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Bad News Babes defeat Congress for fourth year in a row

Charity game sets record by raising $365,000 for breast cancer charity

Lawmakers high-five members of the media at the congressional women’s softball game Wednesday. (Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call)
Lawmakers high-five members of the media at the congressional women’s softball game Wednesday. (Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call)

The forecast that called for rain Wednesday evening cleared out to make way for another, much fiercer storm: the D.C. press team.

The Bad News Babes crushed the members’ team for the fourth year in a row at the Congressional Women’s Softball Game. It was a 10-3 blowout.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand got off to a strong start on the pitcher’s mound, but the lawmakers’ team proved to be no match for the Babes, who were clearly hungry for another W. Rookie Gretchen Frazee of PBS NewsHour scored the first run for the press corps, while captain Mikayla Bouchard of The New York Times drew cheers with a diving catch.

On the members’ side, rookie Rep. Sharice Davids had quick feet running between bases and in the outfield, while Joni Ernst, Kyrsten Sinema and Debbie Wasserman Schultz scored.

“This morning I did some really serious interval training,” Sinema told me about her morning prep ahead of the big game.

[There’s no crying in baseball … or congressional softball]

Congressional colleagues showed up on the sidelines, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, for quick pep talks and selfies with spectators. Sen. Amy Klobuchar commentated alongside NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell and CNN’s Gloria Borger.

“I’m not keeping track at this point,” the presidential hopeful joked over the microphone late in the game. 

Rep. Cheri Bustos, who pulled her hamstring rounding second base in hopes of getting a triple, hobbled out of the Watkins Recreation Center on crutches post-game with her left leg wrapped.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito took home the MVP award for the members, while Frazee earned the title for the Bad News Babes.

Both teams gathered on the field immediately following the last inning to exchange handshakes and congratulations. Now in its 11th year, the game set a record this year with a $365,000 haul to benefit the Young Survival Coalition, a breast cancer charity.

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