B#3

Hanover Thunder Fastpitch Softball!

Thunder Pride...

NSA State Tournament

June 19-21, 2009

NSA in Richmond brought in the best teams from around the state to compete in its’ state tournament over the weekend. In all, over 40 teams competed in the 3 day tournament. After an opening game on Friday, the teams were placed in 4 divisions and competed in a double elimination tournament with 2 teams from each advancing to a single-elimination Sunday afternoon bracket.

After staking to a 6-0 lead after 4 innings, the Thunder gave up 3 in the 7^th to the RBI Inferno but held on to claim the opener.

In divisional play on Saturday, the Thunder scored 2 in the 1^st and 4 in the 3^rd on route to an 11 to 1 win over the Extreme Force Red. In the final game of Saturday, the Thunder faced the eventual champion E-town Outlaws. Thunder, with a couple of fielding miscues and unable to get timely hits, dropped the game 4 to 1. On the positive side, the Thunder had runners in scoring position in several innings (including runners on base in 5 of the 7 innings) and had only 2 strike-outs the entire game. The game set-up a scenario that required the Thunder to win 3 straight on Sunday to advance to the Elite 8.

On Sunday, the Thunder got the win they needed in the 1^st game with an 8-0 win over the Strike Force. The Thunder broke open a 3-0 game with 5 runs in the 4^th inning. The win set-up a match-up with the Rampage. In a battle to the end, the Rampage ended up on top (eventually advancing to the final four of the tournament) with the final score of 4-2. The Thunder, in the top of the 2^nd inning, got things started with a Shawna K lead-off double. Lindsey N laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her to 3^rd with Ashley B knocking her in on a well hit ball to right side of the infield. The Thunder couldn’t manage any more runs in the inning and went to the bottom of the 5^th leading 1-0. The Rampage, with 2 outs on 2 pitches in the inning, got runners on 1^st and 2^nd followed by 2-run scoring blast to the gap in right-center to take the 2-1 lead. In the top of the 6^th, with 2 outs, Shannon A provided some much needed offense for the Thunder with a blast that went to the 200 foot fence in left-center. The relay to the plate was not in time to get the hustling Thunder player at the plate – the home run tied the game at 2 apiece. In the bottom of the 6^th with time running out (90 minute time-limit), the Rampage again got a clutch 2-out hit to score 2 runs. After the hit, the timer sounded, eliminating the Thunder’s chances to come-back in the 7^th inning.

For the weekend the Thunder went 3-2 with close losses to 2 of the top 4 teams in the tournament. The Thunder, playing an aggressive schedule in highly competitive tournaments, will take next weekend off before playing in the Queen of the Hill tournament over the July 4^th weekend.

NSA Brings in the Best...

Thunder Rally Monkey

Hits Hard Times,

Bounces Back...

Richmond (AP) — In an unusual, tragic, and ultimately inspiring turn of events, the Thunder Rally Monkey has emerged from a roller coaster of emotions as he again prepares to lead the Thunder. The Monkey, whose real name is Gunther Treeswinger, was on top of the world just a few weeks ago as he led the Thunder Blue team to a Championship in the first tournament of the year. Good times, bad times, he’s certainly had his share over the last few weeks...follow the timeline below for his recent journey...

May 24 — Gunther spurs the Thunder to the Memorial Day weekend win, gets some sweet publicity on the website...

June 6-7 — Gunther is MIA (Missing In Action) as the Thunder falls in the Crowne Plaza Invitational in Williamsburg. Rumors were rampant. One report had him visiting an ill grandmother in northern Africa, while another unsubstantiated report had him at the craps tables in Las Vegas. Another possibility was that he was locked in a bedroom closet at one of players houses…

June 19-20 — Still a no-show for the NSA State Tournament, an APB was instituted late Saturday night, with global text messages sent to everyone associated with the Thunder team...

June 21 — Thunder Rally Monkey RETURNS! In a surprise return, Gunther leads the Thunder to a win in a critical Sunday morning matchup. However, the joy was short-lived, as the Thunder, with Gunther in the dugout, were eliminated in the next game. While the Thunder players, coaches, and fans were disappointed, they knew that they would live to play another day. Gunther, on the other hand, did not take it as well…

Sunday night ~ 6 p.m. — Gunther seen at local bar attempting to take the sting out of the loss...

Early Monday morning ~ 2:30 a.m. — Gunther continues to drown his sorrows, not looking so good...

Later that morning, after allegedly hooking up with a monkey of ill repute (above, right), Gunther attempts to soar through the tree tops to get back home — unfortunately, he is stopped by local police and arrested for Drunk in Public...

After spending a night behind bars, Gunther is released, but he continues to despair...an unidentified photographer captured these pictures taken sometime during the day Monday...

Step back from that ledge my friend...

Wednesday night — Gunther gets some well deserved shut-eye after a tumultuous several days...

Contacted late Thursday, Gunther offered these inspirational words to all those in the Thunder Family...

Tuesday morning — After hitting “Rock Bottom”, Gunther gets a surprise visit from the Dalai Lama who was passing through Richmond on his way to a Rascall Flatts concert in Northern Virginia this weekend. After a day of introspection and meditation, Gunther emerges from his self-induced funk...

“Each today, well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and each tomorrow a vision of hope. Look, therefore, to this one day, for it and it alone is life.”

“The most important things in life are your friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude towards life. If you have these then you have everything!"

Gunther Treeswinger—June 25, 2009

aka-Thunder Rally Monkey...

...Then, Now, & Forever...