June 20, 2015

Baylands Park

A softball afternoon in June at Beautiful Baylands Park is usually all about the powerful winds coming off the Bay that drive flags to center field and have fans and players holding their hats.  But on an eerily calm Saturday that brought two powerful teams together in the 2015, 18th Annual Modern Mathers Classic softball game between an aging Faculty squad and a Housestaff team that seemed to have just the right mix of seasoned veterans and talented rookies, the Faculty took an early lead, then struggled to withstand the steady onslaught of their much younger opponents. The final score was Faculty 22, Housestaff 19.

It was touch and go out there,” sighed beleaguered Faculty coach, Steve Alexander, clutching another 6-month contract extension while shaking his head. “We took the early lead with big hits by Ceresnak, Palma, Gupta and O’Brodovich, and by the middle of the 4th inning we were up 13-4.  Then the lights went out, and we saw the damage this Housestaff team can do.

When you play this many rookies,” smiled Housestaff Chief Liz Burgener ruefully, “..you have to expect it’s going to take a few innings for them to settle.   Playing at Stanford in the Mathers Classic is something these young people have dreamed about since they first decided to become pediatricians.  It’s a big stage, and no matter how you try to prepare them for it, it’s going to be tough at first.  I was so proud of the way they came back in the 4th.  The Faculty lucked out with that 7-run mercy rule.

Burgener was referring to the Mathers Classic 7-run limit set on runs scored in any inning for the first 7 innings.  The Housestaff pounded out 8 runs in the bottom of the 7th on big hits by interns Jenna Anderson, Jenn DeCoste-Lopez  and Caroline Thomas, complemented by a home run from Jon Santoro,  a triple by fellow Gavin Hartman and Burgener’s own contribution of a double.  With only 2 outs and the bases loaded, and with the Faculty reeling, umpire crew chief, Cameron Bill, called the inning and reduced the allowable Housestaff run total to 7.  Burgener was livid, but in a moment of intense self control that has characterized her leadership style, she avoided ejection by rallying her team in the dugout.  A pony keg hidden under the bench may have helped control the team’s understandable unhappiness.

We had the Faculty on the ropes in the 4th ,”  shrugged Burgener  philosphically, sipping champagne on the Oasis patio, staring ruefully at the sheets of plastic taped up to protect patrons from the jubilant champagne spraying expected after a Housestaff victory, now postponed for another year.  “The 7-run rule is ridiculous. There is no mercy in Pediatrics!

This Housestaff team was better than most,” explained Faculty shortstop Jon Palma, clutching the MVP trophy as he savored replays of his 3 home runs, soon to be available as screen savers on all LPCHS computers and cell phones.  “They could hit, period.  It was all we could do to hold off the run we knew they would make.

It was a tough call,” frowned Alexander, sipping a Diet DP in an impromptu Faculty victory celebration at an abandoned Taco Time food truck in the Palo Alto land fill parking lot near Baylands Park.  “Gupta  had pitched brilliantly for 8 innings, and with Sunshine on the DL, we had no one else to go to.  I had to send Gupta back out there.  He came through for us as he always does, but it was a close one

Trailing 22-17, the Housestaff entered the last of the 9th with visions of a walk-off filling their heads.  Leadoff singles by Santoro and Burgener set the table, and with the chants from the Housestaff bench and fans becoming increasingly more irritating, Hartman and Thomas came through with clutch hits, scoring Santoro and Burgener, bringing the Housestaff to within 3 runs of a staggering Faculty team.  But once again, defense wins championships.  A game-ending double play started by MVP Jon Palma brought the Housestaff rally to a close and handed a relieved Faculty team its second win in a row.

We had some good breaks today,” grinned  a typically taciturn Palma, cradling the MVP trophy.  “The Housestaff are really good now…I hope they don’t bowl as well as they play softball.

“Well, we’ll see in October,” added  new Chief, Taylor Louden,  “..we’ll see about that!