GOOD VIBES, NO MATTER WHAT
After the season opener and the associated home game on April 20, 2024 against the Neunkirchen Nightmares literally fell through, the prospects for the game against the Verl/Gütersloh Yaks were also rather mixed.
The persistent rain and cold temperatures of the past few weeks made practice on the field almost impossible, so Senators Ladies were forced to go indoors from time to time.
“It wasn’t just the preparation for the game against the Yaks that was a real challenge,” reveals head coach Frank Mohr. “The playability of the pitch also gave us a big headache. The many hours of work that have been invested here cannot be compensated for in money. A big compliment and thank you to everyone who helped us prepare the softball field so that we could play.”
Until shortly before the start of the game, raking took place, holes were filled and the clay was tamped in order to start the Senators Ladies softball season promptly at 4:00 p.m. After initial nervousness, an exciting and fast-paced softball game quickly developed in which both teams met on equal terms. Like last year, when there were two very close games against the Yaks, today it remained exciting until the last inning, and so the game was actually only decided with the last at bat.
“We played against one of the best teams in the league and are over the moon with how we presented ourselves here today. Sure, the engine still stutters a little and not all the gears mesh, but we didn’t expect it to be any different after this difficult pre-season. Nevertheless, I am incredibly proud of this team. We gave it our all and tried a lot of things. It’s a shame that it wasn’t quite enough in the end, but it’s bearable. What I saw from the girls today gives me more than hope for the future.”
In the meantime, things weren’t looking quite so good for the Senators’ ladies, and they were on the verge of an early end in the 6th inning.
“Our pitching had been exceptionally good up to this point, but I still had to try something new to keep the game alive,” Mohr continued. “We are happy to now have so many options in this position that we can make the game variable. Nathania, who was able to seamlessly build on the good performance of her predecessors, took us into the 7th inning and thus preserved the chance of a comeback.”
For a long time it looked like an early decision in favor of the Yaks, who knew how to coldly exploit the deficiencies in defense, especially at the start of the game. It wasn’t until the third inning that the defense was able to improve and bring additional security to the Ladies’ game.
“Our shortstop’s spectacular diving catch felt like a spark and provided additional momentum for the offense.”
And the ladies actually came back and, after a temporary deficit of 7 runs, still had the chance to win in the 7th inning. With two out and bases loaded, the Senators brought their winning run at bat.
“We believed in victory until the end. And why not? The girls have an irrepressible will to win. “That’s something you can’t practice for and shows how solid our team is,” Frank Mohr ends, visibly proud. “The 12:15 defeat doesn’t change that.”
We congratulate the Verl/Gütersloh Yaks on a deserved victory and are already looking forward to the second game in July.
Thanks to everyone who supports us on our journey. We can’t list them all without worrying about forgetting someone. You are an important part of this team.
Without you we would only be worth half as much.
