And so that I don’t play favorites…
My daughter has been on a travel softball team for a year now(her first travel team). She also played up on a local rec league during the fall. But during this past season, her confidence level wasn't yet in line with her skills. Because she's a solid hitter, the coach put her as leadoff batter even though she was only 12 and the rest of the team was 14-16 year olds. Her now favorite game:
During the second inning we were down by one and there were runners on 2nd and 3rd. She had a great hit that went over the centerfielder's head and because she's so fast, made it all the way home. So a three run homerun! But wait, it gets better.
Game is tied with the clock at only 3 minutes left of play(it’s rec ball remember). Bases are loaded with two outs and who gets up to bat? Of course my kid. Why is it always my kid?! After five pitches(two foul balls), it was a full count. The next five pitches were all foul balls. She was in one of the toughest spots for a kid to be in. But she looked like a fighter out there and really battled! The last pitch was definitely a ball and she never should have swung. She hit the ball and it looked like yet another foul ball. But she ran anyway. The ball went over third base and by the time it dropped just inside the foul line, she was already rounding first and then it rolled all the way to the fence! Everyone on the bleachers was standing cheering as she rounded the bases. When she got to 2nd base I looked hard at her and realized she wasn't going to stop for nothing. She kicked it in high gear all the way home. An inside the park Grand Slam!
She was so pumped that as she lay her head on the pillow that night I had to tell her to stop talking, take a deep breath and go to sleep.