Softball and the Sweet Taste of Victory

I am a bit behind on my entries here, and I have two games to write about. I have decided to make separate entries for each, because they each deserve their own special treatment.

After a week off for Memorial Day (when we Bunns were living the good life on vacation in Silicon Valley) we were back at Zenoff Park, this time with a pretty healthy fan base, led by our resident seminarian for the summer, Phil Kosloski. Unfortunately for the other team, Opi's Sports Bar, their starting pitcher was--shall we say--weak... and we were happy to take the walks. In our league, the men get to take two bases for a walk, so that helped. But we also did some hitting, and good fielding, and it all added up to a 20-0 shutout, with a 4-inning game per the "mercy rule." The completely softball highlights can be read on our Stevens Point Softball page on the parish website.

I was catcher this game again, and I enjoyed it. Now I've realized that I have my own unique style when I'm catching... most of the other teams catchers stand up or just crouch a little bit behind the plate. I, following the way my sister was catching before the season started, squat right behind the batting box and stick the glove right where the strikes should drop. The umpire found this convenient, apparently, because he was crouched right behind me, and I think I stepped on his toes three times when I stood up and took a step backward to get out of the way of the batter after they hit the ball, or just to recover a ball that got away on me.

It was our last game with Tony, the guy who plays on a "real" softball team somewhere (I don't really know the whole story, I just know they're in a more serious league), and he is good at making hot-dog plays at short-stop. He can really hit the ball during practice, too, but didn't have as much luck during the games, probably because of the regulation fat ball. Anyway, it was his last game and he played well.

Afterwards, we finally had a chance to hang out socially, heading over to Pete's Bar and Grill for a bit. Good food, nice atmosphere, nice staff. It is also going to be the location of Stevens Point's Theology on Tap (more info on our parish website).

Oh yes... how could I forget, we also took our team photo that night. Apparently, however, Blogger is not letting me upload it or I'm doing it wrong. But you can see the softball team photo here if I don't get it posted.

Winning is fun!

"They thought they were going to be REALLY BAD..."

Last Sunday at Mass our pastor announced that everyone was invited to our softball game Monday night. We actually had a double-header, but we were really pushing the first game, raising money for the new roof being put on our church. For every parishioner who showed up to cheer for us, our team would donate $2 for the roof fund. Father Louis' way of describing our prowess as a team? "They thought they were going to be really bad, but last week against Grazie's they cleaned up the infield." He mentioned his sentiments that he hoped we cleaned up the infield on the two pubs were playing Monday.

The first game was kind of a nail-biter. We were playing the 2nd St. Pub (which happens to be a couple blocks away from our church). Neither team played especially well. Heaven knows I was no shining star at that game. My problem is, I should not read softball tips before a game. I was just looking up some tips on how to hit a softball before I went to the game, and was watching online video clips of this guy putting his weight on his back foot, etc. So I tried putting my weight on my back foot and I could see how it would help, but when I tried it at bat I couldn't get a hit. Struck out. (Easy to strike out in a league with only two strikes.)

Nevertheless, we pulled out a victory in an extra inning at that game, which was great considering the fans.

It started to get really cold during the hour we had between games. The team we were playing for the second game, Graffitis, was playing during our off-hour, so a few of us hung around and watched. They all had nice jersey-style shirts, and they seemed to know what they were doing. They won big against the team we had forfeited to our first week. (Pretty sure we could have held our own against Fill's Bar if only we had showed up in time...) So then it was our turn to play against Graffitis. We were all stiff and cold from sitting there, so even with a little warming up before we played, we still had a tough time getting any momentum. It wasn't a shut-out though. And I actually did do okay in this one at bat. I got walked once, and I got a good hit that actually got a couple of runs in and I made it to base, believe it or not.

But, we lost. We just didn't get that rally going early enough. Complete game highlights can be read on our parish softball webpage.

The first game I was catcher again... and was glad I was not catcher the second game (because in watching Graffitis play Fills, there were a lot of plays at the plate). The Keymaster Chris decided to give a couple of other ladies a chance at catcher, and I was DH the first half of the game, then was put in right field. I liked it out there. I got to move around a little more... at least, I decided to move around a little more, running in to help back up second, backing up to be ready for a fly ball, whatever. Not much happened there. I fielded one ball that Jason, at first, said he should have gone for but he was frozen. But, it was a nice change of scenery, and more relaxing. Hopefully I will be able to do some good out there if Chris puts me out there again.

So now we have a week off because of Memorial Day. I think I'm going to miss playing, and am looking forward to next time.

One note... our team needs to have more fun. Gotta work on that.

Victory!!!

Well, give us a chance to play a real game and we're not half bad! In fact, compared to the team we were playing, Grazies, we looked like all-stars. In their defense, I don't think they are in this league to win so much as to party.

Monday night started out with batting practice at St. Peter's. It had been raining all day but it stopped just for us. The field was kind of muddy though. Anyway, my sister Danielle was the first one there, with her three kids. For a few minutes she pitched to me til the rest of the crew showed up. At the end of the practice, Chris drilled us a little in the infield, which was good.

My catching lesson for the day: basically, the play is almost always at first. If the ball is bunted down the first or third base line, or hit right in front of the plate, it's up to me to get it and throw it to first.

An addendum to that is if there is a runner on third, and the ball is bunted down the third base line. If the runner has to run (i.e. bases loaded), I would either tag the base or the runner. If the runner does not have to run (bases not loaded) but goes for it, I have to tag the runner. I am shaking in my booties about when that day comes!

On to the softball game... we had the late game, and when we got there the game before us wasn't quite over so we really had a late start. The team we forfeited to last week was playing. They won.

We had a full roster, so it was a game... I played the whole time, even though Chris wanted to switch me out partway through with a girl that's even more rookie than I am. She refused, said catcher is the one position she does not want to play.

Chris pitched the first part of the game, Phil finished it off. I thought he was much improved from last week.

One of the reasons we got a big lead was that we have some real hitters at the top of the batting order. Not only that, but they can run fast too and are willing to go for it. So they'd slug one out there for a double, and everyone would run. So we scored a lot in that first inning. I believe another reason we scored high was the walk rule. This league has a crazy rule where if the pitcher walks you, you get to take two bases. Not only that, but if the next person up to bat is a girl (I think that's the rule) she gets to go to first without batting at all. That happened to me once, but we were out before I advanced beyond that.

That was the only time I was on base. I got one hit and was out at first, but we got two runs off of it. Is that what they call a sacrifice?

Thank goodness something went right at lease... cuz my second at bat I struck out... swinging at garbage.

In the end, we basically creamed 'em. Kept them the two runs. I think the final score was 14-2. when you have 12 run lead like that the game is called. "Mercy rule."

We had the funniest umpire. He was an African American guy, kind of heavy set, and he was teasing the players when we did something against the rules. The first thing he told me was to take my watch off. I guess watches are illegal when you're catching? I don't know. Who knows what the rules are in this crazy league? I would like to get a copy of them and post them on The Saint Peter Key's website.

At one point someone on the other team was talking kind of loudly and swearing in the dugout behind me, so I said, "Hey, watch that potty mouth, we're a church team." The umpire said with his southern accent--not from around these parts-- "Oh, I forgot, we're playing with the LAWD today!"

It was a lot of fun winning... and everything's pretty light-hearted. The umpire kept it light too, unlike the guy we had last week who was dead serious with his little stop watch telling me I got there too late, etc.

No big plays for me at this game, but my voice is still hoarse from cheering!