Oooh Kill Em!

First Place

Kickball - Wednesdays (Late Spring '14)

The 2014 Late Spring Kickball playoffs were played out on a perfect Summer evening, and at the end of the night Oooh Kill Em! were crowned league champs, but it wasn't an easy road to the title...

Coming in as the #5 seed they had to battle their way into the championship game. First by beating #4 seed Faulty Rubbers 5-2, then edging out the #1 seed Smack My Kick Up in a colossal upset in extra innings 2-1.

Their opponents in the title game were unheralded #6 seed Team Kick-A-Rita. But despite being the 6th seed, they found their trek to the finals a much smoother journey. Team Kick-A-Rita walked over #2 seed Pitches Be Crazy 7-2 in a massive upset of their own, and then beat #7 seed Fresh Court of Ball Air 5-1 in the Semifinals.

The championship game featured one of the leagues best pitchers Nick Land of Oooh Kill Em! against two of the leagues most explosive kickers Bryce Brown and Ryan Fong of Kick-A-Rita. Oooh Kill Em! scored fast with 1 run in the top of the first. But Kick-A-Rita settled in quick, and stymied Oooh Kill Em's offense in the subsequent innings. After 5 tough innings we were at 1-0 Oooh Kill Em!. It was 10:50pm heading into the 6th inning knowing that the park lights shut off at 11pm Oooh Kill Em! showed great sportsmanship by hustling through their final at bat allowing Kick-A-Rita to get their final ups. Knowing that the clock was against them, Kick-A-Rita played with urgency and it paid off. With 2 outs and a runner at second Kick-A-Rita kicked a rocket over second base. Kick-A-Rita's 3rd base coach signaled the runner home but it looked as though the runner had already made his mind up. He rounded 3rd at full speed without any hesitation just beating out the throw at 3rd. Oooh Kill Em!'s 3rd basemen recovered quick throwing the ball towards home. But it was just slightly off target and the catcher caught, bobbled and dropped it as the runner hit home, tying the game at 1.

At the end of 6 we were tied at 1 and had about a minute before 11pm. We waited for the lights to turn off but they didn't. After a quick conference between the captains and the ref's we decided that Co-Champs would not due, that this game needed a true winner.

So we headed into extra innings. Knowing the lights could turn off any second both teams played with urgency. Oooh Kill Em! scored quick, bringing the score to 2-1. For the inning and run to count Kick-A-Rita had to complete their half of the inning before the lights shut off. Knowing this Oooh Kill Em! chose to get out on purpose and end their half of the inning. The strategy paid off, their defense held tough and they came away with the Championship. Just in time because about a minute after the last out the lights went dark.

Congratulations to Oooh Kill Em! and to all participants of the Late Spring session of Xoso Kickball.