Navitsky (who kept up the newly formed tweeting tradition) had six hits and four runs between them.

After Thursday’s 32-hit showing, FH has adrenaline pumping and ice water flowing through their veins. The good weather and good fortune are here to stay, so come enjoy a night out with your fellow FHers as they take on arch-rival Edelman next Thursday, July 2.

Mother Nature to FH: Bring Galoshes

FH Softball was once again denied the opportunity to face off against arch-rival Edelman last night, as Mother Nature rained our team out for the third time this season. The disappointing and last-second turn of events came at of day that saw co-coach Craig Paridy accosted on the street by Edelman thuggery and a once-quiet inter agency rivalry spill into the Twittersphere.

Pre-game action was fast and furious, as our heroes valiantly made the trek up to Rock Creek Park, dodging raindrops, lightening, and park rangers all the way. Jason Hellmann pledged to play in the mud, if necessary. Coach Marcacci and Craig even engaged in a game of brinksmanship with the devious Edelman coaching staff, threatening a forfeit when their team balked at the prospect of playing in the rain. Alas, the titanic matchup was not to be, and threats of fines and league sanctions by the park rangers shut down the evening’s showdown.

While FH retired to the relative sanctity of a local restaurant/watering hole to talk strategy (aka drink cold beverages and enjoy the finest culinary offerings), reports floated in that Edelman stared danger in the face and didn’t blink once when they refused to leave the fields to continue batting practice. Clearly they take the FH rivalry very seriously.

So the showdown remains on the horizon for our squad, forced to remain unresolved until the July 16 game. Who know what hijinks will unfold before that day of destiny?

One thing is certain, however, FH will once again attempt to take the field this coming Thursday, June 4 against cross-town rivals Ketchum. Plan on more exciting action, adventures, and excitement from your beloved team, as always dutifully reported right here.

Burson hands FH a tough loss

After two weeks of being rained out, Fleishman-Hillard finally stepped back on the diamond last Thursday to face a very competitive Burson team. With a squandered squad, a pair of helpful hands arrived in clutch fashion to make sure FH had enough players to field a team. Kathryn DeVito was also on hand to keep the fans updated, tweeting from the bench with an in-depth play-by-play.

Rachel Lacroix exchanged the Mac for the mitt for the evening, talking a good game behind the plate at catcher, making sure each Burson player knew just who they were dealing with. Julie Marcacci turned out to be quite the addition, with three hits in four at-bats, earning a run in the second inning.

Mrs. Coach’s counterpart, Silvio Marcacci, accounted for a triple and an RBI during his first at-bat, bringing Jason Hellman home for the first run of the game. Marcacci then scored following a sacrifice-fly RBI by Molly Williams. FH took the lead early, as Dave Whiting scored the third of three runs to close out the first inning.

The next two innings were evenly matched with two runs apiece scored by FH and Burson in the second and a scoreless third. The top of the fourth caught FH by surprise, when a moon shot to left field got over the head of Jason Hellman and resulted in a grand slam for Burson, much to the dismay of the FH hopeful. The inning ended with five Burson runs, but Jason made it close when he earned one back for FH in the bottom of the inning with a single and some nifty base running.

The remainder of the game was made up of great defensive plays, as Jon Berke, Dave, and David Wickenden all kept their heads on a swivel, fielding superbly to hold Burson at bay. The defensive player of the game was Dan Horowitz, who took a line drive on the mound straight to the stomach. Though the wind was knocked out of him, the reeling Horowitz still managed to make the play at first to Silvio to earn the out. Horowitz was placed on injured reserve for all of an inning, as he nursed his injury with a cold beer, and nursed his pride with another.

After such an impressive defensive stand, it came down to the bottom of the seventh for FH to make a statement and dig themselves out of a 6-7 deficit. A quiet “FH” huddled cheer preceded the final at bat. Team spirits were just as high as the tension in the air when Burson fans began to heckle the FH batters.

With the game on the line, Jason Werden stood at the plate, waiting patiently for the pitch that never came. With a runner on base and two outs, Jason smacked a line drive that up the middle and seemed destined to bridge the open gap in shallow center and tie the game. But, the screamer was acrobatically snagged mid-air by Burson’s player second baseman, and ended the game in a close, but losing effort.

Though defeated, Fleishman-Hillard held their heads high, engaging in festivities where everyone wins as they shared the remnants of the FH kegger with the opposing victors.

Pray that any inclement weather holds off and come watch FH take on bitter rival Edelman in a makeup game from early May. An upset is on the horizon as FH takes on the (2-1) West Division leader this Thursday, May 28.

FH Starts the 2009 Season Off Right

Fleishman-Hillard began the 2009 softball season in nail-biter fashion yesterday with an 11-10 win over league newcomer Hill & Knowlton. In a technological twist, the game was live-Tweeted for all the FH’ers still at the office diligently working on pressing client deadlines.

Our heroes took the field to an overcast and threatening sky, and immediately showed H&K they were ready to play with two runs in the first inning on a double by Silvio Marcacci and two runs in the second courtesy of triples by Craig Paridy and Mahesh Subramanian. Tensions ran high when the H&K bench erupted with a stream of trash talk directed at the FH fielders after two quick outs in the bottom of the second inning, and H&K’s batters responded to the inspiration with a four-run rally to tie the score at four runs apiece.

The Fleishman squad remained undaunted, however. At times appearing to hit and score at will, FH tacked on six total runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings with an onslaught of timely hits capped off by Coach Marcacci’s triple, a moon-shot off the left field fence by Jon Berke, and RBI hits by Molly Williams, Dave Whiting, Craig Paridy, and Luke Merkel.

Riding high on their offensive output, Fleishman quieted the H&K bats through the fifth inning. A mixture of quality pitching by Coach Marcacci and incredible fielding plays in the infield by Dave Whiting, Jon Berke, and Craig Paridy combined with the seemingly everywhere-at-once outfield coverage of Mahesh Subramanian and Jason Hellman to limit H&K down to only run scored. Smelling blood in the water, Stephanie Slobodian got into the action with merciless taunting of H&K batters from behind the plate. With daylight dimming, it appeared FH was guaranteed their first victory of the young season.

But H&K had something left in the tank, and FH soon learned they had definitely come out to play. The opposition bats erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, capped off by a three-run blast to deep right field. In mere minutes, H&K had tied the game up, a fact their bench made sure the FH fielders were aware of. Dave Whiting mercifully ended the inning with a running catch in short left field, and FH left the field tied, with only one inning left in the game.

The drama could not have been higher as the FH hitters grabbed their bats in the top of the seventh inning. Score a run, and they had a shot to win. Fail to score a run, and the best they could hope for would be a tie in the record books. With the hitting prowess that H&K had displayed minutes before, an opening day loss loomed menacingly.

Dave Whiting started things off with a ringing single, but an impressive fielding play on Jon Berke’s line drive to third base forced Dave out at second base. Molly Williams wasted no time with a line drive to right field, and Jon raced to third base. Victory was now only 60 feet away. Craig Paridy stepped up to bat and promptly knocked Jon in with the go-ahead run, showing the clutch hitting skills that allowed him to drive in the second-most runs for FH in 2008.

After H&K’s defense clamped down, FH took the field, determined to snatch a win from under their opposition’s noses. Even though their best hitters were up, FH set them down 1-2-3 with shutdown defense and just like that, the game was over. FH was 1-0, euphoric with their win, and ready to face whatever the league threw at them.

But, perennial arch-rivals Edelman loom menacingly on the schedule in week two action. Will FH prevail again? Stay tuned to find out.

FH Softball 2008, Improbable Underdog, Passes Away at 7-6.

The 2008 Fleishman-Hillard softball season, a wide-ranging and epic 13 games that ushered in the post-Tara Walker era, passed into that silent and cold dark night on Monday August 4th at 8:37 p.m. with a 10-8 semi-final defeat at the hands of its merciless opponent Porter-Novelli.

FH softball 2008 lived a life of ups and downs. The season started out with promise in those first few formative weeks, as upset victories over defending champion Porter-Novelli and powerhouse Burson-Marsteller vaulted FH atop the league with a 2-0 record. But the good times did not last forever. After such a heralded start, many considered the possibility that FH wasted its formative weeks during a 2-4 mid-season slump.

Some — most notably the other corporate PR softball teams — thought FH softball was washed up, having squandered the legacy of excellence that its forbearers had scratched out through their blood, sweat, and tears.

But FH Softball wasn’t ready to give up just yet. “Two factors turned FH Softball’s season around: the influx of interns who played with passion and tenacity,” said Coach Silvio Marcacci, “and the veteran leadership of PJ and The Wizard.”

FH Softball proved more resilient than anyone could have imagined. Undaunted by its early season struggles, FH softball dusted itself off, snubbed its nose at every detractor, and won three of its last four games through a mix of timely hitting, gritty pitching, and tough defense.

“We all loved FH Softball, and that month gave us renewed hope it would live on,” commented team fan club President Juliet Johnson. “It broke my heart to hear the news that FH Softball’s brief existence had ended so suddenly.”

Many had hoped that a first-round playoff win over Ketchum would spark a renewed vitality. But ultimately, Porter proved too much for the team to overcome. In spite of valiant efforts by hitters and fielders alike to keep the season alive, Porter inflicted too much damage in the first four innings for a full recovery to occur.

FH Softball enjoyed many of life’s other pleasures, including launching model rockets in the outfield during games, playing with herds of dogs and their recalcitrant owners, getting rained out and flooded more than anyone could have ever imagined, and relaxing after games at Cleveland Park Bar and Grill.

Will Sullivan was named FH Softball 2008’s MVP in a quiet ceremony. Dave Whiting was named runner-up.

FH 2008 Softball is survived by a large family of loved ones and well-wishers: Coaches Silvio “pepperoni mascagna” Marcacci, Will “I once hung out with Theo” Sullivan, and Craig “you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry” Paridy; players David “the wizard” Wickenden, Jenny “la cubanita” Alonso, Lindsay “WOOT WOOT” Wooten, Coleman “dutch” Hutchins, Dave “the natural” Whiting, Dan “microsite” Horowitz, Lowen “bulldog” Baumgarten, Molly “I hit home runs” Williams, Andrew “fred-neck” McClellan, Luke “I run to games from work” Merkel, Jeff “da traub” Weintraub, Ben “I came to one game” Clark, Paul “ PJ” Johnson, Jason “don’t hassle the hoff” Werden, Jessica “eich bin ein FHer” Rheinlander, Amanda “G&T and Caesar Salad” Schildt, Matt “big blue” Kretman, Angela “say hey” Schonberg, Jen “where’s the Phish show?” Kelly, Brianne “hop to it” Hoppe, Kelly “trash talk is a way of life” Moran, and Molly “golden gopher” Gherty; and fans Juliet “JJ” Johnson, Emily “skipper” Canis, Eliza “the textor” Kanovsky, Valerie “sugar” Arrington, Mary “LoJacCity” LoJacono, and Katie “Katie-OH!” O’Brien.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the 2009 FH Softball Charity Fund, which teaches young people the value of respecting the individual while understanding that teamwork is everything and personal success is measurable and attainable.

Playoffs: the second season

Maybe it was the intrepid cheering section. Perhaps it was Rheinlander’s flair or Coach’s playoff beard. Some thought it was the last-second arrival of two seasoned veterans. At times, it seemed to be all due to “the Natural.”

Whatever it was, it worked. Fleishman-Hillard softball started the 2008 playoffs off the right way with a statement game against Ketchum. Our bats came alive early with seven runs in the first inning, and when the dust had settled, FH won 20-7. Our incredible offensive performance saw the team bat .625 and pound out 32 hits, including 17 doubles.

Superstar performances abounded at the plate, leading our opponents to audibly wonder if we had “hired” some ringers. Dave Whiting made it look easy, going 5 for 5 with two massive home runs, four runs, and five rbis. Will Sullivan served notice he was still the front runner for team MVP with his 5 for 5 performance, three doubles, and five rbis.

But they weren’t alone. Every player contributed offensively, especially Silvio Marcacci with four hits and three runs, Molly Williams and Dan Horowitz with three doubles apiece, and Matt Kretman with three rbis.

But offense barely tells the story. FH played defense like a team possessed. Angela Schonberg made the catch of the game — an incredible over-the-shoulder catch in right field, while Jason Werden and Coleman Hutchins showed off with several diving and running catches in left and center fields. Dan pitched shut-down softball and effortlessly fielded his position.

Jessica Rheinlander and “Bulldog” Baumgarten combined at catcher to throw out several attempted bunts, including a rally-killing throw by Lowen in the fifth inning. Matt Kretman made an incredible diving play to rob a Ketchum batter in the third, and Will, Dave, and Silvio combined on a nifty inning-ending double play in the fourth.

Through it all, FH’s cheering section was led by our unofficial fan club president, Juliet Johnson. Amanda Schildt went from the cheering section to the field, contributing a pinch-hit single run scored to keep a big fifth inning rally alive. Eliza Kanovsky and Emily Canis showed off their custom-made jerseys and team banners, and out cheered all past fan outings — even the LoJacono’s team’s legendary week five performance.

So now we march into the semi-finals. Edelman awaits our inspired team in next Monday’s showdown, fresh off their defeat of Omnicom sister company GMMB. Victory is not guaranteed, and the stakes are high, but FH has momentum and won’t go down without a seven-inning fight. After Monday’s game, the championship game is within reach, and next week’s semifinal will be a fight for the ages.