In both teams first game of the year, the Rotten Bananas beat a short-handed Team Gross (only 9 players), in a hard fought 6-2 decision on Sunday. Ethan B took the mound and after a quick strikeout, Max D got Team Gross’s first hit of the year with a hard single. After Matt M, and Miles C both reached base, it looked like Team Gross was going to put up some big first inning numbers, but Ethan settled down to strike out the last two batters of the inning to keep the men stranded. The Rotten Bananas then came up and their leadoff hitter, Ben W. wasted no time as he reached base on a single. Two batters later, Sam R. knocked in Ben with an RBI single, and the Rotten Bananas were on the board. After a walk to Tyler M., the Bananas’ Big Bopper, Gianni R. launched a long triple to straight away centerfield, plating the runners. Miles C., Team Gross’ pitcher settled down and struck out the last batter, and the inning ended 3-0 in favor of the Bananas. Ethan then struck out the side in the 2nd, and Miles almost matched him, in his half, as he struck out the first two batters, but had to ‘settle’ for a soft line drive to shortstop, for the 3rd out. In the 3rd Michael S. hit a long double to centerfield, but a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a single by Matt M, kept Team Gross from scoring. The Rotten Bananas were able to add two more in the 3rd to go up 5-0 after 3. In Ethan’s 4th and last inning, only gave up a walk, but struck out 3, ending his day with 11 strikeouts. Showing he can do it with his bat as well as his arm, Ethan led off the 4th with a single and came home on a fielder’s choice by Zach H. At the end of 4, Bananas were up 6-0. The Bananas then turned to Gianni to close out the game. Team Gross put the ball in play in the 5th, but the Bananas stayed equal to the task as they recorded 3 outs, with only Max D. reaching base on a solid single. Team Gross then brought in their ace, Eric ‘K’, who struck out 3 of the 4 batters he faced in the 5th inning, surrendering only an infield single to Austin S. Refusing to give up, Miles led off the 6th inning for Team Gross with a single, and Eric worked the count to 3-2 before walking. Both would come around to score, to make it close, but Gianni was able to record the last 3 outs as the Rotten Bananas held on for the win.