Published: August 28, 2008

Flying high after their first playoff win last season, team captain and pitcher Joe Lynn, FCLC ’09, said exactly what his team was thinking.

“It makes no difference what team we’re playing,” said Lynn, FCLC ’09, after a 7-6 win over the ninth-seeded Cooters. “We’re going to go out, give it our all and take them down. I don’t care if they’re the damn Yankees.”

The Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC) intramural softball team, Jean-Claude Ram Van (JCRV) used those words as their motto throughout the 2008 Spring season. From their 0-2 start to a heartbreaking playoff loss to the first-ranked SF Filcon 10-9 that ended their season, JCRV persevered through any obstacle that came their way.

“I thought we came together both as a team and as players well towards the end, but it was still disappointing not to win it all,” Lynn said.

JCRV’s season started with two hard losses to One for the Thumb 14-2 and the Furies 18-7 in five innings. However, the team suffered a bigger loss when right fielder Christian Okolski, FCLC ’10, dislocated his left shoulder while sliding into third base in the second game. The injury knocked Okolski out for the rest of the season.

“Okolski’s loss was devastating,” first baseman Anthony Bruno, FCLC ’09, said after the second loss. “His injury motivated us even more to win and made everyone assume a bigger role on the team.”

JCRV used that motivation, bounced back and won their next game against the Ross’s Bosses 14-10. In a 15-team division where the top 11 teams make the playoffs, the 1-2 JCRV realized they were potentially one win away from playing post-season softball. JCRV didn’t waste that chance, beating up on the Good Guys 9-4 to secure a 2-2 record and the eighth seed in the playoffs.

Despite qualifying for the playoffs as a Lincoln Center team, JCRV was still getting disrespected from their Rose Hill opponents. Before their first playoff game against the Cooters, third baseman Justin Stark, FCLC ’10, said he was practicing when he overheard an opposing player say: “They are from Lincoln Center, we can’t lose!”

“I knew we had to muscle out a win and show them that there are athletes at Lincoln Center, despite what others may think,” Stark said at the time. “I think we did just that.”

JCRV made the Cooters eat their words by defeating them 7-6 and was in line to meet the first-ranked SF Filcon in the second round. Despite a valiant effort, JCRV lost in a heartbreaker 10-9, which ended their season on a disappointing note.

“I honestly thought and still think that we were the best team in the league but the stars just didn’t line up for us,” Lynn said.

With a new season comes a new start for Lincoln Center’s lone intramural softball team. JCRV will welcome two players who studied abroad last season: Mike Marra and Mark Nelson, both FCLC ’09. However, unlike last season, there is a sense of urgency attached to the games this upcoming season.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is the semester that we need to get it done because we’re going to be losing some of the juniors to study abroad in the spring,” Lynn said.

The season officially starts on Sept. 14.