The Badger Herald delivered another blow to The Daily Cardinal Friday afternoon, dismantling the Cardinal 5-2 on the softball diamond at Vilas Park. The Herald was led by the stellar all-around play of former publisher Chris Arndt and the power hitting of opinion writer Matt Modell.
Arndt, fresh off his sabbatical in Katmandu, pitched eight strong innings, only giving up one run. He was aided by the Herald defense, which looked nearly flawless as it threw out several Cardinal runners at the plate. Editor in Chief Lars Russell unleashed his cannon of an arm on multiple occasions, making up for his poor plate performances. Sports writer David Klein played the field at shortstop with reckless abandon, while Ben Robinson, page designer and former sports editor, gave his best Don Mattingly performance at first base.
The Herald was inspired by the toughness of Sports Editor Stacy Hicklin, who took a tough one off the nose early in the game. She was helped off the field by Managing Editor Heidi Olsen, who was quick to administer the needed first aid. Opinion Editor Eric Cullen, in a display of chivalric bravado, bared his rippling white torso to the world to stop the bleeding. Hicklin remained conscious and provided support for her team, even making a valiant pinch-hitting performance late in the game.
\She's one tough customer,"" Herald Sports Editor Mike Giefer said. ""I tried to protect her, but the ball just slipped by.""
Arndt scored the Herald's first run of the game after a couple of timely singles but was quickly matched by the Cardinal's Cary Dohman, who connected on the first of his two home runs for the Cardinal. After the game, Herald sources found that Dohman, while playing high school ball in Illinois, had tested positive of using performance-enhancing drugs.
But the Herald staff persevered, and Modell provided all the needed offense by driving in three runs on a home-run shot to deep right field.
""It only makes sense that someone who leans that far to the right would pull the ball to right field,"" Associate ArtsEtc. Editor Nick Marx said after the game.
The Herald staff stood in amazement as Modell circled the bases. The left-handed hitter was a scratch before the game because of a previously scheduled political engagement but found the time to make himself available for the game.
Drama ensued after the Herald staff finished their keg, as angry Associate Sports Editor Drew Hansen was thrown out of the game by umpire Paul Soglin for arguing a close play at first base. The Herald staff has come to believe the call was made just to anger Hansen, who had been heckling Soglin throughout the game. Fellow Associate Sports Editor Roger Anderson and News Editor Matt Scherling held down the fort with their wise instruction at third.
Arndt notched a solo home run to put the Herald up 5-1 and was relieved of his pitching duties by IT Manager Dave Little in the ninth. Feeling sorry for the Cardinal's poor performance, Little grooved Dohman a pitch with two outs in the ninth to account for the Cardinal's last score of the game.
Davey Mayer and Tim Kinney did their part in providing garb and refreshments for the Herald staff.
In a sign of post-game sportsmanship, both teams shook hands and went to play a couple innings of a second game, but it quickly dissolved. The Herald will go on to prove its dominance once again this fall as the two papers meet again in their annual football game.
