Safe at Home

Berry College kicks off intramural softball season

Junior Courtney Warner stands ready at home plate.

Picture courtesy of Courtney Warner.

By Whitney Kazragis, COM 301
Edited and posted by Adam Caldwell, COM 303

With the change in temperature, comes the time honored tradition of intramural softball at Berry College

With 21 teams participating, many students have been able to share the fun of this highly anticipated sports season.

One such softball team, the Ballin’ Bears, is comprised of the Lady Viking basketball team. Teammates Laura Moore and Brittany Howes agree that playing softball with their basketball team is a great way to end their basketball season by staying connected and having some fun.

“After the basketball season ends, we don’t get to see each other as much, so it’s a good chance to catch up on what’s been going on,” Howes said. “We are pretty much involved with basketball from the first day of school to March, so when the season ends [softball] is a fun break for us,” Moore added.

However, Mitch Mulheim of the Dozen Six loves to win.

“We love to win and hate to lose, but we’re always joking no matter what is going on,” Muhlheim said.

Muhlheim also mentioned a close call with the ball when he was playing catcher.

It occurred when the opposing team’s batter tried to swing at several foul balls flying within inches of the batter’s face. To avoid injury, Muhlheim ducked for the next at-bat and the ball headed straight toward the umpire, who let out a string of curses heard from the outfield.

“I thought it was funny because the umpire jokingly told me that I was going to get struck out for every at bat since I let the ball hit her instead of hitting me,” Muhlheim included.

When asked what he liked most about being involved with the softball season, intramural softball umpire Paul Krueger talked about his joy of watching students compete, have fun and even get better over the season.

“I love how loose the atmosphere is. Everybody wants to win, but they enjoy having fun with their friends even more and it makes for a very enjoyable game umpiring,” Krueger admitted. “The skill levels are generally the same, but we get some close games sometimes.”

Krueger recalls good memories from the intramural field.

“I have seen my fair share of at-bats,” Krueger said. “The worst I ever saw was last year when a girl swung so hard that she spun her body around and landed on her butt right on home plate. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen!”

The Viking Intramural Program Web site states, “This program provides students, faculty and staff with the opportunity for competition and fun in a variety of team and individual sports activities.”

With the final men and women’s blue and silver championship softball games being held Monday, many teams are winding down for their last hurrah. These games will be held on all intramural fields at 5 and 6 p.m.