The John Cougar Mellencamps and the Pony Boys are on a collision course for a rematch in the finals.
But the rest of the league has one weekend to stop them.
The Mellencamps sit atop its division with a 5–0 record in the playoffs, smoking the feisty Bacon Bits, 7–0, draining a veteran American Blood, 6–3, with a big second inning, and taking Baywatch to the limit, 5–3, in extra innings.
But hanging right with the former champions is the People’s Court, which overruled Brooklyn United, 4–2, thanks to some stellar defense from Traci “Bombshell” Kitz and Jake “Nash” Bertanza and timely baserunning by Jeff “Centerfold” Palmiotti and Tom “Don” Ho.
The Court rests in second place with a 4–1 record and will face the Mellencamps in a decisive ruling that could well determine who advances to Sunday’s championship match.
“I hope People’s Court can pull off the greatest upset in the history fo the league — but obviously they’re a longshot,” said League Commissioner Kevin “Commish” Dailey. “For teams like American Blood, their destiny is not in their control. They have to win their games and the JCMs have to lose.”
In the other division, the Pony Boys and Never Scared are both undefeated after two weekends of round robin action.
The Boys, with stud free-agent slugger Jesse “Sportz” Alexander prowling the infield, easily solved the Mathletes, 4–1, and sinking the Pirates.
Dailey thinks that the Pony Boys are still the favorites to return to the championships, as long as they switch Alexander to shortsthop and move left-handed MVP-candidate Matt “Chicken” Tyson to first base to cut down on errors.
“That could turn out to be the difference in whether they win it all — you don’t put lefties on the left side of the infield,” said Dailey. “Now is not the time to play with kickball fumndamentals.”
But the Boys are no sure thing.
Their bitter rivals, Never Scared, kept pace by refusing to allow a run to both the New Frontiersmen and the Pirates.
Never Scared fenced in the New Frontiersmen, 5–0, behind a line-drive double from MVP candidate Paul “Menswear” Smith, and stormed the Pirates, 10–0, thanks to a grand slam effort from Karl “Marx” Pawlewicz.
On Saturday, the games will get even tougher.
The purple players will face the Pony Boys next week in a game where a trip to the finals could be on the line.
And don’t count the Frontiersmen out just yet. They whooped Ramrod, 9–2, in their other match and sit one game back of the division leaders. The plaid-clad players get to battle the Pony Boys next weekend too.
If teams tie for the division lead, there are several tiebreaking slots scheduled, ensuring a dramatic finish under the lights at McCarren Park Saturday night, before Sunday night’s championship match.
Brooklyn Kickball at Gilroy Field in McCarren Park (Bedford Avenue at N. 13th Street in Greenpoint), Oct 1, 5–11 pm. Championship, Oct. 2, 5 pm, weather permitting (oh, who are we kidding — game on!).
