Sub Overview

With the retirement of Alaina Coletti from VBC Softball, it is only appropriate to take a look at the Unicorns' success with minor league call-ups* to determine who might best aid the Unicorns as a replacement in the fall season.  Here are the nine subs listed on the spring season's roster:
*Editor's note: minor league meaning Duffer minor league, meaning E class, meaning anyone that does not play softball--essentially, everyone is eligible for a call-up

1. Sarah Redfield - Redfield regularly attends Unicorns games and is considered part of the team's 14-man roster that is comprised of the team's primary players.  However, she is also a member of the Blue Bombers, a C-league team that plays on Friday nights, so they only use her when they need to.  Otherwise, she supportively cheers and keeps score.  Redfield is batting .364/.417/.364 this season, having 11 at-bats in 5 games.  She has played softball since high school, which gives her a very sturdy sense of fielding and provides the team with a reliable defensive sub, especially at 2B and in RC and LC.

2. Jen Doo - Though never having played a game yet with VBC Softball, Doo is considered sub-eligible and was on the roster before the Unicorns started needing subs.  Currently she resides in Northern Virginia, making it near impossible to get to any games since they are on Monday nights.  However, Doo proudly sports a Unicorns jersey and is considered ready-to-play-if-necessary by Coach Weaver if she is around during a game.  During throwing practice sessions, Doo has proven herself to have a strong arm and good accuracy, yet her being a novice shows in errors, as occasionally the ball pops out of her glove and lands hard on her legs. The good news is that she has been consistent in continuing to throw despite visible bruises on the hit spots.

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.