OHIO STATE SERIES:
Scribbling on my notebook yesterday….
“Days of School Left: 15. Big Ten Games Left: 14.”
Note to self: Don’t blink! It’ll be gone before you know it.
It’s no big secret. We’re in a conference race. We’ve had the best start of any Illini softball season in years, if not ever. We came off a major sweep on the road against Northwestern and face yet another crucial series with Ohio State at home. Yes, on the record, every game is as important as the next. But this is BIG TEN SEASON! These games are on a whole ‘nother level. The catch? The nights before these games are on a whole ‘nother level too.
It feels a lot like Christmas Eve- anxious and excited for the next day to come, often spurring insomnia. Except now, instead of tossing and turning next to my sister Heather asking “You think I’ll get that doll?” I’m calling home asking her “You think I’ll get that double?”
Calling home is crucial before a game. I leave it up to fate as to which of the four residents I get; it’s like Howell Roulette. Whoever picks up the phone I assume is Divine intervention giving me the advice I need for the day.
Dad: (inspiration) “This is your last year. Make them remember you. Pour it on!”
Mom: (perspective) “Oh, Hopie, you caught me on my way out. But we’re excited for the tailgate!”
Sister, Heather: (simplistic) “Hey buddy, just do what got you there.”
Brother, Joe: (humility) “Who cares? You still won’t be as good as me.”
Voicemail: “Hello, you have reached the Howells.” = O crap. Guess I’m flying solo today.
Game One: Won, 3-2. Words cannot describe.
During one road trip (weeks before conference even started) the back of the bus wanted to make a goal to pitch to Sam Marder every time she got up to bat. Last year, when we actually tried to pitch to her, she hit a grand-slam. Needless to say we wanted her BAD this year. We all agreed that if we were going to do that, we would have to put up a massive amount of runs so that even if she did hit one out, it wouldn’t be the end-all. Well, our offense wasn’t as explosive as we had hoped it would be, so our defense had to pick up the slack. They had runners on almost every inning and our defense worked our way out. The kind of back-and-forth-edge-of-your-seat game that takes years off the fans’ lives as much as the players. We finally had to walk Marder, but when the next girl hit it to Hollie, she threw an amazing shot to Audi, picking the girl off and still giving us momentum for offense. Going into the bottom of the 7th, I put in another piece of gum thinking “Ok, we’re in for the long haul.” Acon’s second swing took her on her tippy toes she was swinging so hard. The next pitch- gone! Amazing.
Game Two Again, much like with Northwestern, we knew they were going to come into the 2nd game much like we would if we had lost the first one: ticked off and driven. Our offense or pitching just wasn’t there, which is a rare occasion, and quite lethal when you depend on both as much as we do. However, because of this, our defense had to step up and force some outs. Ohio St was roping the ball, giving the outfield the most action we’ve seen all year. But as hard and deep as they were hitting them, we kept communicating, working quickly to keep them from tagging up and even had some great relays to pick them off. Acon and Hollie made some amazing plays going back and we all know now that Acon will gladly crash into a wall to get Marder out too. The game was so much closer than the final score.
Overall, we just couldn’t string hits together. We had some opportunities, but it seemed (I’ll put it delicately) that SOME PEOPLE IN BLUE- and I don’t mean Illini- either weren’t paying attention or simply wanted to hog the big, blinding “Big Ten Network” spotlight with superfluous calls. It was like Umpire-Tourette’s Syndrome.
To quote Obama, “Now, let me be clear:” I love our fans for arguing calls, expressing their dissatisfaction with the outcome of a call or the call’s existence in general. However, every time the officials huddle around and our fans go crazy in hopes of persuasion, I can’t help but think “You’re wasting your breath.”
I’ve held this theory for four years, and now, with an creative outlet- I feel obligated to declare it publically for our fan’s sanity. It has to be said, and I really hope our Sports Information Director doesn’t edit me on this, but we are literally the ONLY team in the conference who doesn’t have home cooking.
“Home Cooking” Function: noun. Pronunciation: (h m) + ( k k) + (iŋ)
Hope’s Dictionary Definition: Receiving (intentional or unintentional) special treatment by officials strictly on the basis of being the home team
Warning signs include:
* Area-code width strike zone on defense, microscopic strike zone on offense,
* Bam/Bam plays and tied plays in favor of home team with rejection to appeal
* Visiting team miraculously leaving early on tag-ups, lead offs and/or stepping out of box/ obstructing plays at least once an inning.
*official shows preferential treatment to home team/ blatant disregard for visiting team
Used in a sentence:
Visiting Fan: “What!? She did not leave early!”
Home Fan: “Mmm….smell that home cookin’…”
I’m sure y’all have all been to a game or two when a flagrant call has been made in favor of the home team. Mark my words: You’ll NEVER see it at Eichelberger Field. Ever. I have no idea why that is, but now you’ll think of me every time our team-despite being ON OUR HOME FIELD- is called out by some Section 8 (a)(iii) (3) rule in the book.
My favorite part is how WE $$ PAY $$ THEM TO DO THIS TO US… ridiculous. But, it’s not why we lost and I of course- as my grandmother would want me to- want to wish them good luck in their future umpiring endeavors; they’re going to need it when the Big Ten board reviews their performances (and salaries)
ILLINOIS STATE
Apparently they’ve been on a tear, going undefeated (10-0) in conference, and hadn’t lost since we last played them for our home opener, March 17th. The Redbirds probably thought they were going to kick us while we were down.
Advice: The best way to keep your winning streak after an Illini loss? Do a rain dance.
I mean, did they see what we did to Loyola after we lost to Oklahoma State!? I’m actually surprised those girls didn’t sneak down to the field, turn on the sprinklers and flood their field. But no, they actually went through with the game- and paid for it.
The dugout at Illinois State was…conflicting. On one hand, we had first class treatment. Their staff greeted us, gave us pink socks to support their breast cancer awareness night and even supplied a cooler stocked with bottled Aquafina for us. On the other hand, we were swatting hornets and shaking spiders out of our helmets every inning. Because Illinois State’s mascot is the Redbirds, their dugout boasts a big sign above, saying “THE BIRDHOUSE.” I seriously thought about grabbing one of our trainer’s towels and hanging up a sign saying “THE SPIDERWEB.” Audi then said she was going to jack one out of the park and toss birdseed at them as she trotted by third base. Hilarious. Maybe you had to be there...
Now, during the four years I’ve been here, Illinois has always been an offensive team. But this year is like NO OTHER. How do I know?
Reason #1 Our pregame for example. We split into four groups and split a bucket of balls to bunt between 4-5 girls. Lefties get no special treatment. Half of the buckets thrown are balls because the pitchers haven’t warmed up yet. When the buckets are empty, Coach sees the majority of the balls at the back stop, the others foul with maybe four decent bunts actually making it to the field.
Coach Sullivan: “Ok, looks good. Let’s go!”
*Translation: “Ok, enough pretending. Get in the cages.”
Reason #2 Our dugout. You know you’re an offensive team when you haven’t gotten a hit in 4 at bats (or reached base in two plate appearances) and the first thing you hear in the box is “C’mon Hope! You’re due!” Seriously, guys? I can't imagine what it's like to be Z.
To say the least, the Redbirds were pumped to play us. It was definitely the largest crowd I’ve ever seen there. Then they brought out this gigantic bronze bird head- you read right. A giant bird’s head. I turned to Hollie. “Aww, cute,” I said. “They have a gimmick.”
When they announced the starting lineup, each girl would high five the team, then kiss/touch the bird head before taking the field. Yikes. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the golden calf. Did Exodus teach you guys nothing? It didn’t work for them and it’s not going to work for you.
Because Illinois State would be wearing pink jerseys, Coach DiBiase said we were allowed to ditch the orange and wear whatever pink accessories-headbands, sweatbands, etc.- we wanted. I –probably to my mother’s shame- don’t own anything pink, so I wasn’t sporting anything. Jackie then came up to me and said I could have a pink headband if I didn’t mind it being so tight. Apparently some other girls had tried it on and it said it was like an instant facelift. Not wanting to be “that goth girl” in a sea of pink, I relented.
Apparently, the quickest way to get back into your offensive groove is to cut off all the oxygen to your brain; if you’re too busy thinking about how much the headband hurts, you’re not guessing pitches or doubting yourself. The ball resembled a beach ball and I looked at each pitcher hearing Kelley’s voice screaming (as she does when she’s on a roll) “I’m in your HEAD!!” I even got walked, which Coach DiBiase thinks was intentional, which was a compliment, yet startling, seeing as how I almost swung at the 2nd pitch.…(guess I’ll find out when I get to Heaven). Needless to say I avoided Jackie, just in case she hadn’t learned her lesson from Mizzou and decided to shout “Hey guys, Hope’s batting 1.000 tonight!”
Favorite part of the night: Hollie sticking it out, despite lacking that annoying and insignificant accessory we call an ANKLE. Whoever thinks this means you don’t need an ankle to play, think again. You definitely do. She’s just doing it without one! I swear, pain that would bring a Hell’s Angel to his knees doesn’t make Hollie blink. You could tell she was in pain, but she never complained, placing the ball in the perfect spot to get us the first RBI we needed to bust the game wide open. After that, Mer Bear hit a double and the deal was sealed.
*In the 7th, we knew Hollie’s ankle was dun-zo for the night and I told Z “We don’t need no stinking Hollie to get a run!” And what’dya know- Z hit a double and I singled to get her in. We knew Hollie woulda put herself in the hospital for that RBI if she had to, but sometimes it’s nice to spare your buddy one less gray hair, or in this case, a stress fracture.
I know this is going to sound like a broken record after what the college paper printed and after what Coach Sullivan said in the huddle, but Moni had one of her best outings last night, and definitely her best relief effort this season. I told her I can remember being at Stanford, and Acon telling me “Ok, Aud says Moni wants to use her change up more this game.” The outfield, not knowing what to expect from a pitch she rarely threw, was like “*Sigh.. ok, let’s just be ready.” And now, that change up is her bread and butter. Whenever Vaji gives me the sign for it, I know the whole defensive unit is licking their chops to see that s-l-o-w arc and a pretty entertaining swing from that poor girl who has no clue what’s about to happen. Moni faced 13 batters in 4 innings-even their big, bad #3 batter (who hit a foul home run) wasn’t too cocky for long when Moni started throwing her junk pitches. Aud and I were talking about it on the way home. “After that, we threw it in the dirt, then we threw it in the SKY!” she exclaimed. “Game over.”
P.S. Great game. Illinois State win streak over. The pink headband stays.
No comments:
Post a Comment