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It only figures that possibly the wildest, wackiest high school softball game ever played - one that would end 47-44 after nearly five hours of play - would have a few surreal moments.
For Charlotte (N.C.) West Charlotte assistant coach Gerald Herbert, it came midway through, when parents who arrived back at the school for pickup and couldn't find their kids, called them on the phone and discovered they were sitting in a dugout miles away, still playing.
"They were like, 'Mom, we're still here - and it's only the fifth inning,'" Herbert said.
For Charlotte (N.C.) Vance athletic director Rick Gardner, it came in the late innings.
"The umpire, who we were paying $50 to work the game, had hired a babysitter to watch his kids," Gardner started the story with a laugh. "About 9 o'clock, he turns to me and says, 'Well, if this game goes much longer it's going to cost me money.
"We both had a good laugh."
Everyone involved got a good memory.
Two teams - both young, both inexperienced and both obviously evenly matched - traded runs, hits, errors and a lot of walks. The April 13 game started at 5 p.m. and ended at 9:38. In the end, West Charlotte prevailed, 47-44.
West Charlotte softball team members, clockwise from top left, are Diamond Brown, Etonia Curry, Amanda Crews and Nayla Swanson.
The 91 combined runs were the second-highest total in history, according to the National Federation of High School Sports record book. East Machias (Maine) Academy and Lubec (Maine) combined for 94 runs in 1983. But that game ended with East Machias on top, 88-6.
This game wasn't a blowout. Far from it.
"It was like a championship game," Herbert said. "Both teams were very intense, played like it was 1-0 the whole game."
Don't be confused; it wasn't low-scoring for very long.
West Charlotte scored three times in the top of the first, then gave up 15 in the bottom half. But it rallied to score 12 in the top of the second to tie the game. That's when Herbert knew something special was starting.
"The girls said, 'Now we know we can score on this team, we can win this game - we can score runs just like they can score runs.'" Herbert said. "Both teams took the same attitude. Nobody on either team got down."
The teams went back and forth - Vance led 31-30 after four innings.
Because neither team was ahead by more than 10 through five complete innings, the mercy rule didn't apply. In fact, the only one who mentioned anything about stopping the game were some of the West Charlotte players - the ones in the honors program.
"Five of my sophomores are in the top 10 of their class, they looked at me and said, 'Coach Herbert, can we come back and finish this tomorrow, I've got pre-calculus homework to do,'" Herbert said.
These are true student-athletes. Even if many of them are just learning the athlete part.
Both sides indicated that the lack of a stronger youth-league or middle-school feeder systems leaves them with a lot of players who are new to the game.
"For a lot of girls, this is the first time they've played outside of phys ed class," Gardner said.
It shows. It's tough to get an official count, but both sides agree there were roughly 30 hits - and just as many walks and errors.
"This wasn't a slugfest," Gardner joked.
Ironically, the game turned on a defensive gem.
West Charlotte was protecting its three-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh. Vance got a runner on - then lifted a ball between shortstop and left field.
West Charlotte sophomore shortstop Diamond Brown - who grew up playing Little League baseball and is thus her team's most experienced player - raced back, leaped and caught the ball with an outstretched glove. She then turned and threw a perfect strike to first for a double play.
Three batters later it was over. But not soon forgotten.
Both teams have enjoyed the notoriety from the game - a highlight in a long season.
"We're 1 and a lot," Herbert joked about his team's record. "But the girls are enjoying their time in the spotlight."
At West Charlotte, they waited until the end of the school day to make the announcement about the game - allowing the rumor of it to build all day. When it came, the students got the royal treatment.
"To get acknowledgement from their fellow students and the faculty was everything" Herbert said. "Their chests were stuck out, their heads were up high. It was a real self-esteem builder. The softball team here doesn't get a lot of attention."
It was the same thing at Vance, where wins also have been hard to come by.
"The running joke is that we missed the field goal that would have sent it into overtime," Gardner said.
The kids, however, didn't mind much.
"They were smiling, they had a great time," Gardner said. "I guess they were a little bummed because they lost.
"When you score 44 runs, you usually win."
Except when you play in the most unusual game anyone involved could recall.
LINK: http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1185&CID=1079408
For Charlotte (N.C.) West Charlotte assistant coach Gerald Herbert, it came midway through, when parents who arrived back at the school for pickup and couldn't find their kids, called them on the phone and discovered they were sitting in a dugout miles away, still playing.
"They were like, 'Mom, we're still here - and it's only the fifth inning,'" Herbert said.
For Charlotte (N.C.) Vance athletic director Rick Gardner, it came in the late innings.
"The umpire, who we were paying $50 to work the game, had hired a babysitter to watch his kids," Gardner started the story with a laugh. "About 9 o'clock, he turns to me and says, 'Well, if this game goes much longer it's going to cost me money.
"We both had a good laugh."
Everyone involved got a good memory.
Two teams - both young, both inexperienced and both obviously evenly matched - traded runs, hits, errors and a lot of walks. The April 13 game started at 5 p.m. and ended at 9:38. In the end, West Charlotte prevailed, 47-44.
West Charlotte softball team members, clockwise from top left, are Diamond Brown, Etonia Curry, Amanda Crews and Nayla Swanson.
The 91 combined runs were the second-highest total in history, according to the National Federation of High School Sports record book. East Machias (Maine) Academy and Lubec (Maine) combined for 94 runs in 1983. But that game ended with East Machias on top, 88-6.
This game wasn't a blowout. Far from it.
"It was like a championship game," Herbert said. "Both teams were very intense, played like it was 1-0 the whole game."
Don't be confused; it wasn't low-scoring for very long.
West Charlotte scored three times in the top of the first, then gave up 15 in the bottom half. But it rallied to score 12 in the top of the second to tie the game. That's when Herbert knew something special was starting.
"The girls said, 'Now we know we can score on this team, we can win this game - we can score runs just like they can score runs.'" Herbert said. "Both teams took the same attitude. Nobody on either team got down."
The teams went back and forth - Vance led 31-30 after four innings.
Because neither team was ahead by more than 10 through five complete innings, the mercy rule didn't apply. In fact, the only one who mentioned anything about stopping the game were some of the West Charlotte players - the ones in the honors program.
"Five of my sophomores are in the top 10 of their class, they looked at me and said, 'Coach Herbert, can we come back and finish this tomorrow, I've got pre-calculus homework to do,'" Herbert said.
These are true student-athletes. Even if many of them are just learning the athlete part.
Both sides indicated that the lack of a stronger youth-league or middle-school feeder systems leaves them with a lot of players who are new to the game.
"For a lot of girls, this is the first time they've played outside of phys ed class," Gardner said.
It shows. It's tough to get an official count, but both sides agree there were roughly 30 hits - and just as many walks and errors.
"This wasn't a slugfest," Gardner joked.
Ironically, the game turned on a defensive gem.
West Charlotte was protecting its three-run lead going into the bottom of the seventh. Vance got a runner on - then lifted a ball between shortstop and left field.
West Charlotte sophomore shortstop Diamond Brown - who grew up playing Little League baseball and is thus her team's most experienced player - raced back, leaped and caught the ball with an outstretched glove. She then turned and threw a perfect strike to first for a double play.
Three batters later it was over. But not soon forgotten.
Both teams have enjoyed the notoriety from the game - a highlight in a long season.
"We're 1 and a lot," Herbert joked about his team's record. "But the girls are enjoying their time in the spotlight."
At West Charlotte, they waited until the end of the school day to make the announcement about the game - allowing the rumor of it to build all day. When it came, the students got the royal treatment.
"To get acknowledgement from their fellow students and the faculty was everything" Herbert said. "Their chests were stuck out, their heads were up high. It was a real self-esteem builder. The softball team here doesn't get a lot of attention."
It was the same thing at Vance, where wins also have been hard to come by.
"The running joke is that we missed the field goal that would have sent it into overtime," Gardner said.
The kids, however, didn't mind much.
"They were smiling, they had a great time," Gardner said. "I guess they were a little bummed because they lost.
"When you score 44 runs, you usually win."
Except when you play in the most unusual game anyone involved could recall.
LINK: http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1185&CID=1079408