[singlepic id=4372 w=160 h=120 mode=web20 float=right]First Night Games at Lionel Roberts Stadium
The Department of Housing, Parks & Recreation sponsors an annual Governmental and Industrial Co-ed Slowpitch Softball League at the Joseph Aubain Ballpark in Frenchtown.
Operating in its fifth year, this league sport 23 teams all formed from individual government departments and private sector businesses. Teams are co-ed and must play three women on the field at all times. Each team can only recruit male players from within the team’s agency or business. Female players may be recruited from anywhere, provided they are not recruited from an agency or business that is already fielding a team. For instance, if you work at AT&T and you are male, you can only play on AT&T‘s team.
The league was started as a fun way to introduce new players to the sport of softball. The league runs from January through June when playoffs begin.
The pictures at the right are from a May 6 game between Police’s 911 team and the U.S. Postal Service‘s Postal Express. Postal Express won the game in 5 innings in what is classically called a “Run-Off”. A run-off occurs whenever the “Mercy rule” is invoked. A slowpitch ballgame plays seven innings. If, after the 5th inning is complete, one team is ahead by ten or more runs, the game is called off to “have mercy” on the losing team.