If games could possibly be won on heart and effort, then Evergreen's club baseball team would have pounded rival the University of Oregon Ducks into next week. Unfortunately, one's heartfelt effort doesn't count in this game, only runs scored.

The team faced the Ducks last weekend at South Eugene High School, playing a doubleheader on Saturday and another game Sunday morning. This was their first meeting ever, as both teams joined the National Club Baseball Association's Pacific Mountain Conference this season.

The Geoducks appeared confident, despite criticism from the crowd and the size of Oregon's team and their 'Nike U' uniforms. They showed up with 11 of the team's players, some of whom also serve as their coaches, including head coach/manager Sean Presley, first base coach Dirk Kinsey, and third base coach/assistant to the coach Justin Porter.

The Ducks dominated Saturday's doubleheader, shutting out the Geoducks in the first game with 12 runs, eight alone in the second inning, which resulted in the game being called during the bottom of the fifth when the Geoducks had two runners on base - one in scoring position - and only one out. (Guess the umpires didn't want to wait and see if they might actually score that time.) And though the Ducks produced more hits and runs, the Geoducks had some hits and were walked - giving a few the chance to try to score - though the highlight was likely when third baseman/pitcher James Stippich hit a foul into adjacent and highly traveled Pearl Street, barely missing traffic.

In the second game, the Ducks managed a staggering 20 runs, though they failed to once again shut out the Geoducks, when two runs were scored in the final inning. Afterward, the team presented the Ducks - at the behest of first baseman Tucker Waugh - with Britney Spears Valentine's cards, about which they could be heard commenting, "Wow, they have Britney Spears."

The team spent the afternoon walking around downtown Eugene, even stopping to kiss the Ken Kesey statue, before checking into their motel in Springfield.

And that's when the fun REALLY began.

As a contributor for the Cooper Point Journal, the team knew I was hanging around to write about them and the games, and they graciously allowed me to hang out with them, even so much as shared their beer. They kept telling me things to include, which I warned them I would forget, and I did, thanks to the booze, aside from one thing: the team's sexy image.

For starters, the Evergreen fight song. The team sang it a couple times, but all I can remember is something like 'siphon high, squirt it out,' which could be taken so many ways that it's too funny for words. And the Geoduck itself has some funky imagery going on. (But that's another article. . .)

The prominent factor of their sexy image lies in butt taps, versus ass-slapping. It's not about a quick, congratulatory slap but how the hand is positioned and how long it lingers. (I'm dead serious; you should've seen the demonstration.) Plus, there's the tight uniforms, the infielder who looks like Tom Cruise, and the simple fact that they're just a down-to-Earth group of guys. And besides, they made sure that I, when I was too comfortable to care, didn't attempt to drive drunk, yet none took advantage of that situation. And if there's anything sexier than that, I don't know.

Sunday's game was another five-inning blow-out by the Ducks, but the Geoducks played better than they did Saturday, with more hits as well as better defense. One player attributed it to the night before, commenting "Maybe we should party before every game." Although the game was called with the Ducks shutting them out with 12 runs, the Geoducks still walked away optimistic.

"They may have beat us, but we did our best," Stippich said, who had a couple hits. "We'll get 'em next time." The Geoducks face Oregon again March 27 and 28 at home. Next, the team will host Central Oregon Community College this weekend.

Copyright © 2004, Talia M. Wilson
published in Cooper Point Journal, Feb. 19, 2004

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