By Kevin Spradlin
PeeDeePost.com
* 2015 season schedule (subject to change)
* Photo gallery – more than 1,500 images (first 6 games)
* 2014 championship game
* 2014 Final Four set
* 2014 Opening Day
ELLERBE — Only at Parsons Field can a pitcher get nailed by a liner, a baserunner turn her ankle while running over second base and a dog get run over by a truck — and all three live to tell the tale.
And friendships can still be maintained — and created — in the midst of a 33-2 defeat.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
This is what a home run swing looks like.
Such was Opening Day on Saturday for the fourth annual Hot Mamas Softball League, geared towards women ages 35 and up that featured enough highs and lows for an entire season. The a six-week season opened up with nine games on the upper and lower fields. Play resumes at 6 p.m. Monday.
MoCo’s Most Wanted picked up right where they left off on July 31, 2014, when the team beat Chix with Stix 22-9 for the league championship. In the sixth of nine games on the Opening Day slate, the Biscoe-based squad pummeled Aces of Bases, 33-2.
MoCo’s hit more home runs than they could count — legally, at least, as league rules cap a team’s limit to three in each game. But that restraint didn’t stop but merely prolonged the scoring until the 60-minute time limit was reached.
Even so, the spirit with which Max Gardner and Gay Rhyne started the league four years ago shined through. Despite the 31-run loss, Hamlet resident April Stewart looked at the silver lining.
“We had fun,” Stewart told her teammates. “Who cares what the score was?”
Player/coach Trena Jenkins set the standard for Aces of Bases. She hurried from the dugout to ensure she was in line for the post-game high fives with the other team.
Chix with Stix sweeps
The season kicked off with two games, Aces of Bases versus Chix with Stix on the lower field and Raging Unicorns against Bynum Peach Farm on the upper field.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
It was a tough day at short, but Connie Webb handles this grounder with ease for the Battin’ Babes.
Chix with Stix finished the 2014 season ranked fourth but made it to the title match against MoCo’s Most Wanted. On Saturday, coach Max Gardner, first baseman Gay Rhyne and her teammates indicated they were ready to go another step with a 13-9 win over Aces of Bases.
Aces of Bases, which finished eighth out of 12 teams in the regular season in 2014, took a 1- 0 lead in the top of the first on a triple and run-scoring double. The Chix got that back, and then some, in their half of the first.
Jennifer Cline took the pitcher’s first offering and cranked a drive over the centerfield fence to tie the game. Michelle Henry singled and scored on a two-run homer. Henry added her own home run in the bottom of the second.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Aces of Bases coach Trena Jenkins also plays the middle infield.
In the team’s second game, Chix with Stix — which earned the moniker “Cardiac Chix” last season — edged Buffett, 12-10.
Game 2
The Raging Unicorns beat Bynum Peach Farm, 11-4.
Game 3
The Half-pints, comprised of some of the top-ranked E-Lemon-ators from 2014, beat the Battin’ Babes 21-7.
Game 4
Players on Bynum Peach Farm stormed back in their second game of the day — with no break in between — to beat the Diamon Divas, 25-3. With all that went wrong in the first game, it all went right in the second.
* * *
Play resumes at 6 p.m. Monday with Halo Salon taking on the Diamond Divas and MoCo’s Most Wanted going against the Halfpints.
At 7 p.m., Aces of Bases will face Halo Salon and the Halfpints will play Chix with Stix.
At 8 p.m., MoCo’s Most Wanted plays the Raging Unicorns and the first Monday night slate wraps up with Bynum Peach Farm against Electric Slide.
* * *
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
In the photo gallery, there is a series of three photos that show the happiness once the the pitcher, covering home, tags the baserunner out at the plate.
Team coaches, or a designated representative, are asked to send daily updates with scores and highlights each game night by email to peedeepost@gmail.com. In addition, the Post seeks rosters — with columns including jersey number, player’s first and last name and town of residence — by email as well. This helps for photo identification purposes.
Prioirty is given to results and highlights received in a timely manner. Preferably, a team coach or designated representative can submit information the night of the game; if not, early the next morning is most preferable. This helps PeeDeePost.com maintain updated league standings. It also helps players get due credit in each contest and be property identified in photos on PeeDeePost.com.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Aces of Bases pitcher Mary Kidd prepares for the next batter.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
Bynum Peach Farm pitcher Brooke Deaver was able to wipe off a line drive to the face – it bounced first, she said, which slowed the ball’s momentum.
Kevin Spradlin | PeeDeePost.com
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