The Dana League, which plays at Dana Middle School in Point Loma, is one of a dozen senior softball leagues playing in San Diego County. The Spring Season just concluded with the Purple Haze team winning all three of its playoff games to secure the championship. The semifinal game was the most exciting of all three. Ahead 10-6 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the opposing Red Diehards loaded the bases with one out. One of the Diehards best hitters hit a sharp grounder toward third base and Purple Haze third baseman Shawn O’Shaughnessy caught it, stepped on third, and made a perfect throw to catcher Eric Gerhardt to get the runner heading home and end the inning. As the team came to their bench for the ninth, the Haze manager said, “OK guys, everyone hits.” And hit they did. After two walks to start the inning, the next 14 batters all hit safely, batting around twice and scoring 14 runs to take a 20-10 lead and eventually win 20-12.
The championship game pitted Purple Haze against the Royal Blue Dodgers, which the Haze won 12-8 to take home the trophy.
The Dana Summer Season began July 16. New players are allowed to join the league mid-season. See sandiegoseniorsoftball.com for details.
The Dana League features players ranging in age from 55 to 91 and is comprised of eight teams playing a 14 game schedule followed by a two week, single elimination playoff.
Senior softball rules are designed to promote competition while promoting player safety. With the exception of the final inning, a team can score only a maximum of five runs per inning. Each base is an “overrun” so there is no sliding or diving into bases. Pitchers stand behind a protective screen.