Rematch. When the two men’s teams gathered for the championship game of the intramural softball tournament Sunday, the two teams were very familiar with what they were about to do.
Last spring, the championship softball game came down to the Smerfs and the Naturals, with the Smerfs ending up on top 15-5. Sunday night the same two teams, with the Naturals renamed the Purple Monkeys, battled it out again to determine who would be the champions of intramural softball.
The Smerfs hoped to become repeat champions, while the Purple Monkeys hoped that they could turn around last year’s ten-run loss and end up on top.
There were spectacular plays, diving catches, and powerful hits as both teams displayed the solid skills that got them to the championship game Sunday night. But in the end , the well-placed hitting and solid pitching by the Smerfs was too much for the Purple Monkeys, and the Smerfs took the championship game 8-2.
“The impressive thing is getting everyone together and making time to enjoy intramural sports,” said pitcher Mark Zaruba, GA in the kinesiology department. “I’ve played for five years and I still love it.”
By looking at the score, you may see a blow-out victory for the Smerfs, but the Purple Monkeys gave them a close game. Smerf team member Vance McDonald is optimistic about the team’s chances for another victory for the Smerfs in the spring.
The 8-2 victory was “the closest game we’ve had in two years,” McDonald said.
The Smerfs also hope to be one of the top contenders for the newly established Bearkat Cup of intramural sports. The cup works by awarding points to teams for participation, sportsmanship, and top finishes. The Bearkat Cup points will be tracked for Men’s, Women’s, Co-Rec, and Greek divisions. Smerfs are competing in both the men’s and co-rec divisions.
“We’ve got a pretty good squad going on,” said softball captain Jeff Rowe.
The Smerfs received 80 points for the victory and are also participating in flag football and volleyball.
The co-rec championship game also took place Sunday night at 9 p.m. and featured the Pink Elephants taking on Grip and Rip.
The Pink Elephants gained the early lead by scoring four runs in the first two innings. Grip and Rip staged a comeback in the fourth inning, scoring three runs and bringing the score to 4-3. The Pink Elephants held off Grip and Rip for the win, as neither team brought in a run the rest of the game.
The Pink Elephants also earn 80 points toward the Bearkat Cup and have teams competing in co-rec flag football and volleyball and women’s volleyball.