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DRAGONSLAYERS RETURN TO FORM
Defeat Sony Swingers 12-6 for first win of new season

Sunnyvale..." Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Mark Twain couldn't have put it any better. Tuesday, July 8, marked not only the 1997 Major League All Star Game in Cleveland but also the season opener of the INS Dragonslayers sophomore campaign. With a re-vamped line up of hardened veterans and talented rookies, the Dragonslayers took the field against their old nemesis Sony Swingers out to prove that the 4-1 start to last season was no fluke. After that brilliant start, the 'Slayers limped home at 1-4 to finish 5-5 and out of the big dance. They were determined to get off to a good start and put all of last year's late season ugliness behind them.

The temperature at the Twin Creeks complex was hot and in the early going, so were the Sony Swingers bats. Sony got on the board in the bottom of the first on a 2-run blast that barely cleared the left center field wall. That was all the waking up the 'Slayers bats needed. In the top of the 2nd, they came back with a vengeance. Kathy Alvarez, a budding star at 2nd, led off with a single. Ross " Strike out the Side" Roesner, followed with a single to put runners on 1st and 2nd. A Joel Vincent single loaded them up and with 2 outs, Scoops Maynard delivered a clutch single to score 2 runs and tie things up. But the 'Slayers weren't through. After a walk to Kelly Vincent, Jason "Wheels" Dominguez drove in two more runs and the 'Slayers led 4-2.

Things settled down in the middle innings as the 'Slayers added a couple of runs to their lead and completely shut down the Swingers offense. The 6th inning brought about more fireworks than last weeks 4th of July celebration. Steve "How about a single" Mendez led off with his 2nd triple of the game and scored when Kelly Vincent dropped a single in between the shortstop and the left fielder. Singles by Jason Dominguez and Kim Goodwin loaded the bases and set the table for Mike " The Mad Bomber" Vannucci to work some magic. After getting under a Swinger pitch in the 4th and flying out to short, he was determined to not make the same mistake twice. Vannucci got hold of a high floater and crushed a drive over the left field wall for a grand slam. Later in the evening, CNN reported that the Pathfinder picked up, what appeared to be, a white softball while combing the surface of Mars. Was this the ball Mike hit?? Who really knows. The ball was never recovered. John "A little dirt never hurt anyone" Krejcha scored the last of 6 runs in the inning and the 'Slayers led 12-2. Aside from a late 4 run rally that left Sony woefully short, the 6 run 6th decided the game.

Offensively, the Dragonslayers relied on a well balanced attack led by "Dirt" Krejcha's 3-3 performance. Krejcha, who showcased his unique new sliding technique as well, also scored two runs and was a devil on the base paths inspiring fear whenever he approached. "Wheels" Dominguez went 3-4 with a run scored and Scoops Maynard picked up right where he left off, going 2-2 with a run and 2 RBI. "Singles" Mendez, went 2-3 with 2 triples and 2 RBI. Manager Goodwin continued to swing a hot bat going 2-4 and scoring a run. Kelly Vincent was 1-3 with a walk and Kathy Alvarez, the 'Slayers top pick in this summers amateur draft, went 1-4. Even so, it all may have gone for naught, if not for this week's Star of the Game. Mike Vannucci's 1-2 performance included a grand slam HR that may still be traveling. When asked after the game if he got all of it, he modestly replied, " No. I've hit line drives harder. I got under it a bit." Scary. Very scary.

Defensively, the hard work paid off as the 'Slayers played solid mistake free ball behind Roesner, who picked up his first win of the season without (for the first time) recording a strikeout.

Could this be the start of something big? Only one way to find out. The Dragonslayers next game is Tuesday, July 22nd at 5:30p on field 7 against 3Com. Come watch them show 3Com that they should have renamed Candlestick......Dragonslayer Park.