Another Night, Another Loss

Our softball team really isn't that bad. It's a decent team that, if it was in a league of non-serious teams who practiced maybe once a week and didn't play together close to year round, would probably win a few more or at least be a bit more competitive.

However, last night we ran into another of those teams that take it much more seriously than we do and got smoked again. We did close within 6-5 after our second at-bat, but we just couldn't stop them. Having only 9 didn't help either, since that created more gaps in the outfield, but I don't think the extra person would have mattered. Probably the highlight was Jason smacking his second over-the-fence home run of the season.

As for me, well, I had a busy game.

First off, I caught the whole game. There were more than a few throws home, though most were up the line or too late. I did catch one on the third base side of the bag. I knew one runner had passed me, but the hitter was right behind, trying for an inside-the-parker, and I was able to spin and put the tag on him. I did miss one throw coming in. I retrieved it and threw a strike back to Bobby covering the plate, but the runner scored before the ball got there. Though if he'd been a second faster, the ball would have smacked him in the head.

At the plate, some mixed results. I singled in my first at-bat, though it was a high pitch I probably should have laid off of. It was a bloop single over the second baseman's head, but it was enough to drive in the runner from third with two outs. That actually started a big two-out rally as we scored 5 in that inning.

The second time up, I drew a walk on three pitches. (In this league, you start with a 1-1 count. You also only get one foul-ball strike after you get to 2 strikes, something that will come into play in a minute.)

The third time, I took the first pitch for a ball, then fouled off an inside pitch that was probably ball three. With two strikes, I knew I had to be swinging, and the next one was a weak foul over the catcher's head. The last pitch, I put about the same swing on the same type of pitch and had the same result, so I struck out. I'm not sure what it was about the guy that I wasn't getting more solid contact on him. He must have been up in the zone more than I thought he was.

The basepaths, though, was where the night really got interesting. As I said, I singled the first time up with two outs. The next batter, Thomas, hit a fairly routine grounder to the left side. They tried to force me at second, but the throw was high and went into right field. I turned the corner and headed to third. Between me and it were the shortstop and the third baseman, both looking like the throw was coming that way. So I did something unexpected, for me.

I slid.

I've said before, sliding is not something I do. And I'm not sure that this could be considered sliding, more of a controlled fall toward the bag. It definitely wouldn't have been anything Rickey Henderson would have been proud of, but I did go to the outside and grabbed onto the bag as I tried to go by.

It wasn't pretty. Heck, it wasn't even necessary.

Because as I'm deciding to sacrifice my body and what little dignity I have, the ball apparently has gotten away from the other team trying to get the runner at second. I'm emphatically directed to take off, so I get up and head home, scoring a step or two ahead of Thomas.

The second time, after the walk, I wound up going first to third on another misplay, then scoring on a single by Bobby.

So, final line for the night: 1-2, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 putout.

Season totals: 6-11 (.545), 5 runs, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SF, 3 RBI, 1 assist, 1 PO.