The Jock Strap
with Brian Bruce
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
14 innings.......No score.....Let's finish it later
On Monday night, June 9th, I had one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had in 7 1/2 years of play-by-play experience. Ottumwa was at Des Moines Roosevelt for a Metro softball doubleheader, and the first game went to the Roughriders by the final score of 3-0. Now, this outcome was a little odd, mainly because nobody scored in the entire game outside of the bottom of the first when Roosevelt pushed 3 runs across on 4 hits. The remaining six innings were made up of nothing but goose eggs on the scoreboard.
But, while that was a little odd, things were set to get just plain crazy. The second game of the evening went 14 innings, and nobody won! How could nobody win, you ask? Well, Roosevelt and Ottumwa battled through 14 scoreless innings, and after the Bulldogs retired the Roughriders without scoring in the bottom of the 14th, OHS coach Frank Huston and Roosevelt coach Lindsey Smith decided to suspend the game due to darkness (Roosevelt doesn't have lights at their softball field). The game will be re-started with the Top of the 15th inning on June 26th, when the Roughriders come to Huston Field in Ottumwa for the regularly-scheduled second doubleheader of the season between the two teams. Absolutely incredible! 14 innings of shutout softball, for both teams. I've never seen anything like it, and I've never had to report that neither team won a game that I've called. At least for the night, it was a tie.
Meanwhile, a really odd scenario was mixed in to the story in that Bulldog freshman right-hander Courtney Wagner and Roughrider junior left-hander Laura Ramsey each threw 14 inning shutouts, and neither earned a victory for the effort. Think about dealing with that mentally. You just threw 14 innings and didn't get a win. And, think about the person who eventually loses this game, probably only giving up one run in 15 or 16 innings of softball. Wow.
A wacky, enjoyable, and strange evening of high school softball. Meanwhile, I also urge all Bulldog softball fans to stand by their struggling Bulldogs this year (3-11; 0-5 METRO after Monday night, 06/09/08), keep in mind that Ottumwa lost 7 senior starters off of last year's team that earned 3rd place at the Class 4A State Tournament in Fort Dodge, and that what you have this season is a group of very talented, but very young players in red and white. This I can guarantee you.......In a few short years, Coach Huston and Coach Mishler will have Ottumwa right back where it normally is, in the thick of a Class 4A state championship hunt, and they will do it for the most part with the exact same players that are on the field right now.
Enjoy the summer, and as always, thanks for listening to our Bulldog play-by-play coverage on The Voice of the Bulldogs, 1240 KBIZ!
"The Bruce"
But, while that was a little odd, things were set to get just plain crazy. The second game of the evening went 14 innings, and nobody won! How could nobody win, you ask? Well, Roosevelt and Ottumwa battled through 14 scoreless innings, and after the Bulldogs retired the Roughriders without scoring in the bottom of the 14th, OHS coach Frank Huston and Roosevelt coach Lindsey Smith decided to suspend the game due to darkness (Roosevelt doesn't have lights at their softball field). The game will be re-started with the Top of the 15th inning on June 26th, when the Roughriders come to Huston Field in Ottumwa for the regularly-scheduled second doubleheader of the season between the two teams. Absolutely incredible! 14 innings of shutout softball, for both teams. I've never seen anything like it, and I've never had to report that neither team won a game that I've called. At least for the night, it was a tie.
Meanwhile, a really odd scenario was mixed in to the story in that Bulldog freshman right-hander Courtney Wagner and Roughrider junior left-hander Laura Ramsey each threw 14 inning shutouts, and neither earned a victory for the effort. Think about dealing with that mentally. You just threw 14 innings and didn't get a win. And, think about the person who eventually loses this game, probably only giving up one run in 15 or 16 innings of softball. Wow.
A wacky, enjoyable, and strange evening of high school softball. Meanwhile, I also urge all Bulldog softball fans to stand by their struggling Bulldogs this year (3-11; 0-5 METRO after Monday night, 06/09/08), keep in mind that Ottumwa lost 7 senior starters off of last year's team that earned 3rd place at the Class 4A State Tournament in Fort Dodge, and that what you have this season is a group of very talented, but very young players in red and white. This I can guarantee you.......In a few short years, Coach Huston and Coach Mishler will have Ottumwa right back where it normally is, in the thick of a Class 4A state championship hunt, and they will do it for the most part with the exact same players that are on the field right now.
Enjoy the summer, and as always, thanks for listening to our Bulldog play-by-play coverage on The Voice of the Bulldogs, 1240 KBIZ!
"The Bruce"
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