Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Now It Matters


Following two consecutive seasons of tough playoff losses, Fleishman-Hillard started their trek toward a league championship with a first-round win over an animated and energetic GMMB squad in a 17-7 victory on Thursday. The win propelled FH to the semi-finals of the playoffs where they will face sworn enemy, Edelman.

Lead-off hitter Jason “The Flyin’-L’chaim” Hellmann saved his best offensive game of the season for the playoffs with a 4-for-5 effort that included two doubles, two runs and an RBI single in the sixth. For his effort, Hellmann received the coveted award for Offensive Player of the Game. Needless to say, he was ecstatic.

Mahesh Subramanian played multiple positions in Thursday’s game – or at least it seemed so – as the right-centerfielder/leftfielder/shortstop/second baseman racked up a number of web gems that put Sportscenter’s Top Ten Plays to shame. Subramanian (3-for-4, 3 runs, 2 triples, 1 RBI) was named the Defensive Player of the Game, and it was all the commentators could talk about Thursday evening.

Jon Berke (3-for-5), Dave Forman (2-for-4), and Silvio Marcacci (3-for-5) continued to pad their stats, between them with seven extra base hits, eight runs, and nine RBIs. Amanda Schildt and Callie Baum both had great field presence with solid defense that anchored the right side of the diamond throughout the game. Jason Werden (4-for-5) scored a run and added two RBIs to his season total of 14, still three behind Marcacci’s team-leading total of 17.

Matt Navitsky and Lowen Baumgarten split time at DH, producing two runs and two RBIs, while Ellen Black and Laura DeSantis shared the vacancy behind home plate. DeSantis may have found her true calling not with a bat in-hand, but a BlackBerry, sending an astonishing 37 tweets to keep FH’s anxious fans in the know with an aggressive play-by-play.

The game’s MVP was not any FH player, however; it was the entire GMMB team. Not only did they display excellent defense throughout the game, swing the bats well all day, and enjoy the camaraderie of the atmosphere, but they joined their company kin out afterward for a drink (or twelve) and a few laughs. Cheers to GMMB, for being an absolute class act.

But now things get serious again. The second round of the playoffs hold a game some think is sheer destiny in the making, as FH will face arch-rivals Edelman, yet again. The saga that is FH v. Edelman is one as old as time, as bitter as unsweetened lemonade, and as tense as a blind date. The 5-and-4 firm defeated Porter Novelli in the quarterfinals to make it to this semifinal matchup versus the red hot Fleishman squad. This should be the fifth meeting of the year for these bitter rivals. I wonder why that is not so…

What you need to know to survive: The game is this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Rock Creek Park. Here’s a map. Now even those who claim they are not familiar with D.C. are out of excuses. Come support your colleagues for what proves to be an epic battle. Winner goes to the league championship; loser takes the long, bumpy road home. And I don’t know about you, but we’re enjoying this road trip and don’t feel like turning it around just yet. We’ll see you there this Thursday! GO FH!

1 Comments:

At 11:32 AM, Blogger Jon said...

3 for 5? Would someone please remind me of when it is that I got out?

 

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