APPLES WIN! APPLES WIN!

Apples Notch a W
Win Season Opener

Wearegoodpost
Nashville,TN

Mother Nature took a day off from her duties of rainmaker for a day and in turn provided a clear dry evening last night for the 2008 season opener of the Apples.

Playing in front of raucous sold out crowd, the Apples welcomed the new season by pulling off what may turn out to be a landmark win in club history.

The significance of the victory was due to who the Apples played. In what for the most part went unreported following last seasons undefeated run through the regular season, the Apples were " moved up " a league and this year are playing in the most elite coed softball league in Nashville.

In addition to the higher level of competition of the league that includes several travel and semi-pro teams, the Apples were also faced with the challenge of playing without 4 starters from last year's team.

Gone from last years team is veteran second baseman Robin Meadows who signed a lucrative free agent contract during the off season that will have her taking her game to an expansion team playing on Sunday afternoons. Also missing from last nights lineup were All Stars Christi Copous and Patty Pender. Copous was in New York City to film commercials for the Apples upcoming marketing campaign entitled "Bite Me" and was forced to miss the game when her return flight to Nashville was delayed by a crazy lady on the plane (not Copous). Pender, who spends her off season coaching tennis also missed the game when she became stuck in traffic and was unable to get to the park from the tennis court. Pender's absence did not go unnoticed as fans spent several innings chanting " Where is Patty, where is Patty"

On the field last evening, it was the ladies that led the way. Substitute first baseman Melanie Sakarapanee, outfielder Sarah Milan, second baseman Tiffany Smith and catcher Brooke Byram all brought their hitting shoes and came through with clutch hit after clutch hit to lead the Apples to the 8-7 victory. To go along with the performance of the gals, newly acquired third baseman Scott Quinlan went from goat to hero when he bounced back from taking a called strike 3 in the 4th inning to then driving in the tying and winning runs with a triple off the right field fence in the last inning. Along with Quinlans key hit, shortstop Shane Alexander picked up where he left off last year when he crushed a mammoth home run over the light towers in right.

At his postgame news conference AGFHOF Don Bernitt was asked about the new look Apples and the play of the new team members to which he responded, " the Apples don't rebuild, we reload"

So that's one down and 9 to go. With the win the Apples extended their regular season win streak to 11 games and counting. How far the streak will go is to be seen, but one thing to be said for sure is..............................

How bout them Apples!!

In other Nashville sports yesterday, former Apple equipment manager Savannah Jenkins was spectacular as she led the St. Edwards Saints girls volleyball team to a 25-16,25-12 victory over the visiting St. Bernard Spikers.

Jenkins starred throughout the two game set with set after set and spike after spike. To go along with her floor play, Jenkins knocked down 5 aces on her serves and quickly has established herself as a "player" in girls volleyball in Nashville

Way to go Elmo!