COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: Minor Open fast-pitch has a new twist in 2012

Editor's note: Chris Richards of Cedar Rapids is manager of the LAVA team, played Minor Open fast-pitch in the 1990s and has been active in the ASA as a youth coach and umpire for many years.

By Chris Richards, community contributor

CEDAR RAPIDS - Softball fans may want to check the Minor Open schedule this season. There is an interesting twist in the storied men's fast-pitch league.

LAVA, sponsored by a newly opened Cedar Rapids restaurant, will make its debut in the league on Wednesday. LAVA is team made up of women's collegiate softball players and some recently graduated collegians, all seeking competitive fast-pitch action.

The women reside in Eastern Iowa and most play at many different Iowa colleges.

“I am looking forward for the chance to continue to play competitive softball this summer,” said Central College graduate Bethany Koskamp.

Make no mistake, these women can play and the LAVA pitchers can throw just as fast - if not faster - than many of their male counterparts.

The true test will be if a collection of collegiate all-stars who have never played with each other before this season will be able to compete with the men's teams, some of which have been playing since the 1980s when Major and Minor Open leagues were very popular and, ironically, before any of the LAVA players were born.

Women have previously participated in the Cedar Rapids fast-pitch leagues as utility players or pitchers, but never has there been an entire women's team in a men's league.

Mike O'Neill of the Cedar Rapids Recreation Park and Recreation Department is very excited about the Wednesday night league.

“The women's team should generate a refreshing interest in fast-pitch softball and provide the younger female fast-pitch softball players the opportunity to see the game played at a very high level,” he said.

LAVA SCHEDULE

(All games played at Ellis Park)

May: 16 - 6:30 p.m., field 1; 23 - 6:30 p.m., field 2; 30 - 8 p.m., field 1

June: 6 - 6:30 p.m., field 1; 13 - 8 p.m., field 1; 19 - 7 p.m., field 1; 20 - 8 p.m., field 1; 27 - TBD

July: Schedule TBD

August: 1 - TBD

For a complete schedule for the eight-team league, to go www.crsoftball.org