The Boys of Late Winter are Back in Billings

If alliteration offends your poetic rules then I am sorry. To me it seems to come naturally, like thirds and sixths on the piano or in the choir, some choirs anyway.

Four baseball games were played by the young men of Montana State University at Billings against the young men of Central Washington University this past Friday and Saturday afternoon at Dehler Park.

Apparently there is no "mercy rule" in this conference or at least for these games, so some of the games' scores resembled football scoring. I checked out the first game on Saturday and left at the top of the 5th inning, when Central Washington University of Ellensburg WA led with 4 touchdowns and extra points to two safeties by the home team, i.e. 28-4.

I wrongly assumed they would mercifully call it after 5 innings or at least after 7 innings but that was not to be. Eventually, they got through nine innings and the final score was 31-15 or so according to this morning's Gazette.

Naturally, a fair number of pitchers were used by both teams so the 7 inning night-cap ended up 13-12 in favor of MSUB.

Baseball has some different rhythms and psychology than other games. CWU scored 14 runs in the 2nd inning and then had several other smaller outbursts of 7 and 5 in between some almost scoreless innings. This did not discourage our boys. They batted around in the bottom of the ninth and could conceivably be still batting. None of that forty minute racing up and down the floor flinging it in the hoop while doing some not so subtle mayhem to the opponents.

The two teams split a doubleheader on Friday afternoon as well.

Students get in free, and Seniors get in for $3. For not very clear reasons there are no season tickets available at the park. The concession stands were not open though a few caps and jerseys and potato chips were available.

The infield grass looked nice, but the outfield looked like it needed some water. The dirt part of the infield needed a little attention as well. It will be a long season as the Legion teams will be moving in soon and then, of course, the Mustangs will arrive in June. Weekends for now and then every day when the kids get out of school.