1-1

I totally forgot to blog about the spring softball season opener last week, so for those of you who could really care less, here’s all there is to know up through today’s play.
There are only four teams in the league this season, which is kind of crummy, but this just means we play everyone three times instead of the usual two. The newcomers are from Westside, and I don’t know if that’s Baptist, Methodist, Church of Christ, or whatever; I should have asked them when we played them today, but just like forgetting to blog about the game last week…
Right, last week. We opened against Faith Lutheran, and to sum up, our hitting didn’t show up and theirs did. We chalked it up to the team gelling–we’ve got a few new players–and getting back in to the rhythm of play. Like the rest of the team, my own time at the plate wasn’t well spent. I was only one of three, including hitting in to a fielder’s choice.
I was in left-center while on defense. I let one ball get behind me, and another took a wicked doink! off my glove, both of which allowed for extra bases. I owned the third inning, though. All three outs came at the expense of their hitting my way, and it was especially pleasing to get that last out while on the run.
So the first game was a loss, but we were optimistic about the future, and we’ll have two more cracks at the Lutherans.
Today we played Westside, and it’s always interesting playing a team for the first time. They won the toss and elected to bat first, and the first inning didn’t go well for us, with their scoring five runs. The extra bases were usually a case of our team trying to make something happen when we would’ve been better off just hanging on to the ball. We put a run on the board, but gave up another in the top of second. But then it was time for our bats, to quote one Pedro Cerrano, “to wake up”.
The end result was a 17-8 victory for our squad. Our defense settled down and tightened up as the game progressed. I was at short this time around, and had a chance at turning a double play twice, but couldn’t manage either. I took a cleat-clad toe to the knee while tagging one guy out at second, so that’s slightly swollen and aching quite nicely, thanks. The injury streak continues!
My pal Brad was monster at the plate today, ripping an in-the-park homer his first time up, putting a few runs on the board. His second trip to the plate was a triple which netted us at least one more run. No chance at hitting the cycle, though, as with only an hour to play, he only had one more at-bat, and popped out to left-center.
I was .667 at the plate today, with an unintentional bunt my first time up. Hey, it advanced a runner, and I made it to first without a throw even being attempted. (I may be chunky, but I’m quick.) I’ll take it. My last at-bat was my best thus far in the early season, a shot in to left-center I should’ve stretched in to a double: I thought the fielder had made a good catch off the ground and was coming up throwing, so I trotted back to first when I could’ve been going to second. Oh, well; the base coach thought he was going to get the ball back in quick, too. I did bring in two runs on that shot, so I’m hoping that’s a trend for the rest of the season. My RBI total this past fall was paltry.
So the team’s at five hundred two games in, and we played much better during this second game. Things look to be a little tough for us next week; we’ll be short one of our gals (meaning with only nine players we have to take an out at the top of the batting order), and we’ll be playing our friends from Flower Mound UMC. Of course, this latter means I’m really looking forward to the game, as it’s always fun playing against them.