There was no mercy shown to the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP by the Special Olympics Vernon Tigers' softball team.
In the field or at the plate.
In response to RCMP Insp. Blake MacLeod shouting – from the chain-link, fenced-off sanctity of the team dugout – "Pitcher's got a rubber arm" at Tigers' chucker Hunter Ashby, Special Olympics first baseman Erika Wamsteeker replied, "We want a batter, not a broken ladder."
While the inspector wasn't hitting at that time, he did announce softly to his team that he "hadn't swung a bat in nearly 40 years," and, mercy, it showed as he whiffed on the first two pitches he did see from Ashby. MacLeod then meekly popped out to second baseman Josh Robertson.
It was a sign of things to come in the friendly softball match between the two organizations Thursday, June 19, at the Vernon Army Camp.
The Tigers scored early and often on their way to a 21-6 mercy-rule (10-run lead after five innings) over the local constabulary. The Special Olympics have now defeated their police rivals in two straight softball matches and a friendly basketball encounter.
The trash-talking, the errors, the hits, everything brought smiles and laughs to players, coaches, and the two dozen spectators on hand for the game.
