I have written about the power of chemistry and momentum before and it has never been more evident than in our last 2 games. However, above these two forces “will” also plays a very strong role in the game. Well, for a 2nd straight game we were missing some bodies but most off all we were missing our Captain and team leader Capt. Tucci but he was there in spirit and on all of our minds. JW and Big Daddy Guttirez were called out of town so we were missing some more integral pieces to the team and were not even sure we would have a full squad just before Blue yelled “Play Ball” in our highly anticipated showdown with former teammates Habanero’s grill.

However, sometimes in the bleakest of times inspiration comes from unusual circumstances. Roundhouse Reger was battling a shoulder injury and a trip to the team doctor just before game time and was not even sure he would be cleared to play. “ I told Doc, there is no way you are not clearing me tonight. I’m playing and that’s final, my team needs me and I will be there.” It is still unclear if Reger was cleared but he left the Doc’s office and hurried to the field ready to play. However, Roundhouse didn’t make it to the field until the 2nd inning but an unknown angel emerged from the cornfields and took his spot until he arrived. I don’t know whom that angel was, but the Team thanks him for his contributions as he disappeared back into the night after Reger arrived. Speaking of Cheddarheads, the team also was graced with a new addition as a fellow Wisconsinite roamed the fields and filled in valiantly on a last minute call up. I got the call and broke out the cleats and did whatever I could to help the famous Cobra Kai’s, I had read about them before and it was an honor to take the field with them” said Jeff Garcia after the game.

With all these changes, everybody was forced out of their comfort zone and the team had to make adjustments on the fly. The most telling moment of the night came in the dugout before the game. As the team struggled to finalize positions Koko walked into to the dugout and said “I want 2nd, that is where the team needs me the most, and that’s where I want to be.” It’s one of those moments in life I will not soon forget. It was like there was a cloud hanging over us, and the moment Koko said that, the Rocky Music was cued and it all came together. Koko’s play at 2nd base proved to be crucial in our win as he made several clutch plays including a huge tag out of Xavy trying to get an extra base that could have cost us the game had he made it.

The Kai’s jumped out to an early lead as our bats were hitting early and often as we just knew we had to make our Captain proud and we were willing to do anything in our power to “will” us to victory and win one for the gipper one more time. Lemieux sparked the team once again leading the way from the top all the way to the bottom of the order everyone pitched in and we had a great all around effort offensively. DonJuan contributed once again to his league leading .991 OBPS% and had some huge defensive plays in Right field which the Habaneros were gunning for all night.

Mad Dog pitched a gem as he used his veteran savvy pitching skills to confuse and befuddle his former teammates in only the way the Mad Dog can. “I felt confident in our fielding tonight, and knew if I could jam a few guys or force them outside that the 9 guys behind me would do the rest” said Mad Dog in his first ever post game press conference appearance. Johnny Blaze held the reigns behind Mad Dog directing our fielders into position and holding down the keys defensively as he used his instincts to lead the team in holding the hot hitting Habenero’s to 8 runs.

The game was a close one and it came down to the 9th inning. With the Kai’s up 9-7 and one out, Johnny came Blazing to the OF and Lemieux was barreling in from LF and both were fixed on sealing the game by snagging a huge out from Habenero’s hottest hitter but ended up colliding like two freight trains. Lemieux took a shot to the head and although he couldn’t see straight he finished out the game. “I just knew I had to stay in there to make Captain proud, and nothing was going to stop me” Mikey said. “I asked him if he could see straight and Mikey told me he saw three of me, I just told him if they hit it his way just catch the ball in the middle and we’ll be fine, I’ll do the rest” JohnnyBlaze said after the game.

That is exactly what we did, as the next play we hunkered down and got the third and final out to close out a crazy and hectic last couple of weeks with a 9-8 victory. In the spirit of the game and in a show of how much Capt Tucci has touched so many people’s lives both teams gathered at the mound after the game and said a prayer and had a shout out to Neil and his family. This was a big victory for the team, but it was all for our emotional leader Neil. In life they say it’s the little things that count, and we hope this one small victory helped put a smile back on Captain’s face and can’t wait to greet him with open arms this week. This one was for you Gipper.