A dance-off on the diamond
Battle of Badges softball game features dance-off and more
Photo by Deb Gau Doug and Carmen Brunsvold presented the "Battle of the Badges" softball trophy to the Marshall Fire Department after Wednesday's game. For the second year in a row, Marshall firefighters and police competed on the softball diamond at Sounds of Summer.
Photo by Deb Gau Members of the Marshall Police Department softball team showed their Macarena moves in a surprise dance-off in the eighth inning.
Photo by Deb Gau Battle of the Badges teams tried to one-up each other's dancing, with flips and even some breakdancing moves.
Photo by Deb Gau The Marshall Fire Department tried to coordinate their moves during the dance-off.
Photo by Deb Gau Doug and Carmen Brunsvold presented the "Battle of the Badges" softball trophy to the Marshall Fire Department after Wednesday's game. For the second year in a row, Marshall firefighters and police competed on the softball diamond at Sounds of Summer.
Photo by Deb Gau Members of the Marshall Police Department softball team showed their Macarena moves in a surprise dance-off in the eighth inning.
Photo by Deb Gau Battle of the Badges teams tried to one-up each other's dancing, with flips and even some breakdancing moves.
Photo by Deb Gau The Marshall Fire Department tried to coordinate their moves during the dance-off.
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MARSHALL -- The seventh-inning stretch had come and gone, but the show wasn't over on the softball diamond at Marshall's amateur sports complex.
Announcers interrupted the game between the Marshall Police and Fire Departments to call all the players out on the field for a dance-off.
"We want some fan interaction, cheering them on," announcers said.
As music played, firefighters and police officers showed off their best Macarena moves, backflips and even a little breakdancing.
"It's fun for the crowd. I think the crowd gets into it," said Jake Olsen, the coach for the Marshall Fire Department softball team.
The extra show was all part of the fun at the second annual "Battle of the Badges" game during Sounds of Summer Wednesday night. Community members came out to cheer for the police and fire departments, and to raise funds for local youth sports.
"Our guys really enjoy it. We have fun," said Marshall Public Safety Director Jim Marshall. "The cause made it something fun for us to be a part of, as well."
"All in all, I think it was a great community event," Olsen said.
The MPD pulled ahead of the Fire Department early on in Wednesday's game, scoring three runs in the first inning. However, as the game went on the Fire Department started catching up, and the two teams found themselves tied more than once.
And then of course, there were the surprises in store for players, like having to play an inning using only a child-sized bat.
"I think the Police Department did better than we did with the little bats," Olsen said.
The MPD was able to get players onto all three bases in spite of the surprise equipment change, although neither team was able to score. The other big surprise of the game was the dance-off in the middle of the eighth inning.
"When they bring out those surprises, we don't know what they are either," Olsen said. "You just have to adapt to the whole thing."
In the end, the Fire Department won the game 19-17, and went home with the Battle of the Badges trophy a second year in a row.
Marshall said the softball game was a chance for police and firefighters to get together in a fun way. It was also good to see the support area residents had for both departments.
"We feel that support every day of the year, and we greatly appreciate it," he said.
"The Marshall community and surrounding communities, they support our fire department and police department to the end," Olsen said. "When they come out and show their support like that, it means the world to us."