(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ ~70mm, f/4, 1/2500, ISO 400)
Three games, one day. More after the break.
Picking up where we left off on Saturday, Themelios played it's second and third games on this, a doubleheader Sunday. Thunderstorms were forecast for the day and they certainly made themselves known during the first game. Though we managed to probably dodge the worst of it, gameplay was halted for roughly five minutes due to rain. We heard thunder, but didn't see too much lightning. Towards the end of that game, the skies did begin to clear and the sun eventually poked out for the rest of the second game.
(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ ~100mm, f/3.5, 1/640, ISO 640)
Gameplay-wise, it was more of the same from yesterday. Some sloppy gameplay, but mostly solid. Themelios is a most definitely a small-ball team. For those unfamiliar with the phrase, essentially it means that they often accumulate their score over the course of several smaller hits rather than a giant dinger that clears the bases. Team dynamics also remained a key factor throughout the game, with the bench being extremely vocal and supportive for both sides. That was something I always liked about the CCSA since my introduction to it last year. Since it's more of a recreational league based on building community rather than pulverizing your opponent, there's less ill-will floating around on the actual playing field which to me, makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ 145mm, f/2.8, 1/1000, ISO 640)
Though they lost the first game, morale remained high for Themelios and the team proceeded into their second game with a lot of energy and enthusiasm - almost seemingly unfazed by their loss - that helped them win that game and end the day on a good note. I'm not Christian, and I don't go to church on Sundays, so I've never really known the depth of a lot of these bonds, friendships, and communities. Watching these games though can give you a pretty good idea of just how closely knit some of these teams are. These teams don't survive solely on crushing the ball and phở (though from a diet perspective, I'm sure a lot of teams probably do go for phở all the time), they survive through blood, sweat, and team synergy. It is for those reasons, that I am proud to associate myself with some of these teams, such as Themelios and Ekklesia.
(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ ~130mm, f/4, 1/3200, ISO 400)
Afterwards, despite a failed second cooler dump attempt on Elijah, someone did manage to retrieve a water bottle and empty it's contents on his head (it's contents were water, in case you were curious or had any doubts). I did not join the team for dinner though, instead I headed to another game a short bus ride down the road.
(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ 70mm, f/3.5, 1/1000, ISO 640)
Many of the senior players in the CCSA often participate in other softball leagues during the summer. These leagues are often more competitive in nature and (I presume) offer a nice counterbalance to the relatively recreational level of play generally found in the CCSA. On this particular night I caught up with a bunch of people from ETCBC and Ekklesia that were playing in another league, known simply as Sunday Night Slo-Pitch (SNSP).
(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ ~200mm, f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 4000)
The cool part in all of this? There were ET/Ekklesia people present on both dugouts. It certainly made for an interesting game to watch, given the league's competitive nature. Gameplay was a lot smoother and more enjoyable to watch. Didn't shoot a whole lot of frames due to the poor light and the fact that my lateness in getting there was compounded by fast gameplay. Everything was shot from the third baseline, from within the general safe confines of a somewhat crowded dugout. Hey, this is a 'comp' league, my chances of dying are probably increased ten-fold... at least.
(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ 200mm, f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 3200)
What little I did shoot was with settings similar to when I shoot Ultimate at Cherry Beach, in Manual Exposure with the ISO cranked up as high as possible (H-0.3 at one point; a.k.a ISO 4000) to compensate for the relatively weak lights. Don't really trust my camera to auto-expose these types of scenes. They came out noisy, but less-so since they exposed properly. Not enough to completely stop all action but enough to at least freeze players.
(Nikon D90, Sigma 70-200 II @ 200mm, f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 3200)
All in all, a good time and a nice 'no pressure' environment. Yes, I do feel pressure when I shoot for Ekklesia, Themelios, and the Quick Dumpers. Generally though no one on the team is applying that pressure, it's usually brought on by your's truly.
Leave it to me to be my own worst enemy.
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