For the past few years I have been trying to start a beer league softball team, to no avail. But a good friend of mine plays on a team called the Sinners, and I offered up my services if the team ever needed a spare.
I took the opportunity to play with the Sinners for the second half of the year. It was a tough year for the team as it went winless in the regular season. This was never by lack of effort but it seems that minor mistakes cost the team.
This past week, we suffered two back-to-back losses in the playoffs, one of which that started as a Cinderella story but soon turned into a mockery of sports.
The first of two guaranteed playoff games was held on Aug 24. After a strong first inning, small mistakes cost us and we lost the game.
The second game was held the next day. We were playing a team that we have seen a couple times during the year, and had some success against.
Everyone was in a great mood, looking forward to fighting for our future. If we won the game, we would play another day. Lose and it was over for us. We all knew what was on the line and everyone played well. The first inning saw both teams score five runs. The next few innings were lower scoring, as both teams showed off their defense. Heading into the final at-bat, the Sinners were down 11-8, but optimism overtook the dugout.
I eventually got on base, and scored, along with four of my teammates, giving us the lead with our mercy rule run on second base.
Then things got weird.
I am not sure if it was genuine, or if the other team had some pride issues losing to the team who went winless during the season, but the opposing centre fielder came running into the infield complaining he couldn’t see.
The umpire and this individual spoke about the remaining light, which, in the interest of one out, or getting our sixth run in seemed unnecessary. But as soon as we realized what was going on, the umpire said he didn’t want to be responsible for anyone getting hurt and he was calling the game. Great! Right? Wrong.
In a move that stunned everyone in the Sinners dugout, he reverted back to the last completed inning. An 11-8 loss was the final decision. I didn’t think it was that dark, and we use yellow softballs, but the umpire has the final say.
My understanding of the rules of softball are not the greatest, so I didn’t complain, but when a team has runners on base, and scored five to take the lead in the final at-bat of the game, why do we revert back to the last completed inning?
Being a group of relatively sportsmanlike players, we gave three cheers, and shook hands with the other team.
Despite the official loss, this was a 13-11 win for the Sinners. The game should have either been called to be finished the following night, or called with the runs that were on the board.
Congrats on the win Sinners. I look forward to playing next year, where we will get our redeeming win against that team.
