Nate Wunderli ‘22
Sports Editor
The best rivalry in sports is not the Yankees/Red Sox, not Lakers/Celtics, or Ohio State/Michigan. No, the best rivalry in sports is 3L Section A and 3L Section G. The rivalry began early, even before Section A and G ever met on the pothole-laden Copeley Field. As do many modern-day rivalries, it began on the Internet, in the form of pregame trash talk. After losing our first game to a paltry Section E team (sorry, Section E), Section A was struggling to find their identity on the field, which led to Section G spewing some questionable comments on the Interweb prior to Game 2. “Section A, they’re all talk but I heard they suck.” Ouch. It hurt the most, probably because of the truth behind it. At 0-1 on the season, we weren’t sure how our team would stack up, or even if we would have a team in a week. A couple more losses, and as the captain of the team I was looking at a potential mutiny.
While saying we suck seemed a bit premature after one loss, the comment was accurate in that we were not afraid to throw shade at opponents before, during, and after games to spice things up. Maybe it was the Bud Light Lime talking. Game 2 against Section G would be our way of proving that maybe there is something behind the talk after all. Well, the game did not start out well. At all. Section G was beating us by double digits by the second inning, a drubbing that left our usually enthusiastic section silent and stunned on the sidelines. Maybe we did suck. Hell, we may never win a game. Section G, on the other hand, might as well have been on a different planet, partying and laughing and carrying on like they were at the front row of a One Direction concert.
Pictured: Section A after their first win vs. Section G. Photo Courtesy of Nate Wunderli '22.
Down eleven runs going into our final at bat, the game was basically over. We scrapped together a couple hits before recording an out. Maybe we’d score some runs here and get some confidence going into the next game. A couple more hits followed by some walks. A home run cleared the bases. Hey, maybe we will give them a scare after all. A couple more walks. A palpable buzz started on the Section A sidelines, getting increasingly loud with each person that reached base. The zombie that was the Section A softball team was arising from its grave, but twelve runs still seemed like an insurmountable task. Eventually, it became clear we would have a chance. Down two with two runners on and two outs, I came up to the plate as the winning run. A poke out to right field, with some help from the right field tree, and the rest was history. We were so overjoyed at our comeback and first win, we didn’t even notice that someone on Section G was hit in the face as the ball was relayed home and had to go to the ER, adding to the emotional pain from their loss.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a true rivalry if it ended after one game. Section G had their revenge, and in a big way as they knocked us out of the semifinals of the tournament by one run, orchestrating a comeback of their own. Which set up this latest drama, a game three exhibition grudge match to determine the true winner of the 3L softball crown. Despite the preseason nature of the game, it was clear from the start that this one meant a lot to both squads. First of all, the fact that we were even playing exhibition games in ninety-degree heat 3L year shows a certain level of dedication in itself. The game turned out to be a classic. Section A jumped out to the early lead, holding a 5-6 run advantage most of the contest. In the final inning, in true Section A v. G form, Section G came back to tie the game. Momentary confusion ensued. Do we end in a tie? It’s brutally hot, and it is only an exhibition game. Plus, Talullah Tepper’s ’22 dog looked like he was about to pass out on the sidelines. The vocal majority said to play extra innings, and the rest, probably not wanting to look weak in front of our archrivals, obliged. Section A proceeded to score five runs, taking the game, and the pride, by a score of 17-14.
Pictured: Section A and G captains. Photo Courtesy of Nate Wunderli '22.
Kelli Finnegan, Section G’s captain, in a true show of sportsmanship, had this to say after the game: “I’m glad we got to kick off the season with a long-running rivalry game! Maybe if Section A’s music was better, we could’ve rounded the bases faster.” Until next time indeed, Section G. As Alex Albert ’22 said, “this game is going to make me happy for a long time.”
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nw7cz@virginia.edu