The Indians of John Burroughs High School (Burbank) gathered at Birmingham High School for their first softball game of the 2008 season.
After going through the usual warms-ups of stretches, throwing and hitting, they looked around the diamond in confusion. Game time was 15 minutes away and the Indians were alone - no opponents in sight.
Eagle Rock High School had been scheduled to play against Burroughs. However, they withdrew from the Lincoln Softball Tournament on Thursday and officials had replaced Eagle Rock with the Rangers of Nordhoff High School from Ojai, much to Nordhoff's surprise.
The teams agreed to an abbreviated one-hour game.
The top of the first inning saw the Indians send five batters to the plate.
Casey Reichelderfer reached on an error by the pitcher, advanced on a single by
Kerry Hodgins then crossed the plate on a steal. The Rangers, in the bottom half of the inning, faced
Lizzie Peters and catcher
Katie Budrick. Peters gave up a single but struck out two, as the Rangers went scoreless.
The Indians went down as fast as they went up to bat in the second inning as all three batters struck out. Peters held off Nordhoff, while recording her third strikeout, to end the inning.
After the first batter struck out to start the third inning, the top of the Indian's lineup came to life.
Cassie Colón doubled to right field, Reichelderfer tripled (scoring Colón), and Hodgins doubled (scoring Reichelderfer). Behind 3-0, Nordhoff managed to load up the bases with no outs, as Peters walked three in a row.
The Indians defense held the line, leaving Nordhoff scoreless. The one-hour time limit was fast approaching when the fourth inning opened. Budrick reached base on a double and
Bri Casillas walked.
Anticipation filled the air then fizzled as the umpire called the end of the game due to time. Burroughs recorded the first win of the season, defeating Nordhoff 3-0.
Game two for Burroughs had them face the Rangers of Nordhoff (based on the original schedule) for the second time. The Ranges were playing their third game on the day while the Indians were able to relax.
The age-old question, "Is rest good or bad for a team?" was about to be answered. On the mound for Burroughs was
Jena Serranzana, with
Katie Budrick behind the plate. After four innings of play, the Rangers had made up for the earlier defeat to Burroughs by winning 9-0.
The Indians managed only two singles (plus a season high five errors) against two singles, two triples and five walks by Nordhoff. Up next for the 1-1 Indians, the Eagles of Chaminade High School from West Hills.