Well, we did it - we won the championship last night with a hard-fought 4-1 win. We've now won three consecutive league titles with basically the same core group of girls, minus one or two who ended up on the other team.
We got the Riptide out three-up and three-down to open the game, then promptly scored three runs in the bottom of the inning. Only two runs were scored the rest of the way.
First batter of the game - on the other team - was Taeler, who smokes it to leftfield beyond our leftfielder, Jacqueline. Jacqueline chases it down and throws it to Abbie, our pitcher, who has gone into the outfield to be the cut-off man. Or in this instance, the cut-off girl.
Abbie catches it as Taeler is rounding third and fires home - one one hop - to Kaylee, who applies the tag for the out. Needless to say, that was a very nerve-wracking way to start the game.
Abbie struggled at the plate, but played great defensively. She's fearless, and she was able to deflect a pair of balls destined for the outfield, saving us at least a couple of runs. She also threw a bunch of girls out at first as well. She was VERY frustrated at making outs - she said, in the middle of the game, "Why am I not hitting?" She expects to do well, and that's good. We're trying to teach her the importance of playing as a team, enjoying your team winning when you aren't playing as well, and the importance of staying positive even when things are going not so well. "Don't let your offense effect your defense," I tell her.
Having said that, I completely understand her frustration. She gets real hacked off when she makes out, and that's good if you can channel it into something positive. Not so good if you let it drag you down and seap into other parts of your game. One good thing, though: after her second out, she said, "Daddy, do you think I'll get to bat again?" She didn't get to, but she was anxious to get that bad taste out of her mouth. She wasn't dreading coming to bat again, she was embracing the chance to come to bat again - there's a big difference between those two things, and she gets it. That's a good sign for the future.
At any rate, rambling, sorry.
Second-to-last inning, we're up 4-1 and we've got two outs and one person on base. Pop fly just above second base, and our shortstop and our second baseman collide trying to catch the ball, which rolls away. Now we have runners at second and third, two outs, and we've up by three runs. We replace both the shortstop (Mellie) and the second baseman (Chelsea), who leave the game dazed and scraped, but we managed to get the third out without allowing a run.
Last inning, once again they get runners at second and third, two outs. I say to Abbie, who's pitching: "Abbie, if we get this out, we're the champions."
Abbie had no idea this was the last inning - she raises her eyebrows and drops open her mouth. She suddenly realizes how close we are.
Ground ball to Abbie - scoop, toss to first, ballgame. She throws her glove in the air and jumps to me - we've won it! Then a few minutes later, Abbie dumps ice water on my back. Not on the other coaches, only me, of course. The other girls then see this as a chance to dump their individual cold waters on me.
I was soaked - but it was a good soaking. Before the game I told the girls the first-place trophy was THIS BIG and I tiptoed and put my hand up as high as I could reach. And I told them the second-place trophy was THIS LITTLE and I put my hand about a quarter-inch off the ground.
Saturday we'll get the big trophy at closing ceremonies.
I'll try and add a couple of photos from our championship game when I get them.
