2nd Annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game

Members of the media beat members of Congress at softball Wednesday night, at the 2nd annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game.

The game was played at Guy Mason Park in the Glover Park neighborhood, and it was packed with political heavyweights. Biggest VIP? Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who came early on and stayed in the members’ dugout for nearly the whole game.

Also spotted off the field were Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her husband Paul Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), GOP Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), GOP Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.), Alan Greenspan, and CNN’s John King, whose wife, Dana Bash, was captain of the media team.

After a slow start, Congress came back in the top of the 6th, turning a 4-7 deficit into an 8-7 advantage.

But after some clutch hitting and a sliding homer that no doubt left catcher Rep. Betsy Markey (D-Colo.) a little bruised, in the reporters were back on top 13-7 at the top of the seventh inning.

This should have forced the umpire to enforce a five run “mercy rule” applied, which would have ended the inning. But it wasn’t over yet. John King came out onto the field, and after much discussion, the media team decided to keep playing, no mercy rule.

The final score was 13-7 for the media, which is a distinct improvement for the congressional team from last year, when they lost 12 – zip.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and CNN’s Andrea Mitchell were very good co-announcers, cracking jokes throughout the game and keeping the 200 or so fans apprised of the goings on.

After the game both teams crossed the street to Kavanagh’s pizza, where the spirit of camaraderie far outweighed any competitiveness.

“I just love this game,” said Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.). “And I love how we can all just set everything aside and have fun, because that doesn’t happen very often around here.”

Photos: http://washingtonscene.thehill.com/party-events-pictures/archive/4695-2nd-annual-congressional-womens-softball-game

— Report and photographs by Christina Wilkie