The game will go down in history as the world's first ever defensive slow pitch softball game. I mean, really, who's ever heard of such a thing? Both teams are highly competitive and played as such. It was all on the line in this game: first place for the season, number one seed in the playoffs (and thus, a bye in the first round), pride, everything. There were no errors. Every ball that got out of the infield deserved to get out of the infield. The pitching on both teams was excellent and considered (thoughtful even!). Tensions ran high and flared on several occasions. I myself was once told to go perform fantastic feats of sexual gymnastics on myself. The other team tried to play dirty on a couple of plays, and we did it once, to be fair. But in the end, we won fair and square, 8-4. Neither team gave up homeruns; each run was manufactured.

We celebrated afterwards with some pitchers of beer and camraderie. When trying to decide to go to the celebration or not, one player looked at me and said, "Well, if he has to go to church tomorrow and he's going, I guess I'll go too."

I replied, "Hey! That's enough out of you!" (Not the first "church" comment out of this one...)

She fired back, "What does that mean?!"

"One day you'll thank me, that's all," I retorted.

"Oh yeah? For what?"

"For going to church on your behalf."

And it's true: I keep my softball teammates in my prayers, just as I do my sailing teammates. I don't know why. Just feel led to pray for them.

-R