crazy game

The other day I was covering a softball game and it appeared to be a normal prep doubleheader until the last 30 minutes of the game when things got crazy and the coaches got into a heated argument on whether a game should continue due to darkness approaching.

One coach tried to stall to make sure darkness would come so his team wouldn't lose. The other coach, whose team went up 11-8 in the top half of the first extra inning, had his players swing at every pitch to try to get the game over before darkness. it was rather interesting.

I actualyl ran into a few players from one of the teams while covering an Adrian High baseball game and they asked me what I thought of the game. I told them it was crazy and they went on and on telling me waht their coach thought of it and everything. theres too much about the game to explain so i will just copy and paste my write up
----

CLINTON - A rivalry that is continuing to grow just got more heated Tuesday.

The Blissfield High School softball team defeated Clinton 9-2 in the opening game of a doubleheader before they played to an 8-8 tie in the second game, which was called by darkness in extra innings.

The Royals (4-4-1, 3-0-1 Lenawee County Athletic Association) were close to sweeping the Redskins as they had an 8-3 lead entering the top of the seventh inning. However, the Clinton offense had different things in mind as they came through in the clutch.

Marissa Sevenish led off the inning with a single and Sadie Brown followed with double, putting runners on second and third. After Blissfield starter Callie Slomski struck out Colleen Zimmerman, Laura Heinz and Rachel Martiny followed with back-to-back RBI singles. Brittni Keith kept the rally going with a triple that drove in two and scored the game-tying run on Allison Tansel's single.

“They showed me they had heart. We had a lot of enthusiasm,” Clinton coach Al Roberts said. “We finally put a couple of hits together.”

Tansel, who relieved Kristen Kimble in the third, helped Clinton (4-2, 2-1-1 LCAA) keep its momentum as she retired the Royals quickly in the seventh, forcing extra innings.

Blissfield coach Chris Bates approached the umpires about calling the game because of darkness. His attempt failed and the game proceeded with the eighth inning.

“I thought for sure that we shouldn't start the inning,” Bates said. “With us being the home team I knew we would have to finish the whole inning for it to be considered a game. I didn't want it to start, but the umpires and Al decided to play.”

The Redskins continued to hit well in extra innings. After Brown grounded out, Zimmerman drew a walk. Heinz followed with an RBI double that gave Clinton its first lead of the game. The Redskins added two more runs in the inning before Roberts had his players swing at every pitch Slomski threw to intentionally record strikes and try to finish the game before it was stopped due to darkness. The move came in response to a few visits to the field by Bates during the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, Erin DeCatur reached base on an error by Heinz. With Lauren Jones at the plate, Clinton tried to pick off DeCatur on Martiny's quick throw to first after the pitch. The ball got past Heinz and the outfielders backing her up, which allowed DeCatur to reach third. Following the play, the umpires ended the game.

With the game being stopped before the eighth inning was completed, the game reverts back to the last full inning played leaving, Clinton and Blissfield to settle for an 8-8 tie. It also eliminated Heinz's hit that put her team in front.

“It was a heartbreaker,” Heinz said. “I don't know if I will be able to do that again. I don't know what is going to happen the next time we play them.”

Clinton and Blissfield are not scheduled to meet again in the regular season, but could face each other in the postseason.

Roberts thought the way the game ended was unfortunate.

“It turned out to be an ugly game and that is unfortunate because it could have been a nice game,” Roberts said. “It's unfortunate the game got to the point it did. We made a nice comeback.”

Roberts said the LCAA doesn't have a set time where the umpires can't start an inning after, and added that the problem usually doesn't exist in softball.

Blissfield won the opener 9-2 as Lesley Bates went the complete game and struck out 12. After trailing 2-1, the Royals added three runs in the fourth as Kristen Gniewkowski had an RBI triple and Lesley Bates and Jones each drove in runs. Blissfield scored five more runs in the sixth. Jessica Domschot delivered the big hit when she drove in two with an RBI double.

“I was surprised we won the first game the way we did and were up in the second game as much as we were,” Bates said. “We're young and inexperienced ourselves.”

Tansel went 5 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs to take the loss for the Redskins.

Both teams will return to action Saturday. Clinton will compete at its own tournament, while the Royals will travel to the Portland Invitational