Junkies get a shot of Hipster elixir in last-inning comeback

Photo: Lilly Bashian at home

     By Bill Tarrant

The Hip Replacements would like a game script replacement. 

They outplayed the Softball Junkies the entire game only to see the script get flipped in the last inning. The Junkies scored seven runs in the bottom of the final frame with a barrage of hits to edge the Hipsters 17-16.

“We’re like penicillin for the rest of the league,” Hip Replacement manager Doug McIntyre said afterward, noting it was the fourth time this season his team had blown leads in the final inning. With two outs.

If it’s any comfort to McIntyre, last-inning epic comebacks and mind-boggling meltdowns have been the pattern around the LA Senior Softball League the entire season.

Junkies left-center fielder Steve Miller ignited the Junkies comeback with a colossal home run to center after the Hipsters intentionally walked a batter to get to him. Lilly Bashian at the bottom of the order tied the game with a hard single to right – her second of the night- and “Pizza Joe” Micelli followed with the game-ending smash.

The Hip Replacements hit the ball hard with several four-run innings and the Junkies did not play stellar defense early on. Pitcher Bill Tarrant set the tone in the first inning. Thinking the game was Dodge Ball, he took a grounder at the rubber, whipped around and threw the ball at the runner advancing from first instead of the infielder covering second base.

“I think we only made 8 outs the entire game,” shortstop Bruce Loria remarked. That's out of a total of 18 possible outs over the 6-inning game.

Cancer survivor

Lilly Bashian, now hitting over .400 on the season as a 3-rated player, was given the game ball.

Lilly, a pediatric nurse and mother of three, joined the senior softball league several seasons ago.

“When I found out there was a senior league and I didn’t have to run, I signed right up. It wasn’t any fun before because I had to kind of hop because of my leg injury."

Lily is a breast cancer survivor who chose to surgically remove a chunk of muscle and tissue from her leg to restore her breast after a mastectomy rather than use silicone. “That was years ago, but it was a long, tough recovery. I can run a bit, but I don’t trust the leg to try and sprint.”

Lilly’s Puerto Rican family was originally from the Bronx before they all moved out to Southern California.

Now 64, Lilly said she loves being part of a team “and playing a game I’ve always loved. And though older, to be able to play the game with passion while also having fun.”

“I'm proud of my age, my life, that I’m a survivor, and most of all, a grandmother. That’s my pride and joy. When you go through struggles in life, you learn not to sweat the small stuff. Have fun with one another and enjoy the little things.”

Rookie manager Doug McIntyre can second that emotion despite his Hipster’s’ season of travails.

     Slow Horses `12 Spring Chickens 11
In keeping with their mantra "There's no game like a nail-biter game", the Horses won another close one, but this win was more skill than luck. 

The Chicks dominated the game from the very start. In the 3rd inning, Ernie Lueras and Fred Fox made back to back acrobatic catches on solid line drives to prevent the Horses from scoring. By the bottom of the 6th inning, the Chicks had built up an 11-5 lead. Clutch hitting by the Horses resulted in 3 runs scoring to cut the deficit to 11-8. In the 7th inning, two outstanding catches in the outfield by Mark Lambert prevented the Chicks from scoring. In the bottom of the 7th, the Horses yelled "Hi-Yo Silver" and staged a rally with Edwin Velasquez getting the game winning BLAST to score the 4th run and give the Horses a 12-11 win. - John Gillot