Playing collegiate softball or baseball in the northeast is no easy task. It often requires multiple layers of compression shirts and double socks to stay warm. But that, of course, is if the games actually get played, as the word “postponed” on the schedule has been a regular occurrence for the New Haven baseball and softball teams. The postponements and cancellations loom over the teams as they push each year towards the NE-10 championship and a spot in the NCAA tournament.

The term “postponed” is often synonymous with the term “canceled,” so it is important to first understand the difference.

“Postponed” means that the game is delayed and will be made up at a later time, such as in a rain delay, most often because the field will not be ready to play on at the original game time.

“Canceled” means that the game will not be rescheduled and therefore will not be played. A game can, however, go from postponed to canceled if the two teams cannot find a time to make up the game in their schedules. The game can also change from postponed to canceled if the teams in question have already met their minimum number of games for postseason consideration or have exceeded their maximum

As per the 2018-19 NCAA Division II manual, baseball teams must play a minimum of 24 games and may not play more than 50 games. Softball teams in Division II must also play at least 24 games but can play slightly more, with a maximum of 56 games.

Staying within these regulations can sometimes be difficult, with two teams with tight schedules fighting to reschedule games, especially later in the season.

A lot of teams, particularly from the northeast, will take trips down south to escape the unpredictable spring weather in their home states and get in a few more games. It is a strategy that as the old saying goes, works until it doesn’t, as seen the last two years by the New Haven softball team, who traveled to Greenville, Tennessee in early March where they were slated to play six games on the trip, but were only able to get in half that, as three of their games were canceled due to rain.

As we currently stand, softball has had six games postponed in addition to the three canceled in Tennessee, while baseball has had  seven games postponed and two games switched from home to away, as the teams battle against mother nature.