by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer
The Fog was finished. Down 9-2 in the bottom of the last inning, the Sewanee Fog, the community’s coed softball team, had very little hope for a win on that sticky July night in Winchester.
Leadoff man Kevin Hiers hit a liner, and first baseman Michelle Thibodeaux followed with a hit, and suddenly the team had life. The Fog capitalized on a few lucky breaks, and kept hitting and hustling. McKenzie Liegel ran through a stop sign from third-base coach Jimmy Wilson to score, and a short time later the stage was set, down 9-8, two outs, Freddy Saussy at third and Melanie Pozuc—the winning run—on second.
A base hit to right field, and Pozuc scored just ahead of the throw to the plate to complete the miracle comeback.
“I can’t believe what I just saw,” an elated Wilson kept repeating as he walked off the field.
Third baseman Brian Owens, who got a key hit in the rally, said he’ll never forget that game.
“The runner on third scored easily, and little Melanie is flying around third as fast as she can go, and I’m yelling, ‘Go! Go! Go!’” Owens recalled. “A close play at home, but she is safe, 10-9. History in the making, Sewanee wins!”
The post-game celebration was a bit raucous after the big win, which came two days after the Fog’s first victory of the season on July 21, a 28-1 hit parade. Although those were the only two wins this year, the team stayed upbeat throughout the season.
Head coach Mike Murrah, who now has a combined 2-59 record as Fog coach (he is assistant coach of the University of the South softball team), was known for rousing post-game speeches at the Village Tavern (the team’s sponsor), where he hailed the Fog as “just below awesome.”
“We were dedicated to the proposition that all softball players were created equal, but it did not always pan out on the field. Oddly enough, when it came to after-game celebrations, we were clearly superior to other softball players,” Murrah said proudly.
Indeed, this team, comprised of players of different skill levels, ages and occupations, bonded in the grass and pebble-filled dirt on the field, and after, amongst the cold beer, bloody knees, bruises, sweat and camaraderie, it was impossible to tell if they had won or lost.
The team’s solidarity was especially on display in early August, when Owens had to miss several games while he visited his mom, who was dying in Billings, Mont. After Shirley Owens passed away, the Fog sent flowers (which included purple and white team colors) to the funeral service and a message of love to their teammate in Montana.
“I just want to thank you all for the awesome flowers you sent, and more importantly, caring enough about me to do that. The only tears I shed today was when I saw those flowers and card from you all,” Owens wrote his teammates in an email.
Outfielder Marcia Medford shared her thoughts on the team’s bond.
“When I joined the Sewanee Fog, I only knew one person on the team,” she said. “I now have a lot of new friends. What could be better than that?”
Second baseman Caroline Holmes, a Sewanee junior, echoed Medford’s feelings. “I was a little concerned about being the youngest player on the team, but I was overwhelmed by the amount of support and sense of community that we developed as a team throughout the season. I look forward to seeing those friendly faces around town,” Holmes said.
The Fog ended its season on Aug. 13 with a 15-5 loss in the league tournament. After the game a player on the opposing team emphasized how great it was to see a Sewanee team playing in Winchester again after a long absence.
“I thought that was a cool thing to say,” said outfielder Sally Krebs. “Let’s see if he has the same feeling after we beat them next year. I’m kidding, but hopefully we can build on the magic and experience from this season.”
Sarah and Jimmy Wilson are co-owners of the Village Tavern, and they helped make the team possible. Jimmy said the Fog is about community, not wins and losses, and they will sponsor another softball team next year.
Fog players this season also included Cindy Geick, Ida Zago, Justin Campbell, Sandy Bryant, Osei Hill, Will Overton, Kevin Cummings, Sarah Brown, Ellis Mayfield, Kate Stucke, Rob Zeitler, Haynes Roberts and Kelly Farina.
No comments:
Post a Comment