1st Inning Play-by-play (P): Welcome to beautiful Ottawa, where we are at Ottawa Stadium, home to the Montreal Expos' Triple-A affiliate, the Ottawa Lynx, for an exhibition game between the Sailor Senshi and Dark Kingdom Overlords. And we have a perfect day for it too. The temperature is a pleasant 21 degrees Celsius and there is a slight wind blowing out to left field. Color (C): And that wind will help batters like Sailor Jupiter and Malachite, who have been known to send the ball over the Green Monster in Fenway Park just in batting practice. P: The managers have exchanged lineup cards at home plate and we'll bring you the top of the first after these messages. [Commercial for the Sailor Sam doll from Irwin] P: And welcome back to Ottawa Stadium. The Senshi have taken the field. At first base is the team's captain, Sailor Moon. Sailor Mercury is at second, Sailor Mars at the hot corner, and Sailor Saturn at short rounds out the infield. In center, Sailor Uranus; in right, Sailor Jupiter; and in left, Sailor Jupiter. Today's battery has Sailor Venus catching and Tuxedo Mask pitching. Tuxedo Mask has switched teams often enough to qualify for Frequent Flyer miles, but he's back with Senshi, this time to stay. Tuxedo Mask will be facing this lineup today: 1 Racy, CF 2 Rubeus, 3B 3 Alan, 1B 4 Nephrite, RF 5 Malachite, C 6 Ann, SS 7 The Tennis Youma, LF 8 Zoisite, 2B 9 Jadeite, P C: And he is looking dapper in his tuxedo, cape, and top hat. When he's on his game, the opposition seldom gets on base. Stadium Announcer (SA): First up, for the Dark Kingdom Overlords, the center fielder, Racy! C: Racy comes into today's game batting .263 with no home runs and 25 stolen bases. If she gets on base, Tuxedo Mask will have his arms full trying to keep her close to first. P: Tuxedo Mask starts from the windup. The pitch ... a fastball nipping the corner for strike one. C: That's a good sign for the Senshi. Tux has his control early in the game. P: That he does. Tuxedo Mask is in his wind up. The pitch, a swing! and a miss for strike two. A slider that dipped as it crossed the plate. Racy gets herself set in the batter's box. Sailor Venus sends her signs. Tuxedo Mask winds up, pitches. Just a bit outside for ball one. The count is now one and two on Racy. C: This is where Racy does her best at bat. Tuxedo Mask will have to be careful as Racy will choose the pitch she'll swing at. P: The windup, the pitch. A blistering fastball! Racy swings! and misses for strike three and the first out. SA: Batting second, the second baseman, Rubeus! C: Rubeus is hitting .263 with 4 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 26 runs scored. He's been a tough out for the Senshi this year though. P: Rubeus settles into the batter's box. Tuxedo Mask pitches from the wind-up. A fastball, swung on and missed for strike one. C: This isn't the first match-up between Tuxedo Mask and Rubeus. Their previous meetings have been inconclusive. P: Tuxedo Mask goes into his wind-up. The pitch, a slider. Rubeus connects! The ball is heading to deep left field and is caught by Sailor Neptune for the second out. SA: Batting third, playing first base, Alan! C: Alan comes into today's game batting .275 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs. He's known as a first-ball-fast-ball hitter. Tuxedo Mask will have to be careful to pitch around him. P: Tuxedo mask winds up and pitches. It's a fastball down the middle. Alan grounds it between on the first base side of second. Sailor Mercury grabs it and throws! to Sailor Moon to get the out. C: And that's why Sailor Mercury is one of the day-to-day players on the team, with her ability to predict where the ball is going. P: The score card for the top of the first: no runs on, no hits, and no one left on base. So at the end of a half-inning of play, there is no score with the Senshi coming to bat. We'll be back with more game action after this commercial break. [Commercial for Jolt Cola featuring Sailor Chibi-Moon] P: And welcome back to Ottawa Stadium. After half an inning, there is no score with the Senshi coming to bat. The Overlords have taken the field. Defensively, the Overloads stack up as follows: At first base is Alan. Zoisite is at second, Rubeus at the hot corner, and Ann at short rounds out the infield. In center, the speedster Racy; in right, Nephrite; and in left, The Tennis Youma. Today's battery has Malachite catching and Jadeite pitching. Jadeite will be facing the following line up: 1 Sailor Mars, 3B 2 Sailor Moon, 1B 3 Sailor Venus, C 4 Sailor Uranus, CF 5 Sailor Jupiter, RF 6 Sailor Neptune, LF 7 Sailor Mercury, 2B 8 Sailor Saturn, SS 9 Tuxedo Mask, P C: I'm surprised to see Luna go with this lineup, considering how important this game is. The lineup is weak in the bottom third, especially with Sailor Saturn. I expect that Luna will be making some moves late in the game, especially if the game is close. SA: First up for the Senshi, playing third base, Sailor Mars! C: Sailor Mars is hitting .280 with 29 stolen bases and 40 runs scored for the season. P: Jadeite goes into his windup. The pitch is on the inside corner for strike one. Sailor Mars doesn't look too happy about that one. She steps back in the batter's box. Jadeite winds up, pitches. Another fastball. Sailor Mars grounds it past the shortstop. Sailor Mars winds up on first with a single. C: Did I hear something coming from the base? P: Must be your imagination. SA: Batting second for the Senshi, playing first base, Sailor Moon! P: Sailor Moon is batting .250 with 5 home runs 35 RBIs. C: This is adventurous for Luna. Sailor Moon is not known to be a great player until well into the late innings. She has often won games by coming through with a clutch hit or an amazing play, but until then, she is very lackluster. P: Sailor Mars is taking a big lead from first. Jadeite pitches from the stretch. Sailor Mars breaks for second. It's a pitch-out. Sailor Moon swings! The throw to second... Not in time! Sailor Mars slides under the tag. C: This makes it ten consecutive games that Sailor Mars has stolen at least one base and fifteen consecutive attempts without being caught. P: The count is now oh-and-one on Sailor Moon. Sailor Mars takes a short lead from second. Jadeite pitches from the stretch. Sailor Mars runs. A fastball down the middle. Sailor Moon drags a bunt down the first base line. Alan picks it up and beats her to first. C: There it is again. I swear I heard the first base. P: It's just your imagination. Sailor Mars holds on third. She is talking with the third base coach, Artemis. SA: Batting third, the catcher, Sailor Venus! C: Sailor Venus is batting .280 with 7 home runs and 37 RBIs. She is surprisingly speedy for a catcher. Rumor has it that she is romantically involved with the third base coach, Artemis. P: And that's all it is. A rumor. But she has been taking extra batting practice with him coaching her. And it has helped her batting average. C: She is also the Senshi's practical joker, as you can tell. She just entered the batter's box holding the bat at the wrong end. P: She certainly is the joker of the team. She's holding her bat properly now and sets in. Jadeite goes into his stretch. C: Wise move. Sailor Mars has successfully stolen home three times this season. P: The pitch, low, ball one. Sailor Venus gets out of the box to check the signs from Artemis. C: Amazing how well a cat can give signs, isn't it? P: Jadeite again pitches from the stretch. The pitch, swing! and Sailor Venus hits the ball to the gap. Sailor Mars scores easily. Nephrite retrieves the ball and throws it to Zoisite at second. Sailor Venus holds at first. But the Senshi have scored the first run of the game and lead one-nothing. C: There it is again! P: [...] As you said, Sailor Venus is the practical joker of the team. Maybe she placed a squeak toy or a whoopee cushion under it. SA: Batting fourth, the center fielder, Sailor Uranus. C: Now we're getting into the heart of the order. Sailor Uranus leads the league with a .365 batting average with 25 home runs and 45 RBIs. The only reason she doesn't lead the league with intentional walks is Sailor Jupiter bats behind her. Jadeite has the challenge also of keeping Sailor Venus on first. She has stolen 12 bases this season so far, plus twice has taken the base from the infield in the middle of the game. P: Sailor Venus takes a comfortable lead from first. Jadeite gets the signal, checks first. From the stretch. The pitch, a fastball. Sailor Uranus swings! The balls going deep! Back! Back! and over the head of Racy in center and off the wall. Sailor Venus rounds second and easily reaches third. Racy throws to Zoisite, the play's at second... Safe! Sailor Uranus slides into second with a double. C: There's that sound again. Don't give me that face! SA: Batting fifth, the right fielder, Sailor Jupiter! C: Sailor Jupiter is hitting .333 with 23 home runs and 47 RBIs. P: Jadeite gets his signs from Malachite. He winds up, pitches. Ouch! Jadeite has hit Sailor Jupiter on the shoulder. She starts to walk out to the mound. Luna and Artemis quickly run out to restrain her. Jadeite is just smirking at her. Here comes Sailor Pluto to help the cats. They get her over to first. She's still upset. She's just stomped on the base. C: What is that - P: Enough of the sound, okay? C: But - P: Enough! SA: Batting sixth, the left fielder, Sailor Neptune! C: Sailor Neptune is batting a healthy .278 with 14 home runs and 33 RBIs. The numbers are low because of the power hitters in front of her in the lineup. You know, about the sound... P: I don't want to hear it. C: Maybe it's time to get my hearing checked. P: Yes, it is. There's one out, and the bases are loaded as Sailor Neptune steps up to the plate. Jadeite returns to the windup. He looks in, pitches. The pitch clips the outside corner for strike one. C: Although the numbers don't show it, Jadeite is pitching very well today. P: Sailor Neptune steps back into the batter's box. Jadeite gets his sign, winds up, and pitches. Sailor Neptune drives it deep to right field, but Nephrite is under it. Sailor Venus easily scores on Sailor Neptune's sacrifice fly. C: But it is rubbing it in by running backwards. P: Sailor Uranus moves to third, but Sailor Jupiter stays at first. SA: Batting seventh, playing second base, Sailor Mercury! C: Sailor Mercury is batting .223 with 1 home run and 15 RBIs. P: With two outs, Sailor Mercury steps into the box. Jadeite pitches from the stretch. Sailor Mercury swings! and hits a chopper to third. Rubeus comes up with it and throws to Alan at first for the third out of the inning. The scoreboard for the bottom of the first: two runs on three hits, no errors and two left on base. And after one inning of play, the Senshi lead the Overlords by a score of two to nothing. Due up: Nephrite, RF Malachite, C Ann, SS