SENIORS SHOCKED BY THE WORLD!
Dateline: Bell Field (June 2, 2009).
For those of you who could not see the finish of the English Department’s annual “Seniors vs. the World” Softball Game at yesterday’s picnic, here’s an update. In the closest scoring game in English Department history and with one of the most stunning comebacks in recent memory, the World pulled off an upset victory, beating the Seniors 22-21. With two outs in the final inning, and the score tied 21-21, the World sent Jedi apprentice Kevin Kowalewski (who has suffered through many a World defeat in the past) to the plate. He hit a high arcing ball to center field and brought sophomore Morgan Holmes in for the winning score. The Seniors, who were ahead 21-14 going into the final stanza, were clearly in shock. “I’ve waited four years for this game,” a disconsolate Gabe Ulman declared in disbelief. “It must be the economy. It has to be the economy.”
The game featured a series of wild lead changes. The World jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the first inning and looked like it might coast to an easy victory. Perhaps it was because the seniors were distracted by the thought of Commencement. Perhaps it was because Tom Fry could only bat once before singing practice. Perhaps the Seniors were rattled by the World’s setting up a bench in the infield, with infielders sitting on it, waiting for ground balls. Whatever the reason, the Seniors were able to regroup when the game was stopped for a “seventh-inning stretch” in the second inning and virtuoso Laura Stratford sang a song about Deconstruction to the assembled throng in the infield. After riotous applause, and with visions of indeterminacy dancing in their heads, the revivified Seniors went to work. By the 4th inning they had come roaring back to take a 19-13 lead. The World was clearly on its heels, confounded by unexpected occurrences like Nick Rue’s shouting “Out, out damned Pierre!” when Professor Hecker came up to bat. With two first-basemen and four second-basemen, the World became a bit befuddled on defense and lost its composure. The Seniors scored on run after run and Rebecca Hahn thrilled the Senior bench when she slid into third in a cloud of dust: “Safe!” The Seniors chanted “MEE-gan! MEE-gan!” when Meaghan Foster came to the plate. And big hits by Allie Morgan, Aron Feingold (who told her fellow Seniors to wear shoes to the game), Hannah Ebner, Corley Miller and a de-sandaled Gabe Ulman all rallied Senior spirits. Evan Haines-Roberts’ pitching was solid. And Rebekkah Goodman-Williams taunted the juniors about their new Comps options, shouting, “No paper topic can be turned down!” from second base.
But in the end, the World would not be denied. Behind the “Big Bats” of Alex Gibson and Kyle Kramer and the entertaining play of Matt Reindel (who ran to first base, wielding a Shakespearean bat), the World was cheered on by its lively, high-fiving dugout. Brittani Sonnenberg, in a smashing pink dress, made solid base hits. Emily Edmond, Annie Rees, Julia Gold, Will Connelly, Davey Bendiksen, Clare Jones, and Jenny Schmidt all showcased their offensive prowess. And soon-to-be English major, Gabe Silberblatt added a certain je ne sais quoi as catcher. An early highlight for the World came in the first inning when three-quarters of the Shuffelton family (George, James and Hal) came up to bat at the same time and got a base hit, amidst cheers of wild acclamation from the World dugout. On the next play, the family, “ready to wenden on their pilgrimage” to second base, stretched out in a line of three runners. They were, alas, tagged out at second. But their courageous play steeled the resolve of the World and many observers speculated that the Shuffelton Threesome may have been the “X Factor” that led the World to break its four-year losing streak.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Seniors showed the class and the good humor that have marked this group of majors since they arrived on campus four years ago. After the game they formed themselves into two human pyramids: a trope, a palpable trope, for their strong, foundational esprit de corps. Although the Seniors did not emerge triumphant, they certainly gave the World all it could handle. They can head into their futures with their heads held high, both as members of Carleton’s most highly prized major, and as young scholars who can appreciate indeterminacy on the infield as well as on the page. As Corley Miller aptly put it as he strolled home through the shadows stretching across Bell Field after the game: “This was way more fun than I ever thought it was going to be.”
Your Humble Scribe, from the dugout,
Mike Kowalewski
