Game recap.

Opening Night: An email from Paul announced two things. One, Comcast Sports Net would be covering the game (though not showing it live, but rather June 3rd at 4PM). The other was a parking change. They wanted us to park at a new lot just past the stadium, and they had lots of police there to prevent parking along the road (which was not entirely successful).

This game was attended by Chris (who plays with me on a Monday night team that I do not manage), and Shannon (one of my players) and her friend. I had not seen Shannon since I got the tickets, so based on the pre-season game, I told her that she could just wander up to the grandstand, and I could hand them to her over the railing. Wrong! Now there was fencing all around the outer area of the stadium, with a "gate" set up to take tickets. Fortunately we had exchanged cell phone numbers, so when she got to the gate, she was able to reach me and get the tickets.

This time, I came prepared. I brought a scorebook, and printed out the Glory roster from their website (including color pictures). I tried to do the same for the New England Riptide (the opponents for the opening series), but the Riptide website only had a text version. Still, it was my own "program" for the game. At the gates, they handed out lineup sheets that included both teams, which was very helpful.

When the starting lineups were announced, both of the open tryout players were in it. (By the way, the lineup sheets did not have numbers for these two. Jen wears 17 and Brooke wears 2.) Jen started at 3B, and Brooke as the designated player (DP). As a native, I felt kinda proud that the local tryout had produced 2 keepers, especially when they both started the season opener. I was disappointed when I later discovered via Google that both are 2007 grads.

Honestly, I was a little suprised to see Brooke had made the team, based on her at-bat in the pre-season game (before I knew she was a UK star). I thought that the coaches must have seen potential. In her first AB, she at least made contact, but struck out. Her second AB produced a liner to left. Her third AB, she crushed it for a home run. That must be the potential they saw. Alison later told me that Brooke had played SS at the end of the pre-season game, and played very well, but since she was a DP this game, it seems they want her mostly for her bat. Still, I think she's my favorite player, maybe because of the underdog story line.

As for the game itself, it was scoreless until the bottom of the 3rd, when LaDonia Hughes lead off with a line shot to left-center, followed by leadoff batter Kelly Kretschman's walk. Nicole Barber's bunt single loaded the bases for Amber Jackson, who singled to right to score 2. LaDonia Hughes scored again in the 5th after another leadoff liner to left, scoring on an Oli Keohohou sac fly. Brooke's home run in the 6th finished the scoring for the Glory, and the game, as we won the opener 4-0. Sarah Pauly pitched the entire game, striking out 8 and walking 3. Jocelyn Forest, the MVP from last year's Championship (which the Riptide won), took the loss.

One slight annoyance from this game is that the between inning delay was lengthened, with a TV person in headphones standing on the field until TV was back. But the game wasn't being shown live! I don't see why they can't edit in the commercials at whatever length they need. This caused the game to last much longer than the pre-season game.

I've only watched the first 2 innings of the Comcast replay of this game, so far. This is another way I've learned about the teams and players. For instance, the Riptide's Lisa Iancin had fans in the stands because she's an assistant softball coach at George Washington. And the Glory coach, Carie Dever Boaz, thinks Amber Jackson could be among the best shortstops in the league, based on facing her across the diamond during her two years at UVA when Jackson played for Maryland.

The NPF website makes it difficult, if not impossible, to find recaps from older games, so I will try to provide links for each game's recap. Things to keep in mind about these recaps: the batting stats do not seem to be listed in the batting order from the game, and the totals/averages are for that game, rather than the season, for some reason.