Hornets, Mules and Jumbos Outside of Orlando, Oh My

 My daughter does not like to go into a game clueless, so it falls on me to provide the necessary information for her 12-game Florida sojourn at the National Training Center in Clermont, a little north of Orlando.  I must have been a scout in a previous life, because this doesn’t bother me in the least.

All I have to do is go to the school websites to get the won-loss record; team batting average, ERA and fielding percentage; top returning hitters and pitchers.  A certain right fielder wants to know when the power hitters are up just as a certain power hitter wants to know what kind of pitcher she’s facing.  Along with a “Thanks, Dad,” I’ll get a chuckle in the spirit of “Bruin Briefs” and “Sox Yarns.”  For I give you team nicknames.

In another seven weeks, we’ll be going up against the Hamline University Pipers and Macalester College Scots; they play in the same Minnesota conference, so there must be a heated Scots-Pipers rivalry, bagpipes a wheezin’.  Other Elmhurst opponents include the Colby College Mules; Kalamazoo College Hornets; Rutgers at Camden Scarlet Raptors; SUNY Potsdam Bears; and the Tufts University Jumbos.  That last one is going to be really tough.  The Jumbos won the NCAA Division III championship last year and are ranked number one going into this season.

           How exactly does a flock of jays stop a herd of jumbos?  We’ll find out 9 AM on March 22^nd,  which just happens to be my 34^th wedding anniversary.