“If you build it, they will come.” On an uncharacteristically humid night in mid-October, that statement applies more to the idea that if you let the other team build a commanding lead, eventually AE’s team Indigo Heather would show up to play. And play we did.
Despite a 3-2 record and a number three seeding, careless fielding errors and inconsistent hitting during the 5-game regular season had left our softball team in a cup-half-empty mentality going into the playoffs. While we did take the eventual number one seed to extra innings before losing a scrappy week 3 affair, the consistent batting and fielding of both the Cardinal and White teams – number one and two seeds, respectively – made our team the long shot going into the playoffs.
In the first semifinal game of the night, we faced the White team, the team that trounced us 21-10 in week 4 of the regular season, and the number two seed with a 4-1 record. During the regular season meeting between our two teams, team White took advantage of a slew of fielding errors and slumping bats at the plate by our team, to clearly show who the better team was. Fortunately, we left our inferiority complex far from the weathered Gardner Field in Troy Hill.
A combination of simple hitting, aggressive, but well-executed base running, and solid fielding allowed our underdog team to jump out to an 11-3 lead going into the bottom of the 4th inning. Unfortunately, our team’s penchant for fielding errors came back after a solid start. A nine-run bottom of the 4th, saw the White team jump out to a 12-11 lead. Fortunately, we didn’t let being on the losing side of the score line affect us like it would’ve earlier in the season. Quickly regrouping, our team in all it’s indigo heather glory continued putting up runs with everyone pitching in and hustling around the bases, regaining the lead and never looking back. Despite a strong push in the final innings from the White team, Mike’s relief effort on the mound and the sure hands of the fielders behind him and in front of him – namely Kourtney’s timely tag at home – allowed our team to complete the upset none of us could’ve have imagined during the regular season. It was a team victory in every way with players like Carmen outrunning throws to first, Meadows hitting hard and trucking the baselines, and Eric finding his form at the plate at just the right time of the season.
The other semifinal game pitted the confident Cardinal team against the underrated fourth seed – the Yellow team. In watching Yellow produce runs at ease against the previously undefeated top seed, it became obvious that we were going to have our work cut out for us regardless of who the opponent was in the final. Yellow demonstrated how to win with effective hitting up the middle and through the infield gaps while backing up their offense with flawless fielding – things that our team had only been able to demonstrate in spurts during the regular season and semifinal game. After the Yellow team effectively acted as the Cinderella team, downing the previously-dominating Cardinal team, the final showdown was setup between us and Yellow – the three and four seeds. The battle between the two underdogs and a demonstration of consistency versus inconsistency was to follow.
First, there was the erratic inconsistency of our team against the impressive offense of Yellow, resulting in a 7-1 lead after the first inning. While we began fighting back, time just seemed to be running out on a possible comeback, as Yellow continued to exceed or match our run production inning-to-inning. With the game sitting at 13-5 in the bottom of the 5th, Stinogle got us started, followed by myself, and Raina – all three of us would touch home plate before the end of the inning. With the game sitting at 13-8, Yellow managed to knock in one more run, but that would be the last run of the night for them, as the final two inning were all Indigo Heather.
The comeback gained steam in the bottom of the 6th. Down 6 runs, our inconsistency actually paid off, as everyone pulled together and showed up to play. Every batter picked up his or her game, both in the batters box and on the bases. Starting with Jeff’s two-run homer, the final 4 runs in the 6th inning came with two outs. With Yellow obviously in shock at the rapid shift in momentum, and the game knotted up at 14, the championship was now in our hands. Literally. The top of the 7th would require only four fielders – Valenty, Kourtney, Konrad, and Raina. With Valenty pitching to Kourtney, the first batter popped out to Raina. The second batter grounded straight to Valenty for an easy out to first basemen, Konrad. While the third batter made it to first, Raina’s ridiculous catch on a line drive over her head against the fourth batter ended the top of the 7th, and provided us with a chance to end the game with the next run. The once cup-half-empty team was now overflowing with confidence and hope, the end result was no longer going to be a surprise.
Kristen, who had played two superb games at 2nd base, stopping nearly everything that came her way, led off the bottom of the 7th inning with a great single that got through the infield. Next up came Valenty – AE’s playoff quality pitcher, who struck out in his previous opportunity to be a hero during the regular season. Fortunately, Mike wasn’t going to let himself make the same mistake twice, hitting a ball that seemingly traveled about 300 feet into left field with no hope of being caught. While the unfortunate initial result was a ground rule double because the ball ended up lost in Gardner Field’s thick outfield ivy, his monster hit advanced Kristen to 3rd base with no outs. With Ryan up next, the only meal on the menu was a deep fly ball, and that’s exactly what he delivered. What ensued as Kristen crossed home plate was reminiscent of the type of celebrations we saw when the Red Sox downed the Yankees in 2004 – cheers, chest bumps, high fives, and a newfound camaraderie between the once down-and-out players that were now champions. Go AE, er, Indigo Heather!
