The future of softball in North Dublin is safe! BatPak arrived at Father Collins Park on Tuesday with a veritable creche in tow. With enough children to take the field in place of the their parents, eyes in the back of the head were required to make sure we left with as many that arrived

To the game. BatPak were still reeling from their defeat at the hands of the Mavericks in Week seven of the Leinster League Premier Division. Renegades on the other hand were basking in the vivtory over Oddsox Green, to place them ahead of 'Pak in the standings. Captain Pete named a strong team, with Drew returning as Pitcher, Sean catching, Caryn, Carol, JB and Ben in the infield, Dave, Emma, Peter and Julie in the Outfield. With Niall, Kieran and Anne on the bench, ten children, one grandma, one player returning from the DL, and an eight month pregnant first baser, BatPak's sideline was a noisy, expectant affair.

Which was soon to be silenced. BatPak started the game with one hit, three immediate outs and no runs. The previous week's absence of hits remained, as did Renegades form. The home team batted round the order, running in eight runs through a combination of errors from 'Pak and some hard, accurate hitting throughout the home team's lineup. BatPak's heads immediately dropped. Surely not a second successive defeat? In the second inning, Carol and JB scored on hits from Caryn and Pete. Two runs to which Renegades replied with one from Dago. BatPak's frustration boiled over in the field, but this soon turned to smiles in the third inning, inspired by successive hits at the top of the order from Ben, Emma and Drew. The scores continued with Dave, Carol and JB all hitting, including a 300 yard plus ground rule double from JB that on most pitches would have seen a home run. He made it home however on the back of a double from Pete, and 'Pak had pulled six runs back. Renegades remained ahead with a further two runs from the bottom two batters, but BatPak had most definitely got the proverbial bit between the teeth, both at the plate and in the field.

Errors were less and confidence had returned to the team. Renegades drew blanks in the next two innings, with BatPak levelling the scores at 11-11 in the fifth inning, thanks partly to a solo home-run from Ben. But it was the sixth inning that ensured the victory for BatPak. Eight runs came in, including a repeat of JB's longest ground rule double, Drew judging to perfection his hit to right-field, the ball stopping three inches in front of the fence, and having barely recovered from his first home-run Ben managed a second. In the bottom of the sixth inning Dave, running in from left-field for a catch fell heavily. Despite not moving, the umpire allowed play to continue, and with the ball lodged under Dave the Renegades scored one of their two remaining runs. Dave went off the field, his injury nothing compared to Joanne's stoic performance against Blazzers, replaced by Kieran.

A final flurry of seven successive hits brought five more runs for BatPak and put the game firmly beyond Renegades, whose positive start to the game ended with three fly balls. BatPak had achieved a nineteen run swing from eight down in the first inning to a winning margin of eleven. A truly gritty performance from 'Pak, and a much needed confidence booster ahead of next week's home game against the league leaders Dodder Dynamoes.

Captain's MVPs
Male - Jon Barry
Female - Carol O'Toole