May 9 - @ Soul Sisters

It was a nice day on the fields on Saturday. The league had their annual BBQ and Purple Lightning was set to face the Soul Sisters for the second time this season. Coming off a big win against the Blue Phantoms in the last game, Purple Lightning were looking to keep it going.

1st Inning
Once again, starting us off for the game was Janessa. She hit the ball and sent it bouncing down the 3rd base side. On the bounce, the 3rd baseman reeled it in and missed the throw to 1st and Janessa was on. Alli was up next. On the first pitch, she showed bunt and Janessa took off for 2nd. The catcher tried to throw her out at 2nd, but the throw went high and Janessa was able to take it all the way around and score. A walk on Alli put another Lightning runner on base. Tess came up to the plate and on a couple of pass balls, Alli worked her way around to 3rd base. Eventually a walk, put Tess on base too. A walk on Kelsey loaded the bases. After walks on Hylah, Yazmine and Caitlin brought in 3 runs for the Lighting, the Soul Sisters were forced to make the 1st of many pitcher changes in the game. This switch didn't provide the relief that the Soul Sisters were looking for as the new pitcher walked Sara, bringing one more across the plate. Maia was able to connect with a pitch and sent a grounder down the 3rd base side. Yazmine took off for home and scored, but the 3rd baseman picked up the ball and tagged 3rd, getting the out on Caitlin and the 1st of the inning. After getting to full count, the pitcher couldn't put it over and walked Alexis, bringing one more Lightning girl home. Back at the top of the lineup, Janessa made her 2nd trip to the plate in the inning. Going 2 for 2, Janessa hit one toward the short stop for a single, bringing Sara in to score and loading the bases. Alli came to the plate for the 2nd time too, but on 2 pitches, both Maia and Janess left their bases early, drawing 2 outs and closing out the initial Lightning offense.

Tess started Purple Lightning off at pitcher. Finding her pitch, after getting to full count, Tess eventually walked the 1st batter. As the 2nd batter came to the plate, the runner on base stole 2nd. Hylah attempted the throw down, but Alli didn't quite make the catch and the runner was safe on 2nd. Feeling lucky, the runner then attempted to steal 3rd, but this time, Hylah was able to get the ball to Janessa at 3rd for the out. Getting back to business, Tess started firing and struck out the 2nd batter. Following her established pattern for the inning, Tess worked her way to full count on the 3rd batter, but once again struck her out for the 3rd out, closing out the 1st inning with a big Lightning lead.

Purple Lightning 7 - Soul Sisters 0

2nd Inning
With a commanding lead in the 2nd, Alli came up to finish her at bat. She didn't disappoint as she connected and sent one through the infield. The Sisters' 2nd baseman, on the bounce, went to grab the ball, but it bounced off her glove. She was able to recover quickly to attempt the throw to 1st, but missed and Alli was able to get one more base on the play for a double. Tess was up next. She got a hit too and sent a fast grounder which got past the 2nd basemant for a single. Alli was able to come home. Kelsey came to the plate next. After getting up to 2 and 1, she connected too, but sent it high and the 1st baseman was able to run in to make the catch. Hylah came up to bat and, extending the Lightning hitting streak, made contact. She sent it down the 3rd base line and Tess took off. The Soul Sisters' 3rd basemand got a jump on it though and was able to collect the ball. She quickly made the throw to 2nd to get the 2nd out on Tess. On her next trip to the plate, Yazmine fought valiantly to stay alive with foul balls after building a full count, but eventually, the pitcher got the better of her, striking her out and holding the Lighting to 1 run in the inning.

Kelsey came in to pitch in the 2nd. Trying to prevent a 2nd inning surge by the Soul Sisters, Kelsey was ready to take on the Sisters' offense. The 1st batter came up to the plate, but Kelsey quickly sent her back to the dugout with a strike out. The 2nd batter was much the same as Kelsey was able to get her swinging for another strike out. It looked as if Kelsey was about to put another no-hit inning together, but the 3rd Soul Sister batter had other plans. She made contact, sending the ball arcing over the infield toward left center. On the play, Alli got a jump on the ball and went for the catch. On the run, stretching her arm out, she made the catch to get the last out of the inning, keeping the Soul Sisters scoreless and scratching their heads for an answer.

Purple Lightning 8 - Soul Sisters 0

3rd Inning
Trying to battle back, the Soul Sisters attempted everything they could to hold on. They put in their 3rd pitcher in as many innings. Caitlin came in to face the new pitcher to lead us off in the 3rd. Caitlin worked up to a 2 and 2 count, then moved into full count and then, this new pitcher threw across the perfect pitch and got the strike out on Caitlin. Sara was up next and the pitcher was able to throw 3 across the plate to strike Sara out, making it 2 in a row. Maia was up next and, with her bat coming alive in the last few games, refused to go down without a fight. Maia swung on a pitch and made contact, sending a grounder down the 3rd base line. The 3rd baseman made her move as Maia took off for 1st. The 3rd baseman fielded the ball and quickly made the throw to 1st. The 1st baseman making the grab just before Maia crossed 1st got the out and ended the inning for Purple Lightning.

Kelsey was back in to pitch in the 3rd. She slowed down a bit in this inning and walked the 1st 2 Soul Sister batters. With runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs, the 3rd batter managed to get a hit, sending it high toward Yazmine at 2nd base. Even though the Infield Fly Rule was in effect and the batter was automatically out, Yazmine still got under the ball to make the catch, freezing the runners on their respective bases. The 4th batter came up to the plate and the runner on 2nd tried to steal, but Hylah was on it and got the ball to Janessa at 3rd to send her back. But the runner eventually got her base as a pass ball gave her time to make a successful steal. After getting to full count, Kelsey eventually walked the batter, loading the bases. The 5th batter made contact sending it high toward Yazmine again. Since the bases were loaded, with 1 out, the Infield Fly Rule was still in effect and the batter was automatically out. This time, Yazmine missed the catch and the runners made a break for it. Yazmine was able to quickly recover and pick up the ball. She made the throw to Alli who got the tag on the runner for the 3rd out, but not before the 3rd base runner made it home, putting the Soul Sisters on the board.

Purple Lightning 8 - Soul Sisters 1

4th Inning
Leading us off in the 4th, Alexis was hit by a pitch and took a walk. On her next trip to the plate, Janessa hit a hard one toward the short stop. The short stop fielded the ball and makes the throw to 1st, but overthrows it. Janessa earned a double on the overthrow and put Purple Lightning back into scoring position. A walk on Alli loaded the bases. Tess was up next determined to extend the Purple Lightning lead. Tess hit an arcing ball over the infield that found a hole just behind 2nd base, which caused some confusion on the Soul Sister defense. This bought enough time for Alexis and Janessa to cross home and Tess made it on base. Kelsey came up next and she connected as well sending the ball bouncing toward the short stop and the runners were on the move. The short stop was able to field the ball and make the throw to 1st, beating Kelsey to the bag, but as Kelsey crossed, the 1st baseman took her foot off the bag and Kelsey was safe. Alli made it home to score. A walk on Hylah loaded the bases and walks on Yazmine, Caitlin and Sara, brought Tess, Kelsey and Hylah home. Maia was up next. Yazmine left her base early, drawing the 1st out of the inning. The pitcher eventually walked Maia, loading the bases again. Alexis came back for the 2nd time and during her at bat, Maia left early, drawing the 2nd out of the inning. A walk on Alexis loaded the bases once more. Finally, when Janessa came back to the plate, Caitlin walked off base, ending the 4th inning for Purple Lightning.

Kelsey was back at the rubber in the 4th. A walk on the 1st batter put the Soul Sisters on base. The 2nd batter made contact and sent the ball out to the outfield for a double. Alexis quickly picked the ball up and made the throw to Janessa at 3rd, but was not able to get it there in time for the out, but it did hold the runners at 2nd and 3rd. A walk on the 3rd batter loaded the bases. Kelsey was able to find her pitch again on the 4th batter, getting the 1st out of the inning, but it was short lived as walks on the next 2 batters put 2 more runs on the board for the Soul Sisters. The 7th batter managed to get a hit, sending it to left field toward Maia this time. The Soul Sisters' runners on the move, the runner on 3rd was able to make it home. Maia collected the ball and again made the throw to Janessa. Again, the throw didn't get there in time, but was successful in stopping the runners and the bases were still loaded. A walk on the next batter brought one more runner across the plate. The next batter connected and hit one out toward right center. Alli, got the jump on the ball again and reached out her glove to make the catch and get the 3rd out, closing out the 4th inning.

Purple Lightning 14 - Soul Sisters 5

5th Inning
Janessa came in to lead us off in the 5th. Yet again, the Soul Sisters put in another new pitcher. After getting to full count the pitcher was able to get her to swing, striking Janessa out. A walk on Alli put Purple Lightning on base. On Tess's next, she connected sending a grounder toward the 2nd baseman. Alli took off for 2nd. It was decision time. The 2nd baseman chose to go after Alli - our lead runner - and made the throw to the short stop coming in to cover 2nd. Tess got on base and the Soul Sisters' short stop missed the catch allowing Alli to steal 2nd. After getting to full count, a walk on Kelsey loaded the bases. Coming in wanting to make a big play, Hylah started her at bat with 2 strikes on foul balls. On the next pitch, Hylah connected, but unfortunately it popped up. Again, with bases loaded and less than 2 outs, the Infield Fly Rule was in effect so Hylah was automatically out. The pitcher came in and made the catch anyway, getting the 2nd out of the inning and holding the runners on base. A walk on both Yazmine and Caitlin, who was hit by the pitch, brought 2 more Lightning runners home. On Sara's next turn at bat, she got a great hit, sending the ball out to left center. With enough time to make the play, the outfielder got herself under the ball to make the catch and get the 3rd out, retiring the side.

With time running out, Tess came back in to pitch to close the game. The Soul Sisters now had 1 last chance to make something happen. The 1st batter hit a hard grounder down the 1st base side. Kelsey was able to reel it in and beat the runner to 1st base to get the 1st out. The 2nd batter sent a ball bouncing toward Alexis, now playing 2nd base. She made the stop on the ball and threw it to Kelsey getting the 2nd out of the inning. The 3rd batter came up to the plate. With no more room for error, the 3rd batter connected and sent it high. Alli had to move and on the run, made a great running catch to get the 3rd out, closing the 4th inning in a row and putting an end to the game.

Final Score
Purple Lightning 16 - Soul Sisters 5

Game Ball
For her improved defensive playing in the outfield, as well as making a great play on her 1st time at 2nd base, Alexis was awarded the game ball. Great job Alexis!