State too small for so much mistrust

Last Saturday’s baseball game at Cape versus visiting A.I. duPont was well attended by fans from both schools. Early in the game, the umpire ejected an adult from the Tigers section for what we locals call “running his mouth” or incessant jabbering and complaining about judgment calls from the umpire. I went to the A.I. side in the top of the fifth inning to get a better angle for pictures, and I was struck by the fact that from the first-base perspective of the Tigers, it appeared Cape was chock full of complainers. After time was called for a verification of an umpire ruling, one mother said, “What are they complaining about now?” followed by, “You know they’re all related.” Upstate versus downstate Delaware: suspicion, mistrust, conspiracies and paranoia, and the state is only 90 miles long and 50 miles wide.

IT’S ABOUT TIME - During the baseball game Saturday, A.I. erupted for five runs in the top of the fifth inning, and after a key single with the bases loaded chased home two runs, a father by the fence simply shouted “It’s about time!” I wonder how it would play out if kids were as hard on their parents as the parents are critical of kids. “Nice dismount from the couch, Dad. I didn’t think you’d ever stop rocking. You looked like George Foreman getting up after a standing 8-count. Did you see Johnny Janosik has a sale on power chairs if you’re so inclined?”

BASEBALL AXIOM - One hard-and-fast rule of baseball is never make the last out of an inning at third base. Shawn Davis cracked a two-out double for Cape last Saturday and was subsequently gunned down attempting to steal third base. A baseball crowd knows the axioms, and those standing among the chains, rusted gates and grates used to drag the infield asked me to put that in my column, one parent adding, “That’s why baseball is so much fun. Fans can pretty much second-guess every manager’s decision.” I have seen more runs scored this early spring by the passed ball and wild pitch than from actual hits.

That refutes the axiom and reminds me of another one, which is, “There are twice as many ways to score from third as from second.”

COMPASSION FATIGUE - Medical caregivers are sometimes worn down witnessing the struggles of patients. It’s a very real thing known as compassion fatigue, which explains why I tend to get more tired covering athletic teams that are struggling. Perhaps “share the struggle” should be written on my ball cap.

PILLOW FIGHTS - Fat, old, out-of-shape line coaches used to make fun of players by accusing them of pillow fighting during the game. But have you ever seen two large males armed with big pillows locked down in a room for three hours on Good Friday go after each other? There is no greater satisfaction than whacking a big brother across the face with a two-handed roundhouse before covering up and fending off repeated blows to the back of the head. Towel-snapping used to be fun as well back when athletes actually took showers after games.

SOUND THE ALARM - Do you know the difference between El Nino and La Nina? Each sounds a weather alarm, which links man and his atmospheric byproducts to dangerous changes in weather patterns. The alarm bell is currently ringing for Cape softball, but is it justified? Cape varsity lost at Lake Forest 8-1, Thursday, April 2, dropping to 0-4 on the season. The junior varsity team lost a long game shortened by innings to Lake, yielding 33 runs. Some are saying the cupboard is bare down low while others answer, “What’s a cupboard?” Blame it all on lacrosse is a place to start. Last Saturday Atlantic Lacrosse teams boys and girls from U9 up to U15 traveled to Dover for the Dave Reynolds Invitational fundraiser, and everyone came home with a victory. Those teams will be out at Hudson Fields Tuesday and Thursday nights practicing, a couple hundred talented kids having fun.

SNIPPETS - Kristina Lingo is the leading hitter for the Fairfield University softball team. The sophomore from Cape Henlopen is sporting a .325 batting average for the 11-15 Stags. Liz Carpenter, a former Cape player, scored a key goal March 28 as the Hokies women’s lacrosse team defeated Old Dominion 11-10. Franc Cook, freshman goalie at Lynchburg College, has started the last nine games for the Hornets, who are 8-2 on the season with a big game Saturday night versus Roanoake College. Steve Peet is a pitcher for Misericordia University and sports a 2-1 record with a 2.37 ERA for the 14-11 Cougars. The Cougars took a doubleheader from Delaware Valley College last weekend as travel ball and Cape buddies Peet and Sean Tappan looked at each other from opposing dugouts. Tappan is 3-1 with a 3.0 ERA.