Cougars: Green Jacket Masters

A gust of fresh frozen spring air whooshed through the greens as we walked our Magnolia Lane for our doubleheader at Howard Park on Tuesday night.

The Cougars, the aging masters of 16-inch softball, put on our warm green jackets and went to work with our long drives to play best ball.

Most of the Cougars are on the senior tour now but there was one player, who was just an amateur last year, and led us to our first victory of the season.

Charley “Tiny Rads” Radtke led the Cougars to our first victory of the season in the opening game by batting 4-4 with multiple runs and RBIs and played defense at third base like a major winner. In the late game loss, he was 3-4 at the plate with his only out being a productive one that drove in an RBI and he remained a wall at third base stopping every ball in his direction.

In fact, on the game video, our opponent can be heard saying, “he is too young and athletic” and “hey guys, don’t hit it there!” You can hear our team say, “he’s a highlight reel out there!”

Here is 90 seconds of his dazzling defense and the corresponding commentary.

In two games of stroke play, the Cougars beat Ready by Tuesday 9-6 in the opener and then landed in the rough and lost to five-time defending champions Miller Time 14-8.

With a young tiger like Charley leading the Cougars, Tuesdays remain a tradition unlike any other.

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Game Recaps

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Cougars vs. Ready By Tuesday

First Inning

Most people stand square but Charley (Tiny Rads) stood in the tee box with his unique and proven open stance and started us off with a line shot single. His father (Rads) hit a fade to right center and Tiny Rads blasted off and rocketed all the way from first base to score.

Ready by Tuesday was exactly that with their first three hitters scoring.

Cougars 1 RBT 3

Second Inning

JD singled down the fairway and then stole second base and was left buried in the sand.

RBT got up and down with two hits and no runs.

Cougars 1 RBT 3

Third Inning

Ivey and Pastor Ted crushed singles that left divots when they landed. Then Tiny Rads singled to load up the bases. Rads shaped a shot that was a sacrifice fly to center to score Ivey. Fort then singled to drive in Pastor Ted and Tiny Rads.

Same as last inning for RBT. Two hits and no runs.

Cougars 4 RBT 3

Fourth Inning

Marc (Li’l Rads) hit the sweet spot and singled and stayed right at first.

Good defense put RBT down 1-2-3. This was all Tiny Rads at third base and some Li’l Rads at first base.

Cougars 4 RBT 3

Fifth Inning

Boom used his long iron to hit a clean single but his quick feet and head first slide turned it into a double. Then Tiny Rads singled to drive him in for our lone inning run.

Our opponent had the yips and we let up no runs.

Cougars 5 RBT 3

Sixth Inning

Fort lofted a single and then scored on hits by JD and Li’l Rads and Cubitt.

Another scoreless inning for our foe.

Cougars 6 RBT 3

Seventh Inning

Ivey hooked a single and then we had consecutive hits by Boom, Tiny Rads, Rads and Fort. It was like we were at a driving range and we scored three crucial runs.

Why were our runs crucial? Because RBT hit a three run moonshot homer in the bottom of the inning. They got one other hit but we were able to thankfully shut the rally down.

Cougars 9 RBT 6

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Cougars vs. Miller Time

First Inning

We teed off first against the five-time defending league champs. Boom waggled the bat and led us off with a hit and Charley did the same. Rads hit a worm-burner into a fielder’s choice forcing Charley out but scoring Boom. Fort skyed a double and scored Rads and then went to third on an error. Martin drove in Fort for our third run. JD and Li’l Rads also got hits and were left on base.

Miller Time scored three and left three on base.

Cougars 3 Miller Time 3

Second Inning

We mirrored our first inning with three more runs. Ivey uncoiled and led us off again with a single and Boom gripped it and ripped it as well. Tiny Rads beat out an infield single to load ‘em up. Rads laced a single up the middle to unload all three bases.

Once again, Miller Time scored three.

Cougars 6 Miller Time 6

Third Inning

We got three more…outs that is. We went down 1-2-3.

Miller Time scored four.

Cougars 6 Miller Time 10

Fourth Inning

Ivey did it again – yanked a single to the left side. Pastor Ted hit a lob shot and moved him over to two. Boom beat out an infield single moving Ivey to third. Tiny Rads, in his only out of the night, hit into a fielder’s choice but drove in Ivey for an RBI.

Two hits and an infield fly double play by the Cougars leads to nowhere for our opponent.

Cougars 7 Miller Time 10

Fifth Inning

Cougars score one with Fort, Martini, JD and Li’l Rads all pulling out the driver.

Miller scores three.

Cougars 8 Miller Time 13

Sixth Inning

With a sweet swing arc, Tiny Rads gets his seventh hit of the night but did not touch home plate.

Miller Time with a bomb to score one.

Cougars 8 Miller Time 14

Seventh Inning

The Cougars pressed and couldn’t make the magic happen in a come back from behind victory.