Look out D league!

CONCORD -- If the world of D league softball thought it'd have the Hot Chasers to push around forever, forget about it. The Hot Chasers showed in a 21-13 loss to FCS Happy Hour that they're nobody's punching bags.

For sure, the setback continued the HC'ers string of no wins in 2005. But the underdog, overachieving 'Chasers showed that they're not going to take their losing ways lying down, that there's still a little swagger to the walk and a hop to the step.

Example A: Six runs in the very first inning. Devotees of Hot Chasers lore will recall the team performed the very same feat in last week's game. That's right: sit yourself down, put on the thinking cap and mull this development: A six-run first inning for the second game in a row. Brain sufficiently boggled? Good. Let's continue.

And in this rally, the team didn't even get a hit until the fourth batter of the frame. Mike Gale led off with a safe-on-error, Chris Wagnon coaxed a rare walk, and, after a popout, newly minted cleanup man Chase Bryson singled. The big blows in the frame were a bases-clearing double by none other than Dave Belli, making his initial Hot Chaser foray. And Neil Hayes, perhaps inspired by his son's artistic contributed to the blog, also ripped an RBI double, the first blow of his 3-for-3 outing.

The Hot Chasers grew feisty again in the fifth stanza, when they plated five runs. Gale, Wagnon, Luke Abbott and Bryson all delivered consecutive safeties, and Hayes and another welcome Hot Chaser addition, Bob Leal, also contributed base hits to the uprising.

In other words: If you D-leaguers think you have another easy time coming with the Hot Chasers, think again. You've been warned.

The Hot Chasers have some time to collect their thoughts and ponder the meaning of it all. The next game isn't until June 16, when they play High and Tight at 7:20 on field 2.