Parrotheads make history; record thrilling first playoff victory

First base coach Bob Cook knew the Parrotheads would need a little insurance to beat Lavin Brothers during their first round playoff game and speedster Jason Claffey was the perfect player to make it happen.
“I told Jason to run as hard as he could to get to third base if Brandon Palmer hit a single and he did,” Cook said. Palmer cracked a single to right field and Claffey got on his horse making a head-first slid into third base ahead of the throw.
“I knew I was going to get there. It just ended up being a little closer than what I expected,” said Claffey with the front of his jersey caked in dirt.
The Parrotheads were ahead of Lavin Brothers, 12-10, in the top of the 7th inning when Claffey made his iconic dash around the bases. He later scored and another run was plated when Lavin Brothers initially muffed a force out at second. Sure enough, Lavin Brothers scored two runs in the last half of the 7th before Parrotheads pitcher Justin Palmer retired the side.
The final score was 14-12 and many Parrothead players contributed to the tally including left fielder Adrian Alford, who made diving catches, hit his fifth inside the park homerun and just did it all. The Palmer brothers also had an impact along with Cook, who collected a few singles and a few RBIs.
The Parrotheads were comfortably on top 11-2 before Lavin Brothers scored three runs in the bottom of the 4rth inning to close the gap to 11-5. But the Parrotheads were never in jeopardy of losing this game and made sure they made the plays in the field when they had to.
“This was a great game for us,” said Justin Palmer, who threw another complete game and struck out three batters. “Everybody contributed. We had a good feeling if we showed up and played the way we are capable of, we could win this game.”
The momentum didn’t carry over in the two subsequent losses versus Navy Yard and Meat House. The Parrotheads were locked in a 1-1 game with Navy Yard going into the third inning before the three-time Dover Co-Rec League champions blew it open with a 15-1 victory. Meat House then beat the Parrotheads, 13-2, to officially oust them from the tournament.
Overall, the Parrotheads under Justin Palmer finished 6-17, which was five times better than they finished as the Beacons the previous two seasons where they only record three wins. Cook, who finished his 10th season as a softballer, says he is already planning on playing again next season with his teammates because he believes they now have the right core to build on this season’s success.
“We accomplished a lot for our first season together and I think we can accomplish much more if we stay together,” he said.

2010 Tournament: Parrotheads versus Lavin Brothers

Parrotheads fans were already camping out in front of the team's ticket office on Foundry Street just minutes after team officials announced the first game will be Saturday at 9 a.m. versus Lavin Brothers.
GoldStar Park should be rocking for this one because the two teams are evenly matched and should provide a good game. Two of the Parrotheads victories this year were wins over Lavin Brothers: the most recent by forfeit and a 17-7 win back in May.
Look for Justin Palmer, the Parrotheads ace, to take the hill. Also look for a batting line-up that will give RBI machine DH Bob Cook plenty of at bats.
Palmer, who is also the Parrotheads coach, has kept his plans close to the vest. A practice scrimmage against Chumley's scheduled on Wednesday was rained out so the flock won't have any practice time before the tournament begins. Coming off the heels of their impressive win over Collins Sports, the Parrotheads should be ready to battle Lavin Brothers. Win or lose, the Parrotheads will play at least one more game on Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m. If the team wins one of those two playoff games, or both, they will advance in the tournament.
Navy Yard, a.k.a. TJ's, the current Dover Co-Rec League champion, is favored to repeat and capture another title. For the Parrotheads, the playoff tournament is more about winning respect after the team posted a much improved 5-15 regular season record and played well down the stretch.
"This is great team with great guys and girls and it is the most fun I've had playing with a bunch of people on a softball field for a long, long time," said Cook, who is finishing up his 10th year as pro softball player.
"I like the way we played in our last game and I told everybody that if we bring that same attitude and energy to our playoff games, we can win," said Palmer. "I know we can compete with anybody if we just play to our ability in the field and at the plate."
Break out the sombreros, Margarita's and Carribean music. It's party time! The first pitch of the Parrotheads first playoff game is at 9 a.m.

Parrotheads finish strong: thrash Collins Sports, 19-5

The Parrotheads were out to make a statement and send a strong message to the rest of the league when they thoroughly destroyed arch-rival Collins Sports, 19-5, and took the season series.
The team was simply unbeatable at the plate, in the field and on the base paths and there were too many highlights to count. Jason Claffey’s diving snow-cone catch in centerfield, Adrian Alford’s inside the park homerun, Bob Cook’s three hits that help the Parrotheads jump out to a quick 3-0 lead, and Justin Palmer’s masterful pitching, which culminated on two Ks. Brandon Leavitt also had some pop in his bat, hitting one laser after another for hits.
“This was a great win for our team,” Palmer said.
The Parrotheads finished the 2010 regular season with a 5-15 record as they prepare to head into the Dover Co-Rec League’s playoff tournament this weekend.
“I just like the way everybody showed up and really gave it their all to generate some offense early and play great defense,” Palmer said.
Collins Sports finished their regular season with one more victory than the Parrotheads, who hope to draw a first round opponent they can handle. But winning the season series against Collins was still very satisfying.
Cook says he is still waiting to collect on the bet he made with Collins Sports utility fielder and former Beacon Todd Collins. “He owes me an eight-pack of Sam Adams Summer Ale.”
Leavitt said the secret of the Parrotheads’ recent success is that the clubhouse always stays loose and nobody gets down on anyone or anything. “I decided to play this year because I wanted to have a good time and this whole season has been a blast,” said Leavitt.
Claffey’s stab, which has quickly become known as “The Catch” in league circles, drew the ire of some Collins players who claim the ball hit the ground, but the umpire didn’t see it that way. Claffey, who has struggled through the year with some nagging injuries, is healthy and ready to contribute his gold glove fielding and blazing speed to the team’s playoff run.
After the game, several Parrotheads retreated to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 47 to wish teammate Brandon Palmer good luck just weeks before he is scheduled to join the Marine Corps and report for basic training on Paris Island, S.C.
The team is scheduled to play Chumley’s in an exhibition game on Wednesday at GoldStar Park to prepare for the first playoff game on Saturday.

Parrotheads record first win in two months; take down Lavin Brothers by forfeit

The Parrotheads fell to Sal’s Pizza, 6-3, at Goldstar Park in Rollinsford Thursday evening, but got some great news from coach Justin Palmer: the team got another win by forfeit when Lavin Brothers could not muster enough players for what was supposed to be the second of two games this Sunday.
“Yes!” Parrotheads DH Bob Cook exclaimed as he chugged a post-game beer in the Parrotheads lockerroom. “It give us four wins and I’ll take it any way we can get’em.”
The team improved its record to 4-14 with two games left on the schedule, Sunday’s contest versus Post47 at 1 p.m. followed by a cruicial third game against Collins Sports on Tuesday before preparations for the post-season tournament commence.
Palmer explained the two teams have split their regular season series and the winner of Tuesday’s game could catapult into 8th place in the overall league standings, which could help the winning team draw a more even opponent in the first round. Palmer was adamant that he wants his team to show up and win Tuesday.
“We’ve got to win that game. We can’t lose on Tuesday,” he said.
As a side note, Cook and former Beacons utility infielder Todd Collins, now of Collins Sports, made a wager earlier this season that if their team won the series series, the loser would have to buy a six-pack of the winner’s favorite beer. Cook wants Collins to buy him a six-pack of Sam Adams Summer and Collins is leaning toward Red Stripe.