by Emily Heil

The 7 p.m. start time for the annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game was nearing, but a few starters for the team fielded by Members of Congress were missing.

The Senate was taking late votes, the word came, and the women would be there just as soon as that pesky farm bill was taken care of.

Plenty of joking ensued in the bleachers about how the “do-nothing” upper chamber had picked the wrong night to get something done (hey, it was that kind of crowd).

Finally, the senators arrived and the game, which pits Members against a team made up of journalists, was on — with only a fifteen-minute delay (a mere blink of an eye in Senate time). 

Ultimately, the lawmakers’ full roster wasn’t enough to match the performance by the Bad News Babes, who won 13-10. It was looking like a blowout for the reporters, who were leading 11-1, until the sixth, when lawmakers mounted a rally, assisted by some walks and RBIs for Reps. Colleen W. Hanabusa (D-Hawaii) and Susan A. Davis(D-Calif.). Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) also came up with strong late-inning hits.

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