Packers make strong showing at Annual Bearcats Blitz.

Having had a good time last season with a joint Packers/Icons team at the Bearcats Blitz, we decided to enter a full team this season, as indeed did the Icons. The Bearcats envisaged the competition as a primarily Div 2 and below event and invited teams along those lines. That some 2-team outfits chose to pad their line-ups with Div 1 and Premier players shall remain unmentioned, for now.

Despite the early enthusiasm, we were only able to get 7 guys and 3 girls on the day. However the Bearcats decided to allow 6&4 format and with the assistance of some ladies from other teams, we fielded a full team for the day. We played 5&5 in the first game, but the rest were 6&4, so there was no rest to be had. We were fortunate to have a big gap between our first two games and the rest, but the fatigue did begin to tell in the end.

After opening with a close win over the Castleknock Wildcats, we then went on to lose to our divisional rivals Shutout7. We were holding them well until the 4 (and last) innings (3-3) when we leaked 8 runs and that was that. Our spirits were restored however with a hard fought win over the 1Z-Blazzers (+ Blazzer friends). At the end of the pool stages then we were tied with the Homers, but yours truly maintained an impressive coin-toss record to go 4-0 and earn the Packers a spot in the Cup. Our luck lasted one more time when we managed to get the Icons in the Semis (as opposed to Shutout7 or Base devils). Having lost the toss for this game, we batted first and were soon chasing the game. But a stunning fightback by the Packers stunned the Icons into submission and we were through to the final at the cost of the team captain (ahem) who experienced for the first time the inconvenience of a muscle/groin type injury.

We then watched as Shutout7 lost the plot and rolled over to Base Devils to set the scene for the final. Our hopes were high, and with Julie (Dodder but Shutout7 for the day) joining us again after playing well for us against the Icons, we went to bat (having lost another toss). We had even agreed to play a full 7-innings game with a normal count. Alas it was not to be. We scored none but conceded 8 in the first. We steadied the ship in the 2nd, still not scoring but holding them to go 0-11 and then held them to 2 runs in the next 2 innings. We even got the bats moving a bit but disaster struck (again) in the bottom of the 6th when we leaked a good few more (including a 7-run 2-out rally) to go into the 7th trailing 4-21. We could only add a couple more to close out the agony with a 6-21 loss.

So we had crumpled at the last. BUT it was a good day for the Packers. With a limited lineup, we had played some good softball (and some bad stuff) and had earned our spot in the final. We lost to a team with a very deep bench and many Div 1 players, so no reall disgrace there. We won €75 for our efforts and decided to acquire a new bat (in anticipation of our Sportztalk prize). We also had our latest signing play for the first time. Kevin showed a lot of promise with some strong batting and surprisingly solid play at Catcher for a complete newbie. We will need to get him some decent footwear though.

We'll be back next year !

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Mid-point of 2005 reached and the Packers are looking good.

We have just completed our 8th game and entered the 2nd half of the season. With 4 wins and 4 losses, the Packers have probably already sone enough to secure Div 2 status for 2006. We have now completed 2 of our 3 games in a row against Division 2's two main contenders. Although we have lost both of them, we were competitive in one (against Shutout7) and we hope to give them an even tougher game on Monday.

At this point, the division looks to be a 2 horse race between Castleknock Bearcats and Shutout7, with the title being the Bearcats' to lose. At the bottom, it will take a very significant change of form by the Beachers and the Braves to avoid the drop. 1Z Blazers will probably pull out of the bottom two by season's end and may join the fight for the mid table rankings. Icons continue to have a strange season, beating last season's Division 3 champs Renegades 2 one week and losing to the previously winless Beachers the next. The Packers and the Renegades 2 look like competing for 3rd place with the Icons needing to stabilise form to join the tustle. Renegades 2 and Icons are 1 game ahead of us but both still have to play the Bearcats and Shutout7, so if we can return to winning ways into the home stretch (Beachers, Renegades 2, 1Z Blazers, Icons and Braves) then we'll be there at the finish.

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2005 off to flying start.

With the decision to accept the offer of a place in Division 2 for 2005 behind us, I am pleased to say that our performances to date have vindicated that decision. After 5 league games we are 3-2 and are lying 3rd in the Division. We have had 3 good wins and 2 narrow losses. A midseason string of 3 games against the two top teams in the division will be tough but confidence is high that we are not only "surviving" in this division but we are competitive. In the Cup we have dismissed fellow division 2 side Beachers to earn a 2nd round fixture against division 2 leaders Bearcats.

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ISA League Week 1 Postponed.

From the ISA :

"As our registration system is not up and running fully and considering it is possible we may not have adequate light next week we have decided to postpone the start of the season by one week.

The first games will now be in the week commencing 25 April and they will be the games originally scheduled for that week. The games originally scheduled for week 1 will be played later in the season. Further details will be on the website later today.

Yours in softball

Paul Dowling, ISA Treasurer"

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Icons 17(?) - 9 Dublin Bay Packers.

With our elevation to Division 2 status, the Icons once again become divisional rivals for us. This added a little extra significance to our preseason friendly in Fairview Park last night. With the weather turning for the worst, it looked like we might have to start the 2005 season with no matchplay and several new players. But once again, the management said the right prayers and the skies cleared. So much so that the left fielders were cursing the low sun.

The Packers could only field 9 players on the night, with 3 of those being new female players with no match experience. The Icons had 10, all experienced (if a little rusty). A rather one-sided affair was on the cards.

Our 1st innings was lead-off by yours truly. In keeping with tradition, the first pitched ball (which was the first pitch I'd seen that night) was swung at, despite the fact that it as way inside. A rather painful vibration in the bat and the resultant pop-up was easily caught at 3rd. The innings didn't imporve and we scored a duck. However, a sign of things to come perhaps, we struck back with a 3-up-3-down defense. We managed a run in our 2nd to take a 1-0 lead and we had 2 outs with no runs conceded in the bottom of the 2nd. But then the Icons loaded up and staged a 2-out rally to fire in 5 runs before we stopped them.

From that point on, the Icons stayed in front. By how much is open to debate. We reckoned they scored about 12 or 13 in total, but the Icons, perhaps using an unorthodox counting system, counted 17. Either way they did win BUT the important thing is that a weakened and rusty Packers lineup gave a good account of themselves. We had some bloops in the field but many good tight plays with the ball getting in from the outfield well. We also got the batting going with a 5 run innings of our own. We look forward to playing the Icons again this season.

So, a promising start. It is unfortunate that the pre-season was so short with the first competitive game upon us already. But from what we saw last night, we should be able to give a good account of ourselves, and as the season progresses we can only get better as our new signings become more used to the game. There is ability, we just need some match experience to polish it.

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2005 Season gets off to an Early Start.

One can only assume the small but significant number of late season catch-up games in 2004 has prompted the ISA to start the 2005 season earlier than usual. League Week 1 is the week beginning Monday 18th April (last season began on Monday 26th April). The divisions don't have a name change this year. We should have 5 divisions again (although the lowest is still to be confirmed) : Premier, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th (TBC). At this point, due to technical difficulties with the registration process, the divisions have not yet been published, but we can assume 8 teams each in Premier, Division 1 and Division 2, with Division 3 being dependant on the final numbers registered and whether or not a Division 4 is formed. Promotion and Relegation should also remain as in 2004 with a straight forward 2 up / 2 down format and no play-offs between the 3rd and 4th lowest in one division and the 3rd and 4th highest in the one below.

This year, due to team's folding above us, the Dublin Bay Packers will be in the 2nd division. Ideally we would have liked to earn promotion the normal way, but after 3 years of knocking on the door and with a strong winning record over those 3 years of 30-13, I think we deserve it. Games will still be on Monday nights but our home ground has changed. Wanderers RFC were apparantly unwilling to continue the arrangement of the last couple of years when 6 Division 3 and 4 teams were based there. This is a pity as the arrangement worked well but its their ground so there's not a lot we can do. Instead, we have secured St. Andrew's College in Booterstown. Last year we trained there on Wednesdays, but this year we will play our home games there also. Many thanks to Sile Allen who put a good word in for us there.

Our early season training/practices will be held in Merrion CC again this year, switching to St. Andrews once the Cricket season kicks in.

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