bottom of the 6th, we're losing by two runs 10-8 to the best team in the league (undefeated two years running including a 13-2 beat-down they put on us last friday), and our first two hitters strike out. not looking good. however, we have already come back twice in this game, have had a couple of two-out rallies, and are at the top of the order.
Stephanie E, our second hitter, comes up to the plate. it is 6:00 sharp, and the church bells start to ring and an emergency horn sounds. (you can't make this up). S.E. draws a walk, her third of the game. the next batter, Katie W., who had just made a game saving catch of a sinking liner to end their rally in the previous inning, hits a sharp single to left, her third of the game. up comes our cleanup hitter, sadie hennen. sadie's a great hitter but has been struggling of late and isn't feeling well (a cold and a collision with first base in the third inning). our own emma hartmann is on deck.
Sadie takes the first pitch for a questionable called strike. (both teams agreed that the umpiring was not a game highlight; emma said the strike zone was the size of a baseball, and that kept bouncing around from inning to inning). she swings at a pitch low and outside for strike two. two balls, and then she fouls off a couple before the count goes full. later, the team would say it seemed like a movie. pressure situation. every one went quiet with everything on the line. produce or go home. sadie, as you should guess by now, chose the former. she got an outside pitch right in her zone and drove it over the right fielder's head. doug, coaching on first, had confidence in emma getting katie home if it had come to that, but it wasn't needed. sadie raced around the bases for a walk-off, game-winning three run homer. and the celebration was on.
over pizza and soda at Abetto's, parents, players and coaches savored the win. it wasn't the cleanest game ever, but there were some great plays and loads of drama. other memorable details that were hashed over: a suicide squeeze dropped down by Steph S. with two outs that scored abbey; several key strikeouts by Hannah K. including one flip change for a third strike past their top hitter that silenced everyone; emma taunting them with dives back to third that turned into an overthrow and run; a near pickoff throwing behind the runner at first; some great at-bats by girls down in the order who forced their pitcher to throw lots and lots of pitches; great catching by emma who didn't allow a single runner to advance on the bases after the 3rd inning.
quite a cap-off to a crazy, hazy, hectic week of tournaments and playoffs. emma and six other girls on the team have played 9 softball games over the past five days. fortunately, the girls get the weekend off to rest up for Nativity Blue--the only other undefeated team in the league (though our game with them was rained out)--on Tuesday the 25th at 4:00. it should be fun and once again we'll cast ourselves as the underdog. after yesterday, anything seems possible.
A robin has decided to call the Hartmann Home a home of her own. She built a nest on our front door wreath and, as you can see here, has laid four eggs.
Also enjoying the activities of early
