Recent addition Bhavani Vankineni looks on after learning that the game was postponed. (Wolan)

Packed, psyched, and ready to go; the Verdasys Softball team is anxious to get the 2009 season on the way in their season opener against University Office Park. Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not share in the enthusiasm by refusing to put an end to the dreary and rainy weather of the past few weeks. In fact, she toss New England a ”curve ball” of her own by stalling a June Nor’easter off the coast Rhode Island, blanketing the area with days of passing showers.

Though rain was forecasted on game day, none had fallen since the previous even day. This gave the team hope that the showers would continue to hold up, allow the field to dry and a game to be sneaked in. However, the passing showers would return that afternoon, forcing the league to postpone the game due to poor field conditions.

“I’m disappointed” said team skipper Andy Wolan.”I was really hoping that we could sneak in today’s game and avoid a postponement.” Last season, three of the team’s seven regular season games were postponed due to weather. In fact, the team’s first two games alone were rescheduled due to thunderstorms. “At the very least, I’d like to get the first game in so the team can settle in. All we can do now is hope for favorable weather conditions for Game 2, otherwise this season may drag on like it did last year.”

And while the rain out was an inconvenience for most teams, it was a blessing for one. In the adjacent “Cusick Field” league, the “Benchmark Assisted Living” was scheduled to go again “’LifePlans, Inc.” However, the team skipper of Benchmark was unaware that they had a contest that afternoon. “.. I had no idea there was a game tonight. No one has their gear … [thank goodness] for a rainout because we would not be able to play.”

In other news, it was later discovered that the “University Office Park” team is being headed by the same person that lead the undefeated “Newmark, Knight and Frank” team in 2008. Will the team be “stacked” with pro-quality players once again? Time will tell.