By Steve Ames Special to the Acorn

In summertime softball, winning isn’t everything.

The players mostly enjoy getting together for the enjoyment of the game and the camaraderie that brings with it.

Playing in the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, the adult softball lovers compete weekly in seven leagues from Division 1 to 4 The slow pitch games are held at Rancho Simi Community Park.

Dawne Brewer, player manager of the Just for Fun team in Division 2 said the name of her squad is appropriate for the league.

"That’s why we’re here. Just for fun. We haven’t won one yet during this summer season," Brewer said. "We get nothing if we win, nothing if we lose. We are just for fun."

Team Intensity, the evening’s opponent, was winning the game and that made Richard Lemos happy.

Lemos, who played baseball in high school and college, said playing softball is special to him.

"I like being active," he said. "Playing softball is a lot of fun. It’s a lot different game than baseball. It’s a lot quicker."

He said the best part of playing softball is having fun. "You know you’re going to hit the ball and always get some type of action. It’s a great time out here, especially being able to play with your friends."

Teammate Alex Chavez likes playing because it keeps him busy, and he especially enjoys playing shortstop.

"It’s my position," he said. "We come out here and play ball. It keeps us out of trouble, (we) have fun."

Mark Antonio, playing for the Just for Fun team, said he likes the game because it’s relaxing. "It’s something to do after work," he said. "Our team is comprised of a bunch of family friends so it’s everyone getting together. Some teams come out to win, but we just come out here to have a good time."

Another team playing in a Wednesday coed league, the Lost Cause of Division 4, is not a lost cause regarding its won-loss record.

"We’ve only lost one game out of the five," said Richard Carrilla, a shortstop who played center field in baseball at Simi Valley High. "Everybody’s coming out and having fun."

He has mixed emotions about playing in the infield. "It just depends," Carrilla said. "I get more action in the infield, definitely."

In addition to playing for the Lost Cause, he plays two or three other evenings a week for the Muddy Mud Skippers, Grim Reapers and another team where Carrilla said he just shows up and plays.

"It lets me keep playing and scoring runs," he said. "I love baseball and this is the next best thing."

Syndi Waldriff, Lost Cause pitcher, said that she likes getting strikes, "but I’m not telling my secrets on how I gets those strikes. I like to bat. I don’t hit much, but I like to bat. I just really like to play ball. I’ve been playing for a long time."

Anton Cataldo of the Alligators, who has not previously played softball, said that "we’re just out here to have a whole lot of fun and that’s what we’re doing. You probably never saw a happier bunch of people lose a ball game. This is us.

"Our record is perfect. We’ve lost all six. A lot of people place entirely too much emphasis on winning a game. It’s just playing and having fun and a little friendship," he added

Jim Steele, who shares pitching duties with Cataldo, said this is his first softball experience.

He said he enjoys the camaraderie, the fellowship and being part of a team. As he talked, a small toy alligator mascot was being waved in the air by one of the team’s fans.

"The alligator has not brought us any luck yet, but maybe, maybe," Steele said. "It’s a lot of fun to get out and play. We come out here to play. Whatever it is, winning is not the main object for us. We’re seriously considering playing in the Fall League."

As the teams play, Stuart Maclean, one of the umpires, has everyone’s attention as he calls balls, strikes and on one play a ball that’s foul by inches.

Whether it’s more fun to play than to umpire, he said that "each has its own rewards. As the umpire I control the game and you’re watching everything happen."

Maclean said he has a newfound appreciation for umpiring after playing for so many years and "giving umpires a bad time. Now that I’m an umpire, I’ll never give an umpire a bad time. I know how hard it is."

He said the coed league’s levels of play brings people together of all skill levels and experience.

"I played softball for a lot of years, so I just enjoy playing softball in general, said Maclean, who played softball all the way to Division A. "Umpiring became a natural fit for me. It’s exercise for me and I enjoy doing it."