Team Rounds/Fielding – 15
Team Hill/Sitting – 13
Team Wally/Hitting – 10
It was another beautiful summer day in Florida — assuming your definition of beautiful includes temperatures suitable for slow-roasting a softball team.
The heat was brutal, and apparently it affected not only our ability to move quickly, but possibly our understanding of the concept altogether. By the end of six innings, we'd had enough and called it a day.
But before Mother Nature pulled the plug, there was plenty of action.
Team Wally and Team Rounds came out hot, both putting up 5 runs in the first inning while Team Hill settled for 3. Apparently sitting out the first inning was exactly what Hill needed, because they woke up in the second and scored 5. Team Wally added 1 while Team Rounds took the inning off offensively.
Then came the third inning.
This is where senior softball reached its full potential.
Vandenberg started with a base hit. Broto somehow got to first. Somewhere along the way Vandenberg was apparently out at second — although exactly when remains under investigation.
Then Thompson hit one to short.
What followed can best be described as organized confusion without the organized part.
At one point we had two runners standing on second base, which, for those unfamiliar with softball strategy, is generally considered one too many.
Broto scored. Short threw to second. The girl fired to third, where Gonzales tagged Thompson out. Another runner retreated toward first and was thrown out there.
Was it a double play?
A triple play?
A fielder's choice?
According to the scoresheet, there may have also been a walk involved.
After reviewing all available evidence, interviewing absolutely no witnesses and consulting a scoresheet that only created more questions, the official ruling is:
Something happened. One run scored. Three outs were eventually recorded. Next inning.
Team Rounds added a run from Muniz in the third, sending us into the fourth at 5-9-8.
Team Wally scored 3 and held Team Hill to just 1 before Team Rounds decided to quit fooling around and put up 5.
In the fifth, Team Wally stranded two runners and pushed across only 1. Team Hill answered with 3 behind a Williamson triple and runs from Vandenberg and Broto.
Team Rounds kept rolling, adding two more with help from a Rebideau home run and extending their lead.
Team Wally managed one more run in the sixth, but it wasn't enough to catch Team Hill. And with Team Rounds already comfortably ahead, there was no reason to send them back out for their final at-bat.
Which was probably a good thing because, at our current rate of travel, some of them might still be walking to the batter's box.
So we'll blame today's abbreviated six-inning game primarily on the Florida heat.
Primarily.
But here's a little challenge for next time: when an inning ends, let's experiment with something new called “moving with purpose.”
Nobody needs to sprint. Nobody needs to pull a hamstring. And we're certainly not asking anyone to jeopardize their Medicare eligibility.
But perhaps we could upgrade from Sunday stroll to airport gate closing in 10 minutes.
Because we'd really like to see what happens in the seventh inning next game.
See you on the field!