Editor’s Note: Due to lack of players keeping the Diamondback score book, statistics and hitting summaries are unavailable for this game at this time.

If the weather forecast were correct, the Evergreen Park Diamondbacks would have been looking at a rain out for opening day, and the only fan in the stands would have been left packing. Instead, the clouds provided the Windy City Devils with little cover from the Diamondback pitching staff.

With 10 minutes before the start of the game, the Diamondbacks shuffled their lineup around like a willow tree blowing in the wind – with a makeshift defense that resembled rejected roadies from a Winger concert. Several key players from the team had thought the game would be rained out and failed to make the trip, while another was missing in action after attending prom night with a (apparent) minor.

Despite the challenges and missing equipment, the Diamondbacks managed to field a team of nine players to take on the Windy City Devils.

Game One opened with veteran RHP Ed Sochacki taking the mound for the Diamondbacks, pitching a strong 3.1 innings with 6 K’s without allowing an earned run. He exited in the 4th inning, trailing 3-2, yielding to Nate (we don’t have his last name just yet), who was noticeably beefier coming into this season from his rookie season with the D-Backs in 2008. Nate picked up the win when the Diamondbacks rallied, scoring 4 runs over the last three innings. The Devils didn’t go quietly though and made a comeback in the bottom of the 7th, but fell short by a run. The Diamondbacks won, 7-6.

Fresh off the heels of their victory in the first game, Don Mycek took the hill in Game 2. Picking of where he left off at the end of last season, Mycek made short work of the first three Devils hitters, retiring them on back-to-back strikeouts and a fly-out.

The Diamondbacks came to the plate for their first at-bats in Game 2, but had to wait 13 pitches, and four batters later to see their first hittable pitch of the inning. After plating three runs in the first, the Diamondbacks added another four runs in the second inning.

Matt Flavin came on in the 5th inning in relief of Mycek and did an exceptional job, closing out the game.

The Devils threatened several times throughout the course of the game and managed to score five runs of their own, but ultimately came up short, losing the second game, 7-5.

The sweep by the Diamondbacks on opening day is their first since 2006, and should pave the way to another winning season. Reinforcements should arrive next week for the D-Backs as Thad Sochacki will make his comeback after season-ending surgery on his ACL, and Eddie Milas doesn’t have a prom to attend. Also expected back are Ronnie “Boo-boo” Coleman and Luis Ramirez, both of which now possess manager Senese’s cell phone number and can call in to verify their availability for the games.

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