Softball captain Chong Yee rallied his troops and led by example, bringing home players for crucial winning runs in Sunday’s prelim matches against Raffles Hall and Sheares Hall respectively.

Although the team could no longer call upon the services of graduated seniors like Xian Hong (Pitcher), Jamal (Shortstop) and Xue Ying (Second Basewoman), the team sees more than enough players willing to step up and be counted. Long serving player San Duo finds himself awarded a starting berth as the team’s Rover; returning senior Shi Ping takes up the vacated position of Second Basewoman; and Hansel, who was anointed to succeed Xian Hong as the team’s Pitcher, got a chance to put his training to good use.

The soft spoken but inwardly determined captain Chong Yee, who finds himself playing as both Pitcher and Centre Field, has plenty of good company with returning players like Hong Yi (Centre Field), Mark (Centre Field), Jean (Left Field), Shin (Right Field), Daniel (First Baseman) and Christabelle (Third Basewoman) providing the team’s core in experience and expertise necessary for Temasek Hall’s Softball campaign. New blood in the form of Germaine (Catcher) and Max (Shortstop) served only to further galvanize the team.

It has to be said, this Temasek Softball team looks every bit as potent as the gold medal winning team of the 06/07 IHG and the runners-up of last year’s IHG.

Little did they know when the team first ran out against softball’s traditional whipping boys Raffles Hall or lined up to give their team the needed verbal support in their first of two prelim matches, that they were in for a long, grueling, but ultimately exhilaratingly satisfying day.

Raffles Hall, who had just previously succumbed to Sheares Hall in their first prelim match had no intention whatsoever to rollover and concede, put up a stunningly rugged resistance. By the end of the first inning, Temasek found themselves in front 4-3, with no small amount of credit going to Daniel who hit a breathtaking line drive, bringing home Christabelle and Shin.

Temasek successfully held Raffles down in the upper of the second inning, the score beautifully read 4-3 still, with Temasek all set to widen the gap and possibly place themselves beyond Raffle’s reach through the mercy ruling. Captain Chong Yee opens the bottom inning with a spectacular home run, a hit he later claims to be his virgin home run effort. No one would have bet against the team at this point in time, we were cruising 5-3. The Raffles players however, clearly thought otherwise. Unbelievably, they held fast and kept the score line at 5-3 going into the third inning.

The team once again fielded admirably, conceding only one run. Daniel nails a scintillating home run, making the score 6-4 in favour of Temasek. Again, Raffles Hall puts up a dogged defense, heading into the forth inning, Daniel’s run was the only one we managed to eke out.

Perhaps beginning to feel frustrated at being unable to bury the opposition once and for all, Chong Yee, who struck out on average one player per inning, began to waver, causing him to lose his consistent pitching ratio. The team began to struggle, and even when Mark offered to pitch, with Chong Yee moving outfield to play Centre Field, the team conceded 7 runs, and was ultimately allowed to changeover when the mercy ruling was utilized. The score now dauntingly read 6-11 in favour of Raffles Hall.

The team now had to make 5 runs to tie the game, 6 to win it, in the bottom inning. At 7-11, Jean was injured and had to be substituted by Sue Jean. The pressure was now on the Raffles Pitcher, and it showed. Being the more consistent Pitcher, he began to uncharacteristically walk our batters, and at last, with two batters down and the score tied at 11-11, Hong Yi steps up to the plate… Only to be struck out.

The game was forced to go into a final, deciding inning.

Both teams, bruised and battered, hauled themselves onto the field for a final showdown. Hansel comes in to pitch, replacing Mark, a move that paid instant dividends when after a female batter was caught out at first base, Hansel strikes out the second male Raffles batter. Germaine sent the supporters into frenzy when she caught a rogue ball that took a wicked ricochet off of the third female batter’s wild swing; we had successfully held Raffles down completely in the upper inning!

Even when Temasek needed only one run to seal the win, it did not come easily. Jean was caught out at first base. There was a sigh of relief when Hansel successfully hit a line drive that got him safely to second base, but that relief turned to more anxiety when the next batter, Shi Ping, was again, caught out at first base. With two down and the score line still excruciatingly reading 11-11, the captain was up.

Making amends for his sudden decline in pitching, Chong Yee sends the ball soaring powerfully towards the left field as the crowd screamed at Hansel to run on. The crowd erupted when Hansel arrived safely, scoring the winning run to bag us a hard fought 12-11 victory over Raffles Hall.

Sheares Hall came next, and it should be noted that they beat Raffles Hall a staggering 15-4, going some way to explain why the Raffles players were so focused on proving their worth in the previous game. Chong Yee warned the team to watch a certain Japanese player Sheares brought in, one by the name of Ryohei. Once again, the team was to bat in the bottom innings, so we took to the field not knowing what to expect from this year’s Sheares players.

Ryohei successfully hits the ball just slightly over our outfield players, bringing himself home along with a female teammate, opening their account, it was 0-2. At 0-5, the Sheares batter promised our taunters that he would ‘swing the bat’. He did, and got himself struck out. Our team has its own set of heavy hitters, and having suffered the indignation of going 5 behind, we were positively thrilled to show them we could bring it too. Daniel hits another home run, bringing home with him Christabelle and Shin. The first inning ended 3-5.

Having seen how their batters fared in the first inning, our team was more prepared for what was to come. Ryohei was up once more, again hitting a fly ball towards the outfield. Imagine the surprise he had when he was caught out by Vice Captain Jean, it was a blow to their morale while a boon to ours, seeing one of their best batters get served. At change over, the score was 3-8 to them. A combination of good, consistent, safe batting saw us close the gap to 7-8, only for unfortunate Hansel to be caught out at first base when Shin and Daniel loaded the first and second bases.

The third inning was slated by the umpires to be possibly, the last inning to be played, as the skies began to darken. Hansel struck out another batter while Max caught a drive flying straight at him as we held them rooted firmly to their one run lead. However, like the saying goes, the game truly begins only in the final bottom inning. Chong Yee tried to hit a low pitch but did not really find solid contact, allowing the Sheares catcher to catch him out at home. Hong Yi ran home to tie the game at 8-8, but with the bases fully loaded, Max and Christabelle could not capitalize as Sheares defended brilliantly, getting a further two more players out before we could score any more runs.

The team finds itself playing an extra inning yet again. We conceded 3 runs, and were trailing 8-11 at changeover. The make or break moment was upon us again. Mark manages to reach home to make it 9-11. But any hopes of us comfortably winning the game were dashed when suddenly, we found ourselves two down with the score still at 9-11. With Hong Yi and Germaine as runners, the onus of shouldering the team’s hopes fell upon the little shoulders of Jean. Chong Yee, who was the batter after Jean went up to her and told her to take in no pressure, to construe the situation as though the teams were tied, and just hit the best she could. The team, supporters and even Dr. Tay who came to show his backing towards the team held their breath as she got ready to bat.

And what a swing it was! With a mighty whack that surprised all who were present, Jean hacks the ball beyond the entire Sheares fielding team, bringing home both Hong Yi and Germaine to level the game at 11-11!!! The supporters went literally nuts as Jean makes it all the way to second base, and with the pressure all gone, it was up to captain Chong Yee to bring home the victory.

He did not disappoint, as he sent a line drive out to the left field, giving Jean all the time in the world to run home, giving the team the sweet, sweet winning run!

This reporter has never experienced a softball game as exciting as either of these games that were played on Sunday, both capped off with final do-or-die moments. Yet both times, the team came through brilliantly under pressure, cementing their confidence in their desire to do well, and bring back the deserved gold for Softball that so painfully eluded us last season. Today’s successes can only be attributed to the team’s unfaltering fighting spirit as well as each and every supporter’s voice box that shouted itself hoarse.

Next up, Eusoff Hall next Sunday.

Reported by Dennis