Allowing no hits, and having plenty of their own, West Potomac pounded the Cavaliers 19-4 on a night more suited to bad writing than to softball. The steady rain dictated game tactics, as Coach Craig Maniglia juggled his line-up and his offensive tactics to ensure the game did not have to be called for rain.
The mercy rule had a double meaning in this game. It did not just mean the game ended after five innings because the Wolverines led by ten runs or more, it also meant mercy for the players, coaches, fans, and yes, umpires. A lot of credit needs to go to the Woodson field for not getting muddy, requiring cancellation. And, credit goes to the boys in blue, who did not suspend the game despite the steady downpour. Also, it was heartening to see way more Wolverine fans on the visiting bleachers than Cavalier fans on the home side.
If Lee was the "TGWBALCTEBTOTHIS" game, Woodson turned out to be this year's "This Team Is Not As Good As They Used To Be, So The Game Isn't Even Close" game (or "TTINAGATUTBSTGIEC" for short).
Starting pitcher Jayne Orleans was dominant, facing the minimum twelve batters in her four innings pitched. Reliever Christina Dillard was not as sharp, having difficulty with the wet ball. Christina did not give up any hits, but four walks, a bunch of slippery wild pitches, and an error led to Woodson scoring four runs despite having only six fair balls in their sixteen at bats.
The Wolverines stuck quickly, scoring four runs in the top of the first, whilst the rain was not too bad. Annabelle Miller started the run scoring off by singling with the bases loaded (thanks to an error and two walks) to drive in two runs. After Raven Williams scooted home on a wild pitch, Jayne knocked a sacrifice fly to center to close out the first inning scoring.
Jayne started off the game with two strikeouts and a walk. The Woodson baserunner was erased by Torie Bolger to Nikki for the caught stealing to end the inning.
Kate Gregory started off the second with the first of her three singles on the night. After three errors put two more Wolverines on base (yes, there were two Woodson errors on one play), the excitement of back-to-back bases loaded walks ensued. Raven and Annabelle both picked up RBI with their patience.
Then, things got interesting. Or at least I think they did -- my notes are streaked and stained by the rain. I'm pretty sure what happened is that Jayne either knocked a green smudge or an RBI single, as did Maddie Miller. Olivia Manous picked up an RBI on the team's second sac fly of the night. Kate added a single to left. While West Potomac was hitting the rain right off the ball, Woodson added five errors on the inning to let Wolverines take plenty of extra bases. It was 10-0.
Jayne got a flyout and two groundouts to make short, yet increasingly wetter, work of the second inning defensively. If there any great defensive plays, your faithful writer missed them for a work conference call (sorry, but my day job pays better than sportswriting for a softball blog!).
The top of the third started in a scintillating fashion. Jayne's RBI stroll with the bases loaded was the fourth straight base on balls. It was then that we realized the ump was in no mood to postpone the game -- the Woodson pitcher had little control of the wet ball -- and yet, fortunately, we played on. Olivia's single drove in another run. Her RBI single was followed by two more -- by Harley Devine and again by Kate, and the score was 15-0.
In the sloppy, rain-soaked bottom of the third, Megan Jackson made the play of the game. With four runs in already for Woodson, their batter smacked a long shot down the left line. Running at a full sprint, Megan reached up behind her and snagged the ball backhanded to end the inning. A SportsCenter Top Ten catch.
West Potomac got the four runs back in the fourth when Olivia smacked a hard double off the left field wall to drive in two. Olivia's shot might have the hardest hit Wolverine smack of the season so far. Kate followed up with a two RBI single to make the score 19-4.
In an effort to speed the game up, Coach Craig reinserted Jayne back on the mound. She whiffed two of the three in the fourth, showing no signs of the wet ball bothering her. Meanwhile, Wolverine parents Jim Miller and Sean Jackson were gathering wood to build an ark. After loading the bases in the top of the fifth, all three Wolverines were called out for leaving the base early. The intentional outs (which were set up by two walks and a single by Jayne -- all hits get mentioned in these articles) sped the game up.
In the bottom of the fifth, Jayne threw two balls, including one that slipped out of her hand and rolled harmlessly toward the home dugout. After that, she decided it was time to go home. She threw nine straight strikes, none of which were even fouled off, to end the game. After the eleventh pitch, and ninth straight strike of the inning ended the game, fans hightailed it to their cars to get warm and get home.
Wolverine Whispers: I'm not saying tonight's game at Annandale is not going to happen, but the weather service warnings of flash flooding for Fairfax County suggest it is, as they say at McDonald's, not McLikely. . .Jayne had seven strikeouts, while Christina added one. . .Kate went three for three with two RBI, Olivia went two for three with a screaming double and three RBIs (Editor's Note: Snoopy and Bugs Bunny in the same article? Reporter: I just need a Calvin and Hobbes reference to hit the trifecta), and Annabelle had three RBI and reached base four times, thanks to a hit and three walks. . .is it just me, or does anyone else automatically insert "Annandale" into the Billy Joel song "Allentown" anytime the Atoms come up? "Yeah we're living here in Annandale. . ." So, it is only me? Hmm.
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