“This would be the ideal town for weather bureau headquarters. It would take an army of clerks to keep account of the rise and fall in the temperature alone. … No one would be surprised upon awakening tomorrow to find that the north pole had suddenly located here or that we had moved during the night to the tropical zone. Most anything can be accomplished overnight in the town of Charlottesville.” ~ The Washington Post, March 6, 1915
College baseball fans know the deal. There is little room in a tight collegiate season for rain delays. And, there is no room at all for cancelled games.
While big leaguers unroll the tarps at the first rain shower, college players soldier on.
Matt Thaiss, Catcher.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons came to Charlottesville this weekend to play a Friday/Saturday/Sunday series against the University of Virginia Cavaliers.
But, with the promise of rain and snow and wind and cold, things required a bit of shuffling. Keep up with me here.
Ernie Clement, Second Base.
Friday evenings’s game was moved to Friday afternoon. Sunday’s game was moved to Friday night. Saturday afternoon’s game was moved to Saturday morning.
Got it?
(This is why I can already tell you that UVA won tomorrow’s game. Blows your mind, doesn’t it?)
So through Friday’s springtime sun, a chilly evening, and then morning cold, followed by colder cold, coupled with rain and then more rain and then relentless cold rain, there was 10 hours of baseball to play.
There’s this thing I’ve noticed at college games. There are shamers scattered around the park. If you leave early or miss a game for whatever reason, the shamers take note. They will mention it to you. “Leaving already?” “Too cold for you?” “Missed you yesterday.”
Just for the record, we were there for all 10 hours. Take that, shamers.
If a shamer ever says to me, “Missed you yesterday,” I’m going to quiver my lip and say, “My dad died.” That should pipe them down. And, it’s not like I’m lying, because he did. (Ten years ago.)
UVA won the Friday and Sunday games – which were Friday’s double-header which began in warm, 60-ish sunshine at 3:30 p.m. and ended at 10:30 p.m. when it was dark and barely hanging onto to 50.
Saturday’s game, which Wake won, was pushed to morning to beat the rain and the snow in the forecast, which it nearly did.
It was in the low 40s on Saturday and you know what that means …
Free Hot Chocolate!
10 hours. 3 games.
6 sacrifice bunts. Including this one …
And, this one …
One 9-for-13 series for UVA centerfielder Adam Hasley.
Adam Hasley, 9-for-13 (.692) over the three games, including 2 triples and 3 doubles.
31 total runs. Including this one …
(You’ll have to trust me on this.)
1 balk.
And, one umpire’s balk conference.
Cold rain.
And, about that hot chocolate …
Yeh, it might have been two.
UVA takes two of the three games from Wake Forest.
Game 1
Game 2.
Game 3
Photos: Wake Forest at University of Virginia. Davenport Field, Charlottesville, Virginia. March 18 and 19, 2016. © The Baseball Bloggess
Friday Double-Header Highlights …
Saturday Highlights …
The Baseball Bloggess 
The game needs more of those sacrifice bunts. I love sacrifice bunts.
Me too! And, UVA is all about the sac-bunt this season. My goal is to get a snapshot of at least one per game. I’ve got loads already! :)
Ah, spring in Charlottesville. Where else could you see Sunday’s game on Friday!?!
Well, it sure didn’t feel like spring … but maybe I can pack the thermals away now!
Is there some way I can get a bet down on “tomorrow’s” game? I just got a feeling. :-)
v
:)
Thank you for the memories of many, many spring and fall soccer seasons on the sidelines in the snow, hail and whatever else Momma Nature thru at us! Spring and fall ball here is also full of snow- outs.! Spent 1 in the bleachers section waiting for hours for them to call it – about 4 inches in, they did! Its only the tuff kids that stick it out to the bitter end! Congrats!
Sharon, There was one game in Charlottesville at the end of February, and the lacrosse field is right beside the diamond and the women’s lacrosse team was playing in maybe (maybe!) 40-degree temperatures and they were in their tee-shirts and shorts. And, I was dressed for a North Dakota wind chill! I am proud of the many layers I can wrap around myself to ward off the chill. Fortunately, I think that was the last wintery blast. Let the springtime begin!
Brrr….The bees in the bat sting a little lighter with a sacrifice bunt.That’s the way I remember it.
Bruce … yes, the bees! Plus, I’m a sucker for a sacrifice bunt … there’s something about “taking one for the team” in the least-macho way possible — just clink the ball down into the grass and run like hell — that turns me to mush. Which isn’t to say bunting is easy … because, of course, it takes practice, skill, artistry, and more practice. I’ll let you know when they lay down the suicide squeeze!
So envious that you get to see so much baseball! Glad to see that the Hoos are playing some good ball, too. Should make the matchup in the ‘Ville more interesting next weekend!. The Cards lost 2 of 3 down in Miami, so they’ll be looking to bounce back, but they’re pitching hasn’t been that great lately.
-Mike
Pitching is UVA’s downfall this season too … I think L’ville is the toughest team C’ville has faced. Hopefully the sacrifice bunts will save the Hoos! :)
I am clueless about the game apart from the Yankees and Mets references in Sitcoms (don’t hate me). But I love your action photography. Makes me see the game from a new perspective.
Thanks, Nivs … The baseball references from years ago on Seinfeld were some of the best. Most of my friends don’t get the baseball thing either … and my Yoga students often just scratch their head and wonder where this came from. I think we all have to find refuge from this crazy world from time to time, and I found mine at the ballpark. Thanks for stopping by!
Yes, Seinfeld is what I refer too as well. Since George gets a job . I love Yoga! I practice Bikram Yoga.
Oh, I did go to D.C. for a game. What do you think of this? https://500px.com/photo/116436741/shoot-to-strike-out-by-nivs-the-clicker?ctx_page=1&from=user&user_id=11875977
Love it! I’m not a big fan of the Nats or their boxy park, but I’m a huge fan of all the vegetarian and vegan options they have (shout out to the Garden of Vegan! kiosk) … because if I’m going to spend my life at the ballpark, real food is a must!
Thanks so very much for visiting my blog. I am a big baseball fan and I very happy to find your blog.
Thank you for finding me, too, Laura … baseball is a little hide-out from stress and challenges in this world. Hopefully this blog is a little refuge, too. I love your beautiful photos of Minnesota and the Northern Plains on your blog! :)
Love this! I’ve been a baseball fan since shortly after the Dodgers left Brooklyn. I’m a Nats season ticket holder, Spring training traveler and visitor at minor league parks when we wander in the summer. Do come to a Nats game again and explore the neighborhood. It’s changing by the minute and is almost as big an attraction as the game! If you come to see Big Train baseball at Shirley Povich Field, I’m right around the corner.
Hi Ellen, I lived in DC before the Nats, so I have this unbreakable bond with the Orioles, but we do get up to Nats Park a couple times each year. It’s a nice park, and always fun with the Orioles play there because the crowd is so nicely mixed with fans of both teams.
Yes, I know about Big Train baseball! I don’t know why UVA doesn’t occasionally have a player on the roster. And, I looked up the website and just discovered that Dirk Hayhurst played there one summer. His book, “The Bullpen Gospels” about life (mostly) in the minors is a very funny 21st-century version of “Ball Four.”
Maybe we’ll cross paths at a DC diamond this summer!
I noticed your blog contains subjects beyond baseball. How might a change to your title assist you in attracting a wider audience? I love baseball but often don’t find a lot of interest in the subject online.
Thanks for stopping by Usfman and for your interesting thought! Yes, I did think about blogging more broadly, but I decided to keep my blog posts — and my blog title — baseball-centric. I have always said part of my love for the game is how baseball reflects our broader history, culture, society, and reality, and this is my way to show that. With a couple exceptions, my non-baseball posts — about my family or even the off-season I spent reading War & Peace, etc — end up with a connection to baseball. It’s a challenge sometimes, but I like that it makes me work a little harder.
I know this will limit the people who give my blog a read (I even have friends who won’t read it for the same reason you note). But, I know that the right people, those who love the game for its rich history, and for that something that goes much deeper than the box score, find me. Quality over quantity, right? :)
I am back! Your blog tagline says love 4-6-3. What does that mean? {from bootcamp}
And btw, I posted some pics of the game on my blog for today’s photo101 camp.
Hello fellow bootcamper! :) 4-6-3 is an inside-y baseball term … that only the nerdiest of baseball fans will know. Each position on a team has a number that is used to identify the player when writing down plays on a scorecard. 4-6-3 means the batter hit the ball to the second baseman (4) who tossed it to the shortstop (6) who relayed it to the first baseman (3). The result? A double-play … one of my favorite plays in baseball. I thought putting 4-6-3 and the serial comma in my tagline (I do update/change my tagline from time to time) was exponentially nerdirific and sort of sounded poetic …
Whoa! Thanks for that explanation. Appreciate it.
Now that you know the 4-6-3, you are officially a baseball nerd. Welcome aboard!
Regarding the 10 hour baseball ordeal , I would never feel obligated to justify my absence from a game with shamers. There are many ways to support a team besides actually being in the stands. I live , talk , and breathe baseball but a 10 hour game would stretch my limit of patience to remain no matter how exciting the game is.
Hi Usfman … I wouldn’t say the 10 hours were an ordeal (I wouldn’t go to baseball games if they were an ordeal to me). This was just the regular Friday/Saturday/Sunday three-game series, but compressed into a Friday double-header and a Saturday morning game in order to miss Sunday’s bad weather. I sure was cold on Saturday morning, though … but, free hot chocolate can be a salve for the soul! You are absolutely right, some of the best baseball fans don’t have the opportunity to go to games — because of cost, or distance, or health, or myriad other reasons. We are very lucky to have such a very good baseball program at the University of Virginia. The players are dedicated athletes and students, and Coach O’Connor instills the best of the game and life in his men. Since the college baseball season is a quick one, we try to get to every game … even when the weather is chilly. We like to cheer them on, especially on days when there aren’t many fans in the stands. Still, work and life gets in the way sometimes, so we miss games, too. The shamers are a funny phenomenon. I’ve only noticed them at college games — maybe because the parks are smaller and everyone sort of knows everyone.
Ok I’m sold! I have to check their schedule and head down this spring, just a quick 2 hour drive. I’m already mapping out some of my ballpark visits for the year and I should make use of my UVA gear! Thankfully none of it is the tacky “UVA Dad” stuff!
Greg … Here’s the Hoo’s schedule: http://www.virginiasports.com/sports/m-basebl/sched/va-m-basebl-sched.html
Hope to see you at the Dav!
10 hours of baseball, maybe be ideal to lots of folks! I can absolutely respect your posts! Nice job! Personally I don’t watch the sport much unless my husband wants me to go watch the Detroit Tigers with him (he has season tickets) most of the time I can find a reason not to go. There are times I will go just to see the reactions on his face, he’s like a 5yr old on Christmas morning and ya just gotta love that!
Baseball can be a quirky hobby to explain to my friends. It’s a nice refuge for me … for me, there’s nothing like sitting at a game, outside in the world, away from the telephone, and just watching the game unfold … from the big exciting jump-up-and-cheer plays to the little strategic nuanced moments between pitcher and batter. Plus, mascots and junk food and hot dog races and the 7th inning stretch and oh my! I get happy just thinking about it! :)
Those are all the same things my husband raves about…you would probably be better company for my husband. Maybe you can help me to enjoy the game more so I can impress him with my new knowledge? He would be so surprised if I started talking baseball, haha