On July 27th some of our Michiana Senior Softball League players took on players from the Mid-America Senior Softball League at Normain Field in Mishawaka. The games were great, but the real treat July 26 was a chance for all of us to see old friends and former team mates.
Senior Game Recap:
Our seniors, coached by Gary Marcus, defeated theirs, 20-16. A full story and photo is available at Gary’s website
Junior Game Recap:
Our juniors, coached by Mike Fair, battled the Mishawakans to a 20-20 tie. As the junior game prepared for extra innings, lightning crackled across the sky. With a 30-minute delay in the offing, it was decided to declare the game over, and both teams went home happy. Mike provided highlights for a report on the junior game for our Facebook page. For those of you who don’t use Facebook, this is how that report went:
Our junior division contingent battled for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to grab a 20-20 tie against an all-star squad from the Mishawaka softball league.
Faron Lubbers led all batters, going four-for-four with two big home runs, Tod Moorhead was three for four with a homer, as was Joe Gambill. Other batting leaders were Bob White with three hits, Adam Kroemer with two hits and a home run, and Rodney Smith with a home run.
It was a slugfest, in part because of a strong breeze going straight out to centerfield, especially in the later innings.
When the five-run rally concluded, players began preparing for an eighth inning. A large bolt of lightning charged across the sky to the north of the field. Rather than wait out a 30-minute delay, managers agreed to a 20-20 tie.
It was an appropriate ending to a hard-fought game between old friends.
“I was very proud of all the guys,” said Mike Fair, who organized the game. “They played their hearts off and represented the South Bend League very professionally!
“Thanks to all the guys for participating and the great support we had from the fans! Also, thank you Alan Nutting for helping coach both teams!”
At times, 50 or more spectators lined the fences at Normain Park. It truly was a nice night to watch a game and to remember good times together.
There are good reasons to keep these two leagues separate now. But there also may be opportunities for us to work together informally. A couple ideas that have been mentioned include having a combined fall league and having a morning softball activity for the 70-plus crowd, based mostly on batting without fielding or base-running.
These are things we can do. But they will take someone with enough interest to organize and carry out these programs. That’s a reason we should thank, again, Mike Fair and Mishawaka’s Chuck Comer, for putting together the July 26 exhibition. We all benefit when our people turn ideas into action.