Thinking Zebra: Quincy @ Macomb Softball Benefit Game

Quincy @ Macomb (Softball)
(5/3/10)
"Think Zebra" Benefit Softball Game

The "Think Zebra" benefit softball game was a fundraiser months in the working. I first heard about it in early April, when I contacted Macomb softball coach Steve Horrell about broadcasting a game or two.

Steve told me about a "Zebra" game they would be playing, a benefit for Primary Immunodeficiency. The Lady Bombers would be wearing special zebra uniforms. The benefit was to help raise funds for the disease that one of their own battles. Emma Bozarth is a freshman on the softball team, and has to go through four shots each and every week. Her drug company funded the special zebra uniforms, consisting of a jersey and hat.

The "Think Zebra" motto was developed, in response to what medial students learn, "when a hoof beats, think horses not zebras." The Immune Defiency Foundation says that PIDD patients are the zebras of the medical world, hence Think Zebra.

Upon hearing of this game, I kept in constant contact with Emma's family, to help them raise awareness through the media, and using my media contacts in the area, along with Quincy, since the Blue Devils from the Gem City would be visiting. Silent auction items were also raised, with some great stuff coming in, including autographed memorabilia from Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, and Jennie Finch. In total, the benefit raised $1,158.50. Talks are already underway for next year's benefit, which could include a special guest!

With the varsity game beginning at 4:00, it was going to be really tight getting my Monday work duties in, and getting to the field on time to set up. The broadcast setup for softball at MHS is a table in the dugout. After a couple meetings at work, and getting everything done at the last possible minute, I grabbed a table and long extension cord and made the trip down Route 67.

It was about 3:15 when I pulled into the Macomb High School parking lot, with both teams on the field warming up. With a lot of setup, and not much time, I quickly unpacked. With 100 feet of extension cord, I thought I would have enough, along with my own 20 feet of my own. Stringing the 100 feet from the scoreboard in leftfield down the fence, and adding my 20 feet was still about 10 feet short. Instead of cramping the quarters in the dugout, I set the table just outside the dugout. Plus, it was a great place to catch some sun.

One problem was the wind, as it can be often times during the spring. It can give me some real headaches trying to keep stats, without everything blowing around. Today, may have been my worst experience of getting beat by the breeze.

Jeff Jones, Emma's stepfather, came over after we were set up and gave me a list of the auction items, donors, etc. He was also gracious enough to give me one of the zebra jerseys and hats. He said that he had relatives, and the drug company employees listening into the game from Dallas, Texas, Louisville, Kentucky, and around Illinois.

Emma would not get into the varsity game, so she made an appearance on the broadcast, talking with me during the 2nd inning. Many times, interviewing a student can be very difficult, with short answers. You have to really be prepared for follow-up questions, sort of rapid fire. As a freshman, I was very surprised at how well Emma did. She answered every question like a pro.

Quincy took a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning, when Laken Frese singled, and later scored. Christina Goehl, the Blue Devils starting pitcher was hit by a pitch, and would score the second run of the inning. Macomb would answer in the bottom of the frame, with Lauren Sims reaching on a base hit. She would advance from first to third on a bunt attempt by Sydni Horrell.

Former Macomb High baseball coach Max Kreps hung out near our broadcast setup, and even bought me a Coca-Cola. Others congregating in our vicinity were Macomb statistician Dan Rouse, McDonough Voice Sports Editor Shelby Burget, and McDonough Voice sports writer Mitch Worley. Speaking of the latter two, here's a much better game recap. http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/sports/x359586235/Lady-Bombers-blasted

Melissa Bracy had a single in the 2nd inning for Quincy, the only base runner by either team in the frame. The Blue Devils plated four runs in the third inning. Goehl led off with a single, followed by a Mariah Hoke base hit, then a Stephanie Wensing RBI double, and an RBI single by Brittany Landwehr. Carlee Clampitt would hit an RBI single in the inning as well, and Quincy took a 6-1 lead through three innings.

It was a ten-run game in the fourth inning. Goehl, again led off with a basehit. Hoke then stepped up and smoked a line drive right into Macomb pitcher Kelsey Carle. It was hit back so hard it was hard to tell where she was hit. Carle took off her glove in a lot of pain. She gloved it in the nick of time, and her glove hand was stinging. She would stay in and face the next two batters before getting pulled, after going 3+ innings.

Freshman Dailea Powell entered to finish the game for the Lady Bombers, after Carle gave up a 2-run single to Landwehr. Clampitt would drive in a run with an RBI single, making the score 11-1. Macomb added two runs in the 4th inning. Lexa Mahr led off the frame with a single, followed by a Karen Hinman hit. Rachel Murphy, Powell, and Kristyn Moore all had hits in the inning. Moore had a 2-run single, that made it 11-3.

The Blue Devils added the two runs back in the 5th inning, with Hoke reaching on a single. She was brought in on a 2-run home run by Wensing. The Lady Bombers only got one base runner in the bottom of the 5th inning, when Chandler Horrell had a single. Quincy would prevail, 13-3.

WGEM-TV out of Quincy did a very nice job, providing some great game highlights during the Monday 10 p.m. news, and Tyler Tomlinson did a feature on Tuesday's 6 p.m. sportscast on Emma Bozarth.

After going off the air with my broadcast partner, Kelly Sears, I packed up and talked to Rouse for several minutes. Dan will be retiring from Western Illinois University in four weeks. He is still counting down weeks, but has an idea on the amount of days left. In retirement, he is going to ramp up his stat keeping for Macomb athletics, along with polishing up the record books he keeps track of. Coach Horrell also came over and chatted for a few minutes.