*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***
Charlottesville, VA -- Nine different players scored runs in today's 12-0 shutout by We Kicked That Ball (WKTB) against the visiting C'ville Brunch Ballers (CBB). The team moves to an undefeated 2-0 on the season, with no losses, a 100% win rate, zero ties, no dropped games,and two victories. "Total team effort," said relief pitcher Blake Ware following the game. "We had a lot of people out there making plays today." First baseman Mike Silverman echoed Ware's sentiments: "A lot of good chemistry today. Kayla [Leavesley] especially."
WKTB's offense today was varied, mixing in several key bunts to advance runners into scoring position. Catcher/second baseman/right fielder Kayla Leavesley opened scoring in the first inning and outfielder Trung Tran followed. Leavesley's performance today should pay big dividends for fantasy indoor kickball owners who picked her up following last week's advice. Tran ended the day with two runs scored, a season high for him. A two-run first inning was followed by four runs in the second, with catcher/right fielder Kathryn Ware notching a crucial RBI. WKTB then doubled their score in the fourth inning, nearly batting the entire lineup and earning six against a deflated CBB squad. The twelve total runs scored today by We Kicked That Ball are a league record this season.
All eyes were on third baseman/outfielder Nate Vogt today. After a somewhat disappointing season opener, the indoor kickball media circus ramped into high gear, questioning the hype around the pre-season all-Charlottesville selection. Vogt silenced all critics today, tying Tran with a team-high two runs scored. He was an anchor in the middle of the lineup, and backed his kicks up with outstanding defense. We'll see a late-game highlight reel catch replayed tonight on ESPN8, "The Ocho".
Tom Chen and Emily Parker returned to the WKTB lineup today following a week of contract negotiations. In an uncapped league, Chen and Parker settled for $5M and $6.3M Schrute Buck yearly contracts, respectively. Their contracts are the first awarded via Schrute Buck in league history; all other payouts are either via Stanley Nickel or Dogecoin. Both players provide some much-needed depth to the WKTB squad, with Parker complementing the small but strong female corps and Chen providing assistance in the outfield. Head coach/first baseman/pitcher Derek Brameyer is happy with the acquisitions, as both Chen and Parker scored a run in today's game: "They're going to be very important as we move into conference play and some tough road games. We'll have a lot of people out on bye weeks or resting up, so Tom and Emily are going to be a big asset for us."
Brameyer himself will be out next week, and his bye week could not come at a more opportune time. He appeared hobbled following the third inning, but played through a left leg injury. Sources close to the team don't think the injury is serious, but he is marked as Questionable on WKTB's roster.
It's apparent that one of WKTB's biggest strengths is its athletic female cadre. Parker is the only veteran kicker on the team, having played outdoor kickball last year with Bases Are Loaded And So Are We. Newcomers Cassie Sharpe, Kathryn Ware, and Kayla Leavesley, however, appear to be no kickball neophytes. They are outstanding players that provide flexibility in the outfield and behind home plate. One rule they are quickly adjusting to is the league's foul ball line, and the team is confident moving forward that whoever is playing catcher will be able to quickly play foul balls. Sharpe and Parker are balancing this season of indoor kickball with their training for the Charlottesville marathon, and so their already-stellar base running skills are likely only to improve.
We Kicked That Ball plays next week at 12:00 against Homey Don't Kick That (HDKT). HDKT is 1-1 and carries some momentum into this week, coming off of an intense extra-inning victory against Here 4 Beer. WKTB will be playing with a depleted squad, missing Brameyer, Silverman, and third baseman Woody Zantzinger III, so the stage is set for a trap game. Zantzinger, coming off of a one-run performance, has a lot of confidence in his teammates: "Everyone out here comes in to practice every day, and puts in the work. This team has a lot of heart, and if a couple guys need to take a week, you know someone else is going to step up."