5:40 p.m.
The Ravens took home their third NFL Softball Challenge trophy, and it was under extraordinary circumstances. What a game!
Baltimore was down 12-7 in the bottom of the third, when the Ravens came charging back. Highlights included a double from Rex, a triple from Reba and Mike Burke's triple. Runs were flying in from everywhere.
By the time the inning ended, the Ravens held a tenuous one-run lead.
The 'Skins were able to add one run to the scoreboard, but the Ravens steadily increased their lead throughout the game. Heading into the top of the seventh, the Ravens were up 20-13 and needed only three outs to secure the trophy.
They got them. After John Cline snagged a long fly ball, it was Mazalewski that snapped up a dribbler to short and fired it to Reba for the final out. Game over!
Check back Monday for more pictures from the Softball Challenge.
5:12 p.m.
Things are really heating up around here. After the Ravens beat the 'Skins, there was a little lunch siesta until the games got back underway. It seemed like the Ravens lost a little of their mojo, because they squandered a huge lead against Washington in their second meeting of the day, a game that was to be the start of a double-elimination championship.
Baltimore got early runs from Sanders and Mazalewski in the first, as Jim Coller one-hit the opposition. There wasn't much action until a huge Ravens fourth inning, started by some sound defense at the bottom of the third. In that sequence, the final out came when a Redskins batter hit a towering ball to deep center. Sanders and Harbaugh both backed up to catch it, but Sanders leapt and grabbed it at the last second. Everybody laughed when Harbaugh came back to the bench saying, "Hey, I told him I had it!"
Harbaugh led off the fourth with a single - which he legged out into a double. A triple by Sanders brought him in. Then Mazalewski rocked one over the outfielder's head for an inside the park homer. With the bases cleared, Rex doubled, which brought in pinch running Marques Charbonnet. Reba smashed a single, which brought in Charbonnet, and then Coller's triple added to the score. It was an amazing inning.
But, things took a turn for the worse. The 'Skins kept chipping away at the lead, and the Ravens were clinging to a one-run advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately, Washington hung two last runs on the Ravens, and the game was theirs.
There is still one more to go with the sun dying on the horizon. Bragging rights and a trophy are at stake, so it's going to be interesting.
Back later…
12:37 p.m.
The verdict is in: Ravens over Redskins in a comeback victory, 7-6!
12:19 p.m.
As the grills out behind the Ravens' facility for a lunch break, the purple and black have fared well.
The first game was a high-scoring victory against the Eagles, 15-13. Hits were flying all over the field in the action-packed game. I missed part of it, but a highlight was definitely seeing Rex Ryan slide into third while hustling out a hit.
The Ravens' second contest came against the Redskins, who brought some serious bats with them from DC. When I left the game, it was the fourth inning and the score was 6-3 'Skins. The only reason the score was that low was some adept fielding by many of the Ravens. Don DiRaddo was able to locate one sky-high fly ball in right field. Adam Mazalewski turned a double play with first basewoman Reba Koppelman. T.J. a'Becket stabbed a line drive from the pitcher's mound. And, third baseman Patrick Gleason did his best Melvin Mora impression by snapping up a screaming ball to his left.
After the first game, it seems that Rex and coach Harbaugh retired to their offices for a bit to catch up on some work because they're not out on the field. Like I mentioned before, it's kind of a lazy day here without any players in the house, so any film work they do would have to qualify as extra credit, right?
More updates as the day goes on…
10:12 a.m.
The sun is shining here in Owings Mills, where it seems just like another day of practice at the Ravens' training facility.
But there are some different lines painted on the fields today. There aren't any players in sight, only a couple of coaches, actually. And why are there large contingents of fans wearing Eagles and Redskins gear running around the green grass?
That's right, it's time for the fourth-annual NFL Softball Challenge, and it's the Ravens' turn to host it.
This is a great event that pits teams of front office staffers from the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers against members of the Ravens for some good-natured competition.
The Steelers didn't make the trip this year, however, because they have Kenny Chesney playing at Heinz Field this weekend, so they've got to stay behind and put on that event. In their place, there is a contingent from the NFL league offices in New York.
The Ravens, coached by Baker Koppelman (aka vice president of ticket sales and operations), have actually won the tournament twice in the past three years, and we have the trophies to show it displayed around the halls of team headquarters.
Typically, this event is held in Philadelphia at the Eagles' NovaCare Complex, but head coach **John Harbaugh **urged all participants to bring the tourney to his home turf. Harbaugh is an avid competitor in these softball games.
My first time attending the challenge was in 2006, and I remember there being whispers of a coach playing with the Eagles' team. See, it's illegal for coaches or players to join a squad. But, there was Harbaugh, unmistakably. I think they've bended the rules a little bit this year, because we've got both Harbaugh and defensive coordinator **Rex Ryan** donning purple and black.
As I type, Harbaugh is taking some batting practice from director of information technology Nick Fusee.
Harbaugh, a left-handed hitter, is getting ahead of the ball, screaming grounders down the first-base line. "Just one more," he keeps saying. His daughter, Alison, and wife, Ingrid, also came out to join the decidedly pro-Ravens crowd.
Looks like the Eagles, 'Skins and NFLO (league office) teams are slowly trickling in, so things are about to get started. I've got some shakeout from the J.O. press conference and some other stories I'm working on, but I'll check back in on this page periodically for updates from the field.
Here's the roster (to give some internet love to our front office, which does a great job behind the scenes):
- John Harbaugh, head coach
- Rex Ryan, defensive coordinator
- Don DiRaddo, director of broadcasting administration
- Matt Brevet, broadcasting coordinator
- Paige Boyle, senior account executive
- Kate Kaiser, manager of corporate sales and administration
- T.J. a'Becket, ticket operations and distribution coordinator
- Dana Cline, manager of corporate sales and media traffic
- John Cline, manager of event and guest services
- Nick Fusee, director of information technology
- Patrick Gleason, public relations coordinator
- Andi Goodwin, manager of advertising and research
- Brandon Williams, mascot coordinator
- Brad Downs, manager of corporate promotions
- Keith Weldon, corporate sales account executive
- Mike Burke, manager of ticket sales and hospitality
- Adam Mazalewski, manager of ticker operations
- Jim Coller, controller
- Marques Charbonnet, marketing manager
- Baker Koppelman, vice president of ticket sales and ops.
- Reba Koppelman, senior accountant
- Darren Sanders, director of security
- Craig Singleterry, security
- Erin Howland, senior account executive
Go Ravens!
