Press shuts out lawmakers to win congressional softball game

Members of the Washington press corps defeated a bipartisan team of lawmakers in a 5-0 shutout on Wednesday night at the 10th Annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game.

A rain storm cut the game short early, just before the fifth inning, but spectators packed the stands for a short but exciting game.

Among those showing their support were Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

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The game, an annual tradition since 2009, helps raise money for the Young Survival Coalition, a group dedicated to helping young women diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I’m looking forward to the kind of communal feeling that comes from bringing all of these women together on behalf of one particular case, supporting women who are fighting cancer” said Emmarie Huetteman of Kaiser Health News and captain of the press team, “the Bad News Bears,” before the game.

But despite the good cheer, both sides took the field eager to play hard and take home the trophy.

“I’m looking forward to where we hoist the trophy at the end of the game, of course,” said Abby Livingston of the Texas Tribune before the game.

The game came a week after the Congressional Baseball Game, which pits a team of Republicans against Democrats. Last week, Reps. Mia Love (R-Utah) and Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) were on opposing sides, but on Wednesday they were in the same dugout.

“You get to play with other women on a bipartisan level,” said Barragán, who is playing both for her sister and a school board member in her district, whose lives have both been affected by breast cancer, said about how the event brings lawmakers together.

And she joked about the rivalry with the press corps.

“And it’s just a great opportunity to, to kind of tease the press a little bit, but also grow that camaraderie with your bipartisan colleagues, which you don’t get to do in the House.”

Love pitched for lawmakers with Amy Walker of the Cook Political Report taking the pitcher’s mound for the media team.

Congressional staffers, other members of the press and local D.C. residents filled the stands, supporting friends and coworkers, with creative posters, and enjoying an overcast but warm summer night in Washington.

Some members of Congress volunteered as “cheerleaders” for the lawmakers’ team, handing out t-shirts to the fans.

Rep. Susan Brooks (R-Ind.) has been a part of the cheerleading squad since it started in 2014. “Women love both working and playing together and we’re here supporting our best female athletes who are setting a great example.”

During the game, each of the players were allowed to choose a walk-up song as they headed to the plate. At the end, spectators were able to vote on the team with the best playlist. The Bad News Bears took that contest as well, but by a slimmer margin, with just 51 percent of the vote.

Most Valuable Player awards went to Roll Call’s Bridget Bowman, who hit a home run and Love, the Congressional team’s pitcher.

Despite the rain shortened game, both sides played hard through the last out.

“We were coming back,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). “If only we had two more innings.”

“This is one of the best events of the year because we’re all so competitive, we’re competitive on the congressional side, the press corps is competitive but we are all together for good cause that unites us,” Rep. Kathy Castor (D- Fla.) told The Hill.

The game raised over $320,000 for the Young Survivor Coalition.

LaWanda Fountain, a young breast cancer survivor told The Hill the game lets her know “that someone really cares.”

“These people can pass laws and regulations to fund research and find a cure and if they can’t, this just makes it a little easier,” she said.