The Wake

On a cold Sunday evening in October, a group of friends –- teammates –- gather to defend their title as intramural softball champs. Although they’ve never captured the championship at the Autumn Classic, the Shotcallers, a group of mostly fifth-year seniors, are the reigning back-to-back spring softball champions.

This group of athletes came together their freshman year in 2001. The team captain for eight seasons, Bryan Walters, walked down his hallway in Frontier Hall looking for players to fill a team roster. Each year since then, a few players have come and gone but four originals remain: Bryan Walters, Brady Bussler, Kristin Rosicky, and Gabe Quinn.

During their inaugural season, the Shotcallers didn’t win a single game. “Well technically we had one win, by forfeit. They didn’t have enough guys, but we still played the game, and we lost anyway,” says Walters. Luckily, the team stuck together and, after two years, the Shotcallers became a force to be reckoned with.

It was during their third fall season that the Shotcallers made it to their first intramural championship. They suffered a heart breaking loss when a member of the other team stole home plate in extra innings to win the championship. However, the Shotcallers found themselves in the championship game the following spring. Walters remembers the opponent’s technical superiority, but says, “We had the heart.” Rosicky made a heroic diving catch for the final out, and the Shotcallers clinched their first intramural championship. They defended their spring title in 2004.

“In intramurals, there is rarely a team that has the same players year after year. There are usually a couple good players who always try to put together a new team each year,” says seven-season veteran Lou Raguse. The Shotcallers are a unique team. Along with their long history, they have developed some pretty interesting traditions; one being postseason facial hair. “We’re not going for victory, we’re going for facial hair,” says Gabe Quinn, known for sporting the “handle bar” look during the postseason. The team also hosts a postseason banquet each year, “just like high school- it’s so cheesy,” says Walters. Players also sport a nickname on the back of their jerseys.

Leah Lehmkuhl, aka Left-Eye, a third-season vet, earned her nickname when Walters fired a ball from shortstop to first base in an effort to complete a double play. Lehmkuhl, without enough time to react, took the ball to the face and was sent to the emergency room for stitches above her left eye.

After a dominating regular season, the Shotcallers set out to win their first fall championship title. Unfortunately their championship run ended on Oct. 24, a few games short of the title. “We choked (tonight), we lost in extra innings,” says Raguse. The Shotcallers, many of whom will play their final season this spring, will be back to defend their spring title in a few months.