12th Man Rising
FanSided

Richard Sherman softball game ends in walk-off drama

By Dan Viens

facebooktwitterreddit

Richard Sherman got his own celebrity softball extravaganza off to a rousing start by homering on the first pitch of the game. Marshawn Lynch ended it with a walk-off pinch run.

More from Seattle Seahawks News

In between there were plenty of thrils, spills and heat.  Lots and lots of heat.

The green team defeated Sherman’s hand-picked blue team 16 to 15 when Minnesota Timberwolves star and Seattle native Zach Lavine drove in Lynch from 3rd base with the winning run in the bottom of the 7th and final inning.

The fact Lynch scored the winning run was equal parts surprising and poetic.  Slated to play the whole game, Lynch was late in arriving, and was only spotted for the first time during the 6th inning.  As soon as he touched home plate, social media exploded with references to the finish Super Bowl XLIX.

It capped an entertaining day that saw some excellent performances, and some not-so-memorable.

GRACIOUS HOST:

Sherman drove the first pitch of the game over the temporary softball fence to give his blue team a quick 1-0 lead, and then took the mound as starting pitcher.

That didn’t start out as well.  Sherman was wild and gave up 4 runs in the first before settling down and throwing back-to-back scoreless innings before handing the ball to Larry Fitzgerald.  He also played SS and CF during the game.

WILSON MAKES A QUICK IMPRESSION:

Russell Wilson had the most baseball experience of anyone on either roster and it showed.  He won the Home Run Derby before the game, and the ball jumped off his bat better than anyone else here. Then he scored the 2nd run of the game after getting on base with a single.

He left soon thereafter to tend to his passing academy, which was wrapping up a session in Renton.

All this after walking into the stadium alongside yours truly.  He probably didn’t even realize who he was standing next to.

FORGETTABLE PERFORMANCES:

Kevin Durant.  I don’t want to give too much away, as Keith plans to dive into his performance a little deeper…. but suffice to say he won’t be quitting his day job any time soon.  He was warmly greeted by fans, however, and had some classy things to say about Seattle when interviewed on the field.

MVP:

Memphis Grizzly forward Matt Barnes played an impressive SS for the green team, handling a number of hard grounders with ease, and even making one play barehanded, although his throw was just a bit too late to nab the runner. He had a key RBI in the 5th, as he hit one to the base of the fence to cap a go-ahead 2 out rally.

BEST PRE-GAME PREDICTION:

My comparison of Brandon Browner to Pedro Serrano from Major League.  Browner pushed Wilson with a few long shots in the pre-game HR Derby, and hit the hardest ball all day in the 5th inning, a 2-run shot that at the time gave his team a 3-run lead.

MOST ENTERTAINING PLAYER:

Doug Baldwin.  He committed a couple defensive gaffes in LF, but also made some outstanding running catches.  At the plate he laid down a perfect bunt at one point before it was ruled illegal.  He had a solid swing, and even came out of the bullpen to pitch a couple solid innings.

BIGGEST MYSTERY:

Why, with Brian McKnight and Ciara both in uniform, did they hand the National Anthem to an unknown “country-pop, singer-songwriter from Seabeck WA?  The Carly Rae Jepsen/Colbie Caillat/Ashlee Simpson soundalike spurned some serious Twitter blowback.  The Anthem, and the crowd, deserved better.

MY MVP:

Keith (@MyersNFL) for not only securing my media credential, but for bringing up nachos in the 5th inning.  The media lounge wasn’t open for this event, and I was about to start gnawing on my left arm.

All in all this has grown into an impressive event in just 3 short years.  My best guess is about 20,000 people showed up, and a bunch of money was raised for Sherman’s Blanket Coverage Foundation. Everyone had fun, and no one got hurt.

Except maybe Kevin Durant’s glove.  More on that soon.

Next: Russell Wilson wins Sherman's HR Derby

More from 12th Man Rising

Home/Seattle Seahawks News