The Weekly Review: Parity in Pleasantview

Despite the resemblance between Leslie Neilson and Bill from the Cougars, this post is all about parity, not parody.

The first two weeks of play have served as an excellent preview to what the season has in store for Pleasantview, featuring close games and a sense of parity in the league. No, I'm not inferring that there is Leslie Neilson-like hijinks happening on the diamond but rather that all the teams seem to be on pretty level footing.



Our first full week of ball was an interesting one. Despite an early lead in the standings by Willy Stouts Black, it appears that every team in the league has a good chance of winning it all this year. Each squad has a few new faces, the league has one new team and we all share a desire to be the first to hit a home run into the pond in right field.

Tuesday was two close games, seeing The Cougars loosing a close 9-8 game to Goose and Firkin in the early slot. The late game featured the always exciting skirmish of sponsors between Willy Stouts White and Willy Stouts Black. The Black Bombers edged out a victory with a 8-7 final but the whiteshirts are keeping their eyes on the schedule, eagerly awaiting a rematch on July 10.

Wednesday was a rain out and the games are to be rescheduled so lets move right along to Thursday night's action. The early game was a never-say-die type of game between Willy Stouts Black and Georgie Porgies. New pitchers made their debut for each team but it was Willy Stouts that took an early lead. Despite a late game rally by the green team, the final score was 11-8 for Willy's Black.
The late game was an interesting match featuring a revamped Jack Astor's facing off against the Pleasantview Softball League debut of Mitts and Balls. Both teams were seeking their first regulation win of their careers and while they both proved they could score runs in bunches it was Mitts and Balls that ended up making a statement and taking the W. The final score for this game was 16-15.

So far, it appears that while Willy Stouts Black is the team to beat, there has yet to be a lopsided blowout. It's still early but this season is shaping up to be an exciting one.