Mudville

This seasons softball schedule has been beaten by both the weather and spring break. It has made for a slow start. The girls practiced well before the season started. Most teams don't practice too much once the season starts. Usually a game during the week and one on the weekend is enough to keep them going.

Georgia has experienced on and off again rain. We have just completed spring break where no games were scheduled. So, we started off with a BANG! Then off a week for rain. A late Friday night make-up game where you could tell the girls were really tired and didn't want to be there. More rain and spring break - no games.

We arrived at the ballpark around 6:30 for our 7:15 scheduled game. Side stepping all the mud holes and underwater grassy areas - we make our way to the field. It was cold. The wind was blowing and I had on a short sleeve shirt - what was I thinking? The field was in better condition than the area outside of the diamond. However, it had areas that you wanted to avoid. Not the best game conditions - but if we don't start playing games soon, we will have a 4 game season!

Last night was our first time back on the diamond since the April 3rd makeup game. The girls seemed excited. However, they had a very slow start. 1 run in the first two innings.

The game started to slip away by the 4th inning. We were the home team batting in the bottom of the 4th with 2 outs and losing 9 to 4. It was about 50 minutes into an hour scheduled game. Hope was all but gone for the mighty Vipers. That's when our bats came alive and their gloves went away. We ended up scoring 7 runs before they could record the 3rd out.

We headed into the top of the 5th inning ahead 11 to 9. Their best 2 batters coming up to bat first. We hold both of them to singles. We then record 3 outs in the next 4 batters. Unfortunately, we couldn't keep the first two from scoring. The score was tied 11 to 11 heading into the bottom of the 5th.

Knowing time had basically expired and we were on extended time, we needed to score.

Candystick was first up to bat. I had coached her to swing away as she approached the batters box. I had told her to attack the ball in front of the plate and hit towards 3rd base. Their pitcher (circle player) was a wall. She didn't let anything pass her and she was throwing everyone out at first. Candystick was soon in the hole with an 0-2 count. I called to her to soften her swing and and just make contact. She watched the next two pitches go by. She was down to her 5th and final pitch. CONTACT! The softball traveled straight to 3rd base. The player scooped up the ball and threw to first. Candystick lollygagging down the baseline was almost thrown out. She was safe.

The next batter quickly went down on strikes.

Then comes Sizzle up to bat. She's the coaches youngest daughter playing up 1 level. She is good! I told Candystick to run on any hit. Only coming back if the ball was caught in the air - but to run like the wind. Sizzle made good contact sending the bright yellow ball into the outfield. Candystick took off running. She caught sight of the 3rd base coach signaling keep running. She headed towards 3rd. The coach was giving her the green light to go home. Candystick rounded third base as the throw was coming in to the pitcher. Before the pitcher could gather the ball and hold it into the air to call time - Candystick crossed home plate and the ump called the game over! Vipers Win! Vipers Win!

It was a roller coaster of emotions. It was depressing - it was exciting - it was fun! I am not sure who enjoys this little league softball more Rake or Candystick.