NEWS

Alexandria coach Jen Hammond hands her lineup card to the umpire before Thursday's game in Gaithersburg. With manager Chris Berset absent, Hammond became the first woman to manage a Cal Ripken Sr. League game. Photo by Brenda Dunham, Eye on the Ball Photography

By David Schurter

The Alexandria Aces picked up their 30th win of the season Thursday night in Gaithersburg, defeating the Giants, 14–6. But the game had more significance than just the final score. With manager Chris Berset absent, assistant coach Jen Hammond took the helm for the game, becoming the first woman to manage a game in Ripken Sr. League history.

The Aces made it a memorable night for Hammond, as they would run away in this one. In the top of the first inning, Matt Ossenfort (Vanderbilt) got the scoring started with a two-run double to make it 2–0 Aces. To follow that up, the Aces would score three more runs in the top of the second on an RBI double by Chris Esquivel (San Diego) and a two-run double by Gavin Miller (Auburn) to make it 5–0 Aces after the second inning.

In the top of the third inning, the Aces would continue to pour it on as Nick Gregory (Ball State) drove in two more runs with a single to right field to make it 7–0. In the top of the fourth, Asa Wilson (Penn) made it 8–0 Aces with a sacrifice fly to score Zach Zaetta (UMass).

The Aces would not score again until the top of the eighth inning, when they successfully batted through the order. Ossenfort got it started with a walk to score a run, followed by another walk this time to Wilson. Then Alex Wade (Auburn) drove in a run thanks to an error at second base. Next, on a single by Esquivel, a wild pitch followed, allowing two runs to eventually come in to score. Finally, Zaetta hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the Aces’ 14th and final run of the game, making it 14–2 at the time. The Giants would put up four runs in the bottom of the eighth, but the final score would be 14–6 Aces.

After the game, Hammond said she had a great time getting to manage the Aces, even if it was only for one game.

“It was very exciting to have the chance to skipper this team,” she said. “It’s a phenomenal team and it’s really fun to watch what they can do.”

She noted the strong support group that has allowed her to excel as a female coach in a male-dominated sport.

“First, the support I’ve gotten from this group, Coach Berset, my colleagues along the way and Coach Rooney this year have been phenomenal,” she said. “There have been hiccups along the way, but that’s part of it and It’s unique. Some people aren’t sure what to make of me, it hasn’t always been the smoothest ride, but for the most part, I’ve been very blessed with great players, coaches and staff that are very supportive and know that I just want to be a part of the game.”

Hammond originally contacted Berset about coaching before the pandemic, just asking about a part-time role during the season.

“I reached out to Coach Berset to say ‘Could I spend some time with you, could I shadow you for a week or two over the summer?’ and he said no, that’s my first rejection,” she said. But, she soon discovered that Berset wasn't rejecting her, but rather wanted her to join his staff full-time, instead of just shadowing for a few games.

Now, Hammond has two regular season titles, a league championship, and a victory as acting manager so far during her three-year tenure with the Aces. While she's the first woman to manage a Ripken Sr. League game, she hopes that her role will become more normal for women in sports, especially in male-dominant sports.

“I’m hoping that this gets to the point where it’s not a novelty and I want this to become the norm,” Hammond said. “We’re seeing at the pro level more and more women are getting opportunities. There’s some great coaches out there and women such as Elizabeth Benn in front office roles and there’s a whole lot of ladies out there that are doing it quietly and I’m hoping for the same thing. We just want to be out there on the field just known as ‘Coach Jen’ or whatever our situation is.”

The Aces conclude their successful regular season campaign on Friday at Frank Mann Field against the Bethesda Big Train, before entering the playoffs as the league’s top overall seed.