The Neverending Game

When I got to Louisville, I was concerned that the Bats' game against the Columbus Clippers wouldn't take place at all. It was raining and there was lightning. I went in anyway so that I would get my free hat. Then I waited with everyone else to see if they would actually start. They did - about 45 minutes late. Through the first few innings there were dark clouds and lightning off in the distance, but the field itself was dry and the sky above light. So, the game went on, and on, and on and on and . . .

18 innings later - sometime after 1:30 in the morning the game ended with the Bats' shortstop waving at a moderately hard line drive as it went past (which he would have caught in the first 15 innings or so) and the Clippers got a sixth run. The last three innings the Bats had an outfielder pitching. Pretty sure they wanted to get out of there. And it wasn't just the Bats either. The homeplate umps strike zone had gotten small enough that if batters from either team had just stood there they'd have walked in a run eventually. And the Clippers' midfielders waved at a couple balls themselves as they went by, but the Bats weren't able to capitalize.

Before everybody got close to collapse, during the first 12 or so innings when they were playing hard, there was a pattern to the game. The Clippers put many more batters on base, but had trouble capitalizing as well as they might. The Bats had more trouble getting men on base, but when they did seemed better able to take advantage. Everybody played well, although the most spectacular plays came in the 16th when the outfielder/pitcher caused all three outs. He caught a grounder and turned to fling the ball at second to start an impressive double play. Then he ran across the field to make sliding catch on a foul ball halfway to third base.

All-in-all, if the game had started on time and ended without the passing of epochs it would have been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The stadium is nice and I suggest splurging for the money to get seats on the upper area because they are just about perfectly situated to let you catch every last bit of the game.