Press Club softball team caps season with impressive playoff run

The National Press Club co-ed softball team entered the Metropolitan Media Softball League playoffs as the seventh seed after finishing the regular season with an 8-6 record.

Then Big Blue caught fire.

After splitting its first two games in the double-elimination tournament July 8-9, the Club softball team defeated three higher-seeded opponents to reach the finals of the losers' bracket against Comcast Sports Net. A victory would put the Club into the championship game.

But it was not to be. After leading most of the way, the team gave up the lead to Comcast in the last of the sixth inning. But in the top of the seventh, some key hits and heady baserunning gave Big Blue a 10-9 lead. The Sports Nuts, though, came back with two runs of their own in bottom of the final frame to advance, 11-10.

Bloomberg then defeated Comcast to win its second straight title.

Big Blue’s playoff run was a true team effort, given that the Club played nine games over the course of two days. The playoff appearance was the 10th straight for the Club, a record in the media league, whose other teams include the Washington Post, Politico, WJLA, CBS and Al Jazeera, the outlet that employs Club President Jeff Ballou.

To celebrate the season, the team will hold a postseason party at the Club on Friday, Aug. 25. All members are invited to attend.