Softball's Blue - Orange Games

The softball team participated in its second annual Blue-Orange Games this week, in an effort to build teamwork and chemistry while taking part in different "off the field" yet competitive activities. Among the events were volleyball, field goal kicking, board games, kickball and a relay race.

2009 Blue - Orange Games
Day 1 - Monday, Nov. 2

The games began this morning at 8:15 am. We came to the locker room early to find our shirts, either blue or orange, hanging in our lockers. We all waited anxiously to find out what the first event would be. The coaches came in and revealed that our first battle would be a field goal kick-off. We were given five minutes to strategize and practice. After only a few attempts, it was obvious that the Orange team had somehow mastered the field goal technique. We (the Blue team) watched in amazement as kick after kick sailed through the goal posts while ours normally sliced to the left and never left head level. We had a few positive moments including Clara Kendall's 2-for-2 attempts to bring us back into the game. In the end, the Blue team left feeling defeated yet determined. Tomorrow is a new day and a new event. Orange 1- Blue 0.

- Megan Wind

Day 2 - Tuesday, Nov. 3

It's day two of Blue and Orange Games with the Orange team leading 1-0. After a nice weights and conditioning session with Ed, it was time for competition number two, volleyball. Everyone seemed pretty excited, especially those of us who had played back in high school. I noticed I'd lost a little of my touch since my volleyball days about five years ago, but I was ready to give it my all. I must say it was an ugly game; we should probably stick to softball, but a good time overall. Orange came out to a commanding start with even a few kills by giants like my lovely teammate Mel Mitchell. However, the momentum changed as the Blue team rallied back with some nice serves by Megan Wind and wild hits by Kristen Hawkins and took the game all the way to game point. But with a timeout by the Orange team, we refocused and went back to work. We got the ball back and Taylor Williams nailed some clutch serves as the Blue team rallied to victory, 26-24. It was an intense ending, and I believe we pulled it out with raw passion. Orange 2 - Blue 0

- Sarah Tacke

Day 3 - Wednesday, Nov. 4

Orange is on the board with 2, as Blue sports a large goose egg. Blue Team must redeem themselves today to be back in the competition. Orange and Blue stroll into UHall arena this morning at a lovely 7:15 a.m. for the ever-intense board game day. On the agenda this year is Othello, Chutes and Ladders, Racko, Ladder Ball, a 500 piece puzzle, and the return of Jenga. Blue takes a quick 3-1 lead after Hawkins defeats Taylor in Othello, Rachel takes the cake in Chutes and Ladders, and Alexa succeeds at Racko. Orange managed a win at Ladder Ball, but that would prove to be irrelevant in the end.  With Blue up 3-1, it came down to Orange needed to win the puzzle and Jenga in order to tie.  The rules of the puzzle changed to whoever had the least amount of pieces left won, since neither of the teams appeared to be able to assemble the 500 piece puzzle in the 1 hour and 20 minute time limit; but valiant efforts were made on both sides. 

As other games finished, the team members jumped in on the puzzle, trying to be the first to finish. Orange was forging ahead and clenching the puzzle win. Now, Blue 3 and Orange 2, the Orange and Blue Board Game Day once again came down to the teetering Jenga tower. Last year, Tacke and I competed for 1 hour and 15 minutes, constructing a tower just a few stories from being considered "pro." So, of course, it was a rematch. This year, however, we played extreme Jenga, as the volleyball team came in to warm up and were skipping across the floor and the cross country runners proceeded to bring in their lovely med balls and slam them into the gym floor.  This provided a few extra obstacles for us. However, 1 hour and 17 minutes later of Jenga, Tacke sent the tower a tumbling with a single breath and Blue clenched the Board Game victory. As the competition moves into Day 4, Orange leads 2-1 and the intensity builds as the pressure is on Blue to stay in the game! Orange 2, Blue 1

- Abby Snyder

Day 4 - Thursday, Nov. 5

On Thursday tension was high for the Blue Team as the Orange Team, my team, was up 2-1 before the fourth game was to take place. When I found out that we would be playing kick ball I immediately assumed we would OWN some Blue Team butt, but I was quickly proved wrong. We decided to be the home team and the Blue Team immediately put some runs up on the board but my confidence was high based on our complete dominance over the Blue Team in field goal kicking. Somehow this dominance did not carry over to kicking a bouncing rubber ball. I am sorry to say that my childhood kick ball skills are long gone and the Orange Team was in the field before I knew it after some hard core biffs (aka - not even close to being good kicks). After the Orange Team got some more runs we finally managed to get three outs with a little help from Tacke beaming Kennedy as she let out a primal scream while attempting to steal home. It was close but her out was proven later by video replay. Even though we were down a few runs I had all the confidence in my teammates but what I did not realize was that Kristen Hawkins likes to keep a secret jet pack on and only whip it out when Stephanie Coates kicks, what would have been at least a double, out into center. As the ball sailed deep into center Hawkins came out of nowhere from left field (jet pack and all) and snagged what may have been  our only chance at a win. You just wait Hawk .... Ed will find out about this and you will be joining me and the others in the 16 second half gasser group J Mwwaaahhhahahaha! The Blue Team beat the Orange Team approximately 4-1 making it an even two wins for each team going into game five on Friday. Orange 2, Blue 2.

- Nicole Koren

Day 5 - Friday, Nov. 6

The Blue - Orange Games series was tied 2-2 going in to Game 5, the grand finale. After a fabulously brutal morning circuit with Ed, our strength and conditioning coach, we took what energy we had left and got psyched for our last day of competition. With matching socks and eye black in place, a peppy and rowdy Orange Team met what turned out to be a more focused and determined Blue Team. Our task: a relay race. Each team member had to sink a short putt, sack race to the football station where we had to throw a football at a target, then score a field hockey goal, and finally make a free throw. We've decided to add some comments from a few other teammates on how this last game turned out.  

Blue hustled over to the cage, bypassing the eye black and socks, because it was all business. We had been stomped on in field goal kicking event and stripped of our volleyball rights, but we made a valiant effort, coming back in board games and kick ball. Upon learning the event for the day we all thought it was going to be a tough competition. Little did we know our thinking would be very wrong. Immediately, Blue jumped out to a huge lead and that's about all you really need to know about the rest of the competition. There were some great moments that involved Clara gently tapping the field hockey ball, Nicole missing about 300 foul shots, and of course Alexa's final lap through the obstacle course...However the blue and orange 'game changing play of the week's series' goes to Kristen Hawkins and her homerun saving catch during kickball. It pretty much tied the series and led to BLUE taking all the marbles! - Alison Pittman, Blue Team

Literally. This year we were playing for marbles. - Abby Snyder, Blue Team

Going into Friday we were all tied up and the tension was high but the Blue responded and took the big lead ...Orange all I can say is next year is a new year! - Cynthia Javaras, Orange Team

Well after the Blue Team was obnoxiously celebrating I naturally wanted to have my turn at the obstacle course. (The Blue Team won before Alexa had a chance to even attempt the relay.) I put my heart and soul in putting with a right handed putter, sack racing nobody down the cage, hitting a football dead straight on the square, field hockeying into the net and shooting an awesome free throw. Well, there's always next year. - Alexa Martinez, Orange Team

The Orange Team discovered by this crazy kid's escapade that they should have had Alexa in the starting position.  "Maybe this would have put their attempt at the relay off to a better start" the Orange Team pondered as Blue celebrated their vistory over the week.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda, Orange.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda. - Abby Snyder, Blue Team

Wellllll, the Orange Team thought they were all that being up 2-0 and when the going gets tough the Blue got going and made the comeback of the century and kicked some bootaayyyy!! Shout out to my blue girls! - Kristen Hawkins, Blue Team

We really couldn't have asked for a more exciting week of competition. This year's squad definitely has a little more passion and spunk than in years past proving to make every little competition a little more intense and enjoyable. From the fastest two-inning game of kickball ever, to a marathon game of Jenga, every moment was fierce. This is definitely something I can't wait for us to take into the spring! - Sarah Tacke, Orange Team