The Rain Falls Over the Unicorn in June (-icorn)

Ryan Cahill when he found out
that the game was to be delayed

Last night both the Unicorns and ZDUB Softball fell victim to a torrential downpour that lasted approximately fifteen minutes.  Unfortunately, it was enough to saturate the ballfields to the extent that they were deemed unplayable by officials.

Last season, the VBC Softball team "The Legion of Fistpumping Turtles" had similar difficulties.  Ryan Cahill recalled that it happened in both the spring and in the fall.  Regardless of when it happens, though, it usually presents hardships for the management and the team alike.  In the past, it was not uncommon for the officials to notify coaches one day prior to the scheduled makeup game that the game was on.  Veterans of VBC Softball easily recount the time when they had to play on a Wednesday night despite their normal Monday night schedule.

Game Preview for 6/27/11

Game @ ZDUB Softball (Princess Anne Athletic Complex Field Green #3)

The Unicorns (1-13) will try to make their last game their second win of the season by facing the third place team in the division, ZDUB Softball (6-5).

The last time the two teams met, the Unicorns could not produce a good number of hits.  Against ZDUB, their AVG stands at a .362, which is the second worst, just above the Stunners.  Fans will remember the low numbers produced in the games were due not in small part to ZDUB's excellent shortstop, who got to every ball hit, no matter how hard, in his vicinity.

Two game AVG/OBP/SLG: .333/.455/.444 and .391/.440/.435

Coming off of a loss of only 5-11 (a rather successful one in the Unicorns' book) to the second place team in the division, can they shake off their old numbers and put one more notch in the win column?

UPDATE: Team slugger Ryan Cahill (1.138 SLG) was put on the DL this evening for sustaining a broken finger.  Cahill is career 2 for 5 with 2 doubles against ZDUB Softball.

Subs Galore

It was an odd night for the Unicorns as they faced off against their rival this season--the Wine O's--and That's What She Said.

At Red Mill Farms Park, an area known for its distance from all of the team members and its plague-like population of mosquitoes, the Unicorns took the field early at 6:40pm at the demand of the umpire despite not having a full team.  They knew they would be short, but the early start threw them for a loop as players were rushing to get out to Sandbridge after work.  "The Wine O's are our favorite team to play--they have great spirit.  That might explain Bobby [Weaver]'s feeling that they might have been going easy on us by not hitting the ball into right field since no one was there," skipper Greg Weaver recounts.

An all-time high of four Unicorn females were out of the lineup for evening.  Catcher Lanah Stafford was on personal leave, the recently re-enabled Alaina Coletti was hosting receptions at a work event, speedster Joanna Niles is finishing up her time in France, and veteran team sister Sarah Redfield's whereabouts were unknown.  Subs were on their way, but it was unclear as to how long they were going to take.

Game Previews for 6/20/11

Tomorrow night the Unicorns will play on a field that will be foreign to some players, but the opposing team members will certainly spark familiarity.

Game #1 vs. Wine O's (6:45pm at Red Mill Park Field #2)
When the Unicorns last saw the Wine O's, they posted their first (and only) win of the season, beating them 10-7.  Ryan Cahill and Bobby Weaver both hit home runs in the series against them, with Weaver racking in two.  Rianna Schweitzer had headed the Unicorns' best games defensively, having an average WHIP of 3.60 and allowing two of the lowest run totals in the season, 13 and 7.

After the game, the Unicorns and the Wine O's shared some quality time at local bar Finn McCool's, where the Wine O's purchased shots for everyone due to the Unicorns' victory.  They are eager to win again.

Two game AVG/OBP/SLG: .417/.440/.667 and .524/.643/1.095

Unicorns' DL Stint Continues

This season has a been a rather unlucky one for the Unicorns, who have seen a remarkable number of injuries this year, half of which have been caused by other players in the game.

The latest to fall victim to the disabled list is veteran Romeo Villanueva, who had a fateful collision with Alaina Coletti on Monday night's game against the Stunners. Villanueva (RC) and Coletti (LC) were both trying to chase down a ball that was hit right in between them. A communication error allowed them to run directly into each other. Villanueva, who has taken a number of hits already this season, finally broke and has suffered a bruised rib, putting him out for the rest of the season.

VBC Softball

It's 6:40pm on a Monday evening. The umpire approaches the skipper asks, "So I guess you'll be starting off with seven?" The skipper replies nay, that the team will be ready within the five minutes remaining before game time. Sure enough, like a watch that one would set maliciously behind ten minutes just for the sake of torture, some of the other members trickle in at 6:43, and the last of the ones necessary to play with a full team are yelled at to hurry up by their teammates as the ones on time take the field at 6:45 on the dot.

This is the m.o. of the 2011 incarnation of VBC Softball, the Unicorns of the Apocalypse. For the past four years--and soon-to-be nine seasons--members of this team have played rec-league softball in their hometown of Virginia Beach, VA. Though typically forming teams that inevitably ruthlessly lose, the players trek on, relying on their keen sportsmanship, improving upon their lack of natural athleticism with each season, and just having a darn good time every week.

It's about time someone chronicled their story.

So join me, fans, in celebrating the achievements of this great softball club as we look at the past, report the present, and forecast the future of VBC Softball. Go, Unicorns!