Softball Improvement

Well, maybe not in the game score, but I finally had a decent game all around, something that hadn't happened since the opener, if not church league.

The game wound up better than it looked like it was going to be as well. We were the home team, and the top of the first was rough in numerous ways.

First off, about the second batter of the game Richard pitched one in there that bounced just behind the plate. Unfortunately, that meant that it came up under my glove, something you like to avoid in softball since there's not any protection besides the glove. So for the next few batters, I was breathing pretty hard and try to get through it.

Thankfully, I was pretty much recuperated by time a batter hit a little high foul behind home. I was able to get under it and make the catch, plus throw to third to keep the runner at second.

The other team scored nine before we got to bat, though, and it looked like it was going to be a long night.

The second inning gave us a little momentum. The first three batters for the opposing team reached, making it look like another rout of an inning. However, the fourth guy popped up behind home, and I was able to run back and make the catch. The next guy hit it to short, and Jason threw it to me for the force. The final guy flew out to Russell and we made it through the inning unscathed.

I led off the next inning. After taking a 3-1 strike, I walked on the next pitch. It was the most productive at-bat I've had in months. Brian was up next and hit a little flair to shallow center. The first base coach was yelling it would drop, so I'm off to second and I see that not only does it drop, but it seems to get past the outfielder who had dove for it. I stutterstep around second and take off for third, only to hear everyone yelling about three steps into it.

Apparently, the other outfielder had backed up the play and I was dead to rights. My only hope was that they'd overthrow third, but that didn't happen. I tried to get out of the way (sliding really wasn't an option and it wouldn't have done any good anyway) but to no avail.

We got down 13-1 before having a big inning. I came up with the bases loaded and took a very nice strike, one I probably should have swung at. The next pitch I had to hold back from swinging at, as it was outside. The third pitch, I stung between third and short for a very solid base hit, driving in a run. We played some station-to-station ball after that and I progressed around the basepaths before scoring another run.

That inning cut it to 13-6, but the other team answered with more runs, and so after five, we were runruled 19-6. Hopefully we can put some more innings like our big one together Monday and get another win!