In its 39th year of competitive softball the playoffs are underway in the M Street Softball League. Games are held at 6:30 and 8:15 Monday through Thursday on the softball diamond at M Street Park.

Twenty teams competed this year in three divisions of play. In the competitive Lucas division, it was Shennanigan's Bar & Grille (16-2) who outlasted the Bushwhackers (14-3) to win the divisions and take the top seeding in the playoffs. However, the Bushwhackers stole the headlines this year as they were the last team to lose a game and many thought they could finish undefeated. It was a great turnaround for a team that didn't qualify for the playoffs last year. Pitcher Mike Hoadley is their ace and will be very tough to beat in a series. Last year's finalist, the Boston Beer Garden (9-8-1) started slowly but has come on of late and is looking for a return trip to the finals. The Sidewalk Cafe (9-8-1), Stadium (9-8-1), and Il Giardino (6-11-1) experienced a tough regular season but seem to have regrouped and are playing their best ball of the season at the most important time of the year.

In the Feeney division, it was a great race all season long between the Brewers (12-6), Cranberry Cafe (12-6), Murphy's Law (12-6), Bulldogs (10-8), and the Place (10-8). The division was won on the last night of the season when the Brewers knocked off Il Giardino 5-3 which gave them their twelfth win and the division by virtue of a complex tie-breaking system. The Place, who held first for a few weeks, were the tough luck losers in this division as the Bulldogs edged them out for the last playoff position. By winning the division, the Brewers earned the fifth seed in the quarter-finals while Cranberry, Murphy's, and the Bulldogs will have to claw their way through the preliminary rounds to get there.

Over in the Moran division, five teams were all within a game or two of each other throughout the season. In the end, it was the rookie team of Below Average Joe's (9-7) who hung on to win the division and secures a trip to the quarter-finals. Slainte (8-10), Southie Sox (8-10), and Dorset Club (7-10-1) each qualified for the playoffs and will battle it out in the preliminary rounds with the Lucas and Feeney division teams. The Free Agents (6-12) competed every night but just missed out on the final playoff position.

As of this writing, the preliminary round of playoffs began last week with the Stadium dispatching a scrappy Dorset team 13-7 and Il Giardino out slugging the Southie Sox 21-13. Monday's games will see Slainte face Jimmy McNiff and the Cranberry Cafe while the Bulldogs will take their cuts against Joey Venuti and Murphy's Law. The winners of these games will then pair off against the Stadium and Il Giardino on Tuesday with the winners of those games advancing to the quarter-finals. These games will be great match ups and should provide fans with some of the best ball of the season.

Speaking of the quarter-finals, Below Average Joe's will have their hands full in their best of three series with the Beer Garden and pitcher Keith Ziewey. The Beer Garden can hit and field with the best of them and when Ziewey has his "A" game they are very tough to beat. Another tough pitcher is Joey Magee, who made his return to the league after serving six years for his country. Magee will toe the mound for the Brewers in their best of three series against the Sidewalk Cafe. Both of these series begin on Wednesday and will continue on Monday, August 31.

Shennanigans Bar & Grill and the Bushwhackers both await their preliminary round semi-finalist opponents and will begin their best of three series on Thursday (August 27). Shennanigans has a talented team but some recent injuries could hurt their chances in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Bushwhackers hope to shake off their struggles in the last two weeks of the season and get back to playing winning softball.

It's going to be four great weeks of very competitive playoff softball at M Street Park. Game times are 6:30 and 8:15 accept for the finals were games will be held at 7:30. The players look for and encourage you to attend the games and will even sign an autograph or two for you. Have a great week and we look forward to seeing you at the park.