Law Students

Softball weekend

The gods smiled on UVA for at least Saturday and softball weekend was a blast.  We weren't really in a state to take notes, but here's a little of what happened.

Friday's games were only a half-hour each and we saw some decent play.  For the most part, UVA's teams started strong and looked good against good teams. 

Amazingly, there was no rain Saturday morning and the games all proceeded according to plan.  We didn't make it to the fields until about 5p, but that was plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere and watch Charlottesville Youth and Family Services get an enormous check.

Then the Homerun Derby, which was probably the highlight not for the hitting -- which was mostly mediocre -- but for the brilliant commentary.  Homeruns were either meat sandwichs, dingers or Barack Obamas and pity the hitter who struck out without sending at least one over the fence.  Some guy from BC went up against UVA's own Kyle Z. in the finals.  BC guy had 12 homeruns and Kyle had 7 all with only 5 strikes allowed.  Neither did nearly as well in the final, but BC guy put it away in sudden death.  

While the derby was going on we also caught what had to have been the best game of the tournament.  CoRec blue was facing a determined Maryland team.  Because of the game's timing there was actually a very large contigent of fans, probably 40 plus.  Maryland (away) was up by two runs with UVA at bat with two outs and 47 minutes had already gone by.  Under the rules, new innings only start before 48 minutes had run.  This made the flyout probably the most crucial play of the game.  UVA scrambled to the field and Maryland was forced to play another inning.  Their pitcher complained vigorously.  At least one person (it may have been us) yelled, "that's not a substantive claim!" (We're sorry) and the game went on.  The extra inning had clearly rattled their pitcher as he loaded up the bases.  This brought up Mike W. who cranked a long fly ball to center to win the game.  This was everything that is good and pure about softball, at least until Mike comes clean about the 'roids. (Photo courtesy of Jason McKim).

Sunday got basically rained out, so the tournament was condensed to three-inning games with each hitter getting one strike.  A similar game is called pinball.  Despite that, Men's Gold went on to win the tournament.  Co-Rec Gold lost in the semis to Penn and Florida Coastal, a perennial softball powerhouse, won in the finals.

All in all, considering the doom and gloom in the weather reports, it was a fantastic weekend and one of the things that makes us proud to go here. 

Full post as published by TJ's Double Play on April 08, 2008 (boomark / email).