Oxford, AL – Vipers drop 6-5, but their on-field fights back against rain and smoke shine rays of sunshine through the clouds of a tough start to their debut season at Oxford
By Joe Medley
It was the Smash It Sports Vipers’ first-ever home game in Oxford scored their first win of the season, and also the seventh inning rally on Sunday, which finished one run off in a 6-5 defeat against The Texas Smoke.
The three-run rally which brought the likely winner to the plate demonstrated that a young Women’s Professional Fastpitch team is fighting for 6-1 despite an unbeaten start.
The victory over rain proved that a championship is still possible for Oxford this year even if the Vipers aren’t able to be victorious.
After losing two games on the road due to rain in their initial two games in the series, the Vipers had a win on Sunday’s home game. It was despite a massive storm that caused a sideways rumble with heavy rain falling up to an hour before beginning the 7. p.m. first game.
The rain stopped at the time of 6 p.m. Field Crew started taking down the tarp that was on the field’s iconic infield at Choccolocco Park around 6:15 p.m.
At 6:55 p.m. the previously puddled and pooled outfield was made playable and the game was scheduled to begin around 8 p.m.
The facility’s performance in the face of such elements offered Vipers General Manager Don DeDonatis ammunition to make Oxford’s case to host for the 2023 WPF championship.
“This is the ideal location, as you need to find a facility that is able to handle the situations that occur and other things that pop to the forefront where you must play be playing, and you’re required to play,” DeDonatis said. “Turf is a great place to play. You can play in any weather that is bad, but to look at dirt and grass and to be able to see this all accomplished and the work that the players did is truly remarkable.
“I would highly recommend this venue for any sport that can be played or any type of championship. I have been there.”
When the WPF will determine a tournament host location, DeDonatis said “nothing has been announced as of yet.”
“It’s likely to happen in the near future,” he said. “I’m confident. We’ll wait and see the outcome.”
The championship series will take place August. 15-17, at a location to be confirmed.
The Vipers roster features the players of as far as California and a rumored dugout was watching as Sunday’s rain-swollen, lightning-laced storm dumped its burden onto their field.
“I’m from Houston and so when it rains, we’re aware that it’s a rainout.” Alissa Dalton said. “We were in the dugout, watching it pouring and lightning strike, and we were all thinking “There’s no way that this game is going to be capable of (to to) be played).
“The field crew told us that they could get the rain out of four inches in thirty minutes. Kudos to these guys for doing it. They were getting wet doing it.”
Leadoff batter Brooke Wilmes, an Iowa student who played at the University of Missouri, watched the outfield conditions get worse.
“When I noticed the puddle on left and center fields I was thinking that it was gone,” she said. “Then I went inside for about an hour, before then the whole incident was completely absorbed.”
Joe Guthrie served as the Vipers acting head coach on Sunday, as the head coach Gerry Glasco, also the head coach of the University of Louisiana visited Louisiana to handle his recruiting duties for the season. Guthrie stated that the Choccolocco Park team had a stifle on doubts about the possibility of the game being played at a rapid pace.
“We were all stunned when the city of Oxford and said, ‘Hey! you’re playing tonight and we’re going to play tonight,'” Guthrie said. Guthrie who was a former UAB assistant coach, whose new school year position is the director for player development at Texas A&M. “We were watching the sky and radar and we were thinking we’re going to get six-and-a-half inches of rainfall. He said”No, we’re likely to receive four inches of rain, and the rain will hold only five inches.
“That’s praise to the grounds staff for knowing their work and being aware of what they could accomplish. The grounds crew gave us every bit the confidence. They told us that we’re playing at 8 so we’re playing 8.”
In the aftermath of the first pitch that followed, the Vipers were trailing all the way but did have their moments. Wilmes’ sac fly during the 2nd innings brought them to within 3-1. Raina O’Neal smacked one of three runs she scored to bring the score to 4-2 after the third inning.
O’Neal’s double was the most devastating blow of the Vipers seven-run seventh, which reduced the deficit to 6-5. Makena Smith scored the first inning of the rally on an infield grounder after the Vipers had loaded the bases.
Kelsey Bennett represented the potential winning run after she came at bat, with runners and two outs. She was struck out.
“It’s the start season,” Wilmes said. “We’re (seven) matches into and it’s not about the way you start. It’s what you do after.
“Every every single day we’re growing as group as a team and playing alongside one another. There aren’t many girls who have played alongside one another, which is why it’s so exciting to witness the rallies and comebacks. It’s time to start playing earlier and add bits from time to time.”
