Purple Lightning All-Stars
Kelsey Borne
Alexandra Davis
Hylah Reyes
Janessa Tsang
Mateucci Award Recipient
Tess Palmer
Congratulations girls!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Tournament of Champions - Division Championship Game - Jun 6 - @ CV Giants
With a win over the Rock Stars in Round 2 of the TOCs, Purple Lightning moved into the Championship Game to face our old rival and the division's 1st place team, the CV Giants. Much like we did with the Rock Stars, Purple Lightning split their regular season games with the CV Giants. Both games were very competitive and low scoring, which went to show that these 2 teams, battling for the league/division title, were very evenly matched on both sides of the ball. It would be a tough game to be sure, but no matter the outcome, Purple Lightning (and the CV Giants as well) worked very hard throughout the season and proved that they belonged and deserved to be at the top of the heap.
The official coin toss once again put the Purple Lightning offense on the field first as the visiting team. Play ball!
1st Inning
For the last time this season, Janessa came to the plate to lead Purple Lightning off. The Giants' pitcher came on strong, but Janessa battled back, but with the count full, the pitcher threw a perfect pitch to strike Janessa out. Allie was up next. She came out aggressive and swung on the ball. Getting a solid hit, Allie sent a grounder past the Giants' 2nd baseman out into right field for a triple. Tess came to the plate next. She also got a hit. The ball bounced toward the short stop. The short stop made the grab, but as she transitioned to the throw, she dropped the ball and Tess got on base as Allie crossed the plate, putting Purple Lightning on the board early in the game. Feeding off the early momentum, Kelsey came to the plate and also connected. The ball bounced toward the Giants' short stop again, but this time she was able to reel it in. She turned to make the throw to 1st, but it went over the 1st baseman's glove and Kelsey turned it into a double. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Yazmine bunted the ball. Catching the Giants' defense off guard, Yazmine took off for 1st. The defense moved in for the ball, but Tess reached home and Kelsey made it to 3rd before they could get the throw off. Hylah was next. On the pitch, Yazmine stole 2nd. The Giants' pitcher, trying to turn things around was able to get Hylah to swing for the strikeout, but a walk on Gabby next loaded the bases - Hylah was brought in to pinch run. Caitlin came to the plate next. On a pass ball that bounced off the backstop, the steal was called in, but the CV Giants' defense was able to recover quickly and the steal was called off. With the count at 3 and 1, Caitlin got a big hit and took the ball for a ride to the outfield and brought in 2 runs. With 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, Sara came to the plate. On the 1st pitch, the runners stole and put Purple Lightning back into scoring position. But the Giants' pitcher, managed to put 3 over the plate to get Sara out, putting an end to the inning with Purple Lightning up by 4.
Tess started Purple Lightning off at the rubber. Reacting to the 1st inning offensive rush, the CV Giants tried to answer. With the count at 1 and 1, the 1st batter hit a grounder through the infield toward short stop. Allie shuffled over and made the stop. She quickly came up with the ball and made the throw to Kelsey at 1st for the 1st out of the inning. Tess got up to full count on the 2nd batter, but lost control of her last pitch and the batter walked. A pass ball on the 3rd batter sent the runner to 2nd on a successful steal. With the count at 2 and 2, Tess got ready for the next pitch. The runner on 2nd took off on the next pitch. The batter swung and missed and was struck out as the runner reached 3rd. A walk on the next batter put Giants' runners on 1st and 3rd. With the door closing on the 1st inning, the next batter came to the plate to try to get the CV Giants on the board. A pass ball sent the runner on 1st to 2nd and put the CV Giants into scoring position. Then, with the count at 2 and 2, the batter swung hard and connected. The ball went down the 1st base line and Kelsey charged in. She picked up the ball, but dropped it coming up. She quickly recovered and ran back to 1st to tag the bag and close the inning, keeping the CV Giants scoreless in the 1st inning.
Purple Lightning 4 - CV Giants 0
2nd Inning
The CV Giants were now determined to stay in the game and their defense took the field for the 2nd time in the game. Erin was up to lead us off in the 2nd. The CV Giants sent Erin back to the dugout quickly as the pitcher put 3 over the plate and caught Erin swinging, striking her out and getting the 1st out of the inning. Maia was up next. Trying to build off of the earlier run, Maia came out swinging and connected. She sent the ball over the infield, but the Giants' short stop was able to make her move and get the jumping catch for the 2nd out. Alexis was up next. The CV Giants pitcher lost her rhythm a little and got up to full count on Alexis. But, not wanting to give Purple Lightning a chance, threw the next pitch right over the plate to get the strikeout on Alexis and shutting Purple Ligthning out of the 2nd inning.
Kelsey replaced Tess at pitcher in the 2nd inning. Kelsey took a moment to warm up as she walked the 1st batter. Making their move, the CV Giants' runner stole 2nd on the 1st pitch on the next batter. Keeping her focus, Kelsey got the batter to swing for the strikeout. The 3rd batter came to the plate. On a pass ball, the runner on base made it to 3rd. With the count at 1 and 1, the batter took a swing and hit the ball through the infield toward 2nd base. Caitlin reached for the ball, but it got past her and the runner at 3rd took off for home. Erin made the stop in the outfield and threw the ball back in to Tess holding the runner to a single, but the runner reached home on the play, putting the CV Giants on the board. The next batter came to the plate. On the pitch, the runner on base stole 2nd. Building off of the last hit, the Giants' batter got a hit as well, hitting a grounder through the 3rd base side of the infield and past Sara in the outfield. Sara reached the ball and quickly threw it back in to hold the runner at 2nd, but another run scored on the play. Shaking the last 2 batters off, Kelsey dug in and got right back to work. The 5th batter came to the plate and Kelsey quickly sent her back to the dugout with the strikeout. A ball on the next batter sent the runner on 2nd to 3rd on a steal, putting the CV Giants back into scoring position, but, with the count full, Kelsey was able to get the batter to commit to the swing to get the batter out, moving the game into the 3rd inning.
Purple Lightning 4 - CV Giants 2
3rd Inning
Back at the top of the lineup in the 3rd, Janessa came to the plate to see if she could get Purple Lightning going again. It was back and forth with the pitcher for a while, when, at full count, the pitcher threw one down the middle, again getting the better of Janessa on her 2nd trip to the plate. Allie came up for her 2nd trip to the plate and, going 2 for 2, got a hit. Allie hit a short grounder toward the short stop that came to a halt in the infield. The short stop, waiting for the ball to reach her, had to get out of her set position to get to the ball quickly. She made the throw to 1st, but Allie beat the ball to the bag and got on base. Tess came up to the plate next and on a pass ball, Allie stole 2nd. On the next pitch, Tess took a swing and connected, but the ball went high into the air and the 2nd baseman was able to get to it to make the catch for the 2nd out. Kelsey was up for her 2nd trip to the plate. On the 1st pitch, Allie stole 3rd and got into scoring position, strike 1. The pitcher then threw a change up to get Kelsey to swing, strike 2. Then, after a couple of balls, the count was at 2 and 2 and the pitcher was able to get one past Kelsey, striking her out and retiring the side.
Tess was called back in to pitch the 3rd. A walk on the 1st batter put the CV Giants on base. The 2nd batter came to the plate next. On the pitch, the runner took off for 2nd. Hylah tried to throw her down, but Allie had to come off the base to make the catch and the runner made it to 2nd. Trying to close the distance, the next batter came out swinging and connected. The runner took off for 3rd as the ball rolled quickly down the 1st base line. Kelsey wheeled in to field the ball as the runner reached 3rd. Kelsey came up with the ball and got the tag on the runner heading to 1st, getting the 1st out of the inning. With the CV Giants in scoring position, the next batter came to the plate to try to bring the runner home. Tess split the 1st 2 pitches for 1 and 1. The batter hit one foul to bring the count to 1 and 2. A ball on the next pitch, brought it to 2 and 2. On the next pitch, the batter took a swing and miscalculated the pitch by a hair and grazed the ball for a foul tip, but Hylah caught the ball in the air for the out. The 4th Giants batter came to the plate and looked like she was going to repeat the previous batter's performance. But, on 2 and 2, she got a big hit and drove the ball way out into left field for a triple, bringing the runner home. Sara had to run back to get to the ball, but she quickly got the ball back in to 3rd to hold the runner in place. The 5th batter came to the plate. On the 1st pitch, a pass ball sent Hylah scrambling for the ball and the runner on 3rd made a break for it. Hylah tried to race the runner back to the plate, but didn't get there in time and the runner scored. The bases newly cleared, a walk on the batter put the CV Giants on 1st base. The batter walked over to 1st, touched the base, then proceeded to take her lead to 2nd. No call. Leaving the base early, should've resulted in the automatic out of the runner on 1st. Cindy (our team manager) was sent in to get a ruling. Neither the plate ump nor the base ump saw her step off base and, under protest, the runner was ruled safe. Game on. The 6th batter came to the plate. On the 1st pitch, which was ruled a strike, the runner on 1st stole 2nd. Swinging aggressively, the batter hit one into foul territory for the 2nd strike, then stayed alive on fouls. Out of the blue, she connected and sent a hard grounder through the middle of the Purple Lightning infield out into the grass, for a single, but the play gave the protested runner enough time to make it home, putting the Giants in the lead for the 1st time in the game (this may sound like sour grapes, but it pays off later. I promise). Getting back to work, Tess dug in to try to get Purple Lightning out of the inning. The next batter showed bunt and on the pitch the runner stole 2nd. The next pitch got past Hylah and the runner stole 3rd and threatened another score. With the count at 3 and 1, Tess battled back to get to full count. On the next pitch, Tess fired it in. The batter took a swing, but missed and Tess got the strikeout and closed down the 3rd inning.
Purple Lightning 4 - CV Giants 5
4th Inning
Having lost the lead and trailing by 1 coming into the 4th inning, Purple Lightning needed to show the CV Giants that they were still in the fight. Yazmine came to the plate to lead us off. With the count at 1 and 1, Yazmine hit a hard grounder through the infield into the grass for a single. Hylah was up next and on the pitch, Yazmine stole 2nd. The catcher tried to throw her out, but the throw missed the mark and Yazmine was able to claim 3rd as the CV Giants' defense was still trying to get the ball back to the pitcher. Yazmine took off for home. The CV Giants' outfield tried to make the throw home, but with plenty of time, Yazmine crossed the plate, tying up the game. A walk on Hylah put a Purple Lightning runner on 1st. Gabby was up next. Making up for allowing the run, the pitcher put 3 over to get the strikeout on Gabby. A walk on Caitlin put runners on 1st and 2nd. Sara was up next. She worked herself up to a count of 2 and 1, then connected on a pitch that took a hard bounce and went over the pitcher's head. The 2nd baseman tried to grab it, but missed and when she came up ready to throw, the Purple Lightning runners had safely advanced and loaded the bases. Erin came to the plate next. The pitcher once again, found her rhythm and, with the count at 1 and 2, was able to get Erin to swing at a low pitch, getting the strikeout for the 2nd out of the inning. Maia was up next and after getting up to full count, the CV Giants pitcher threw a ball and Maia walked, bringing Hylah in to score and putting Purple Lightning back in the lead. A walk on Alexis brought Caitlin home and extended the lead by 2. Back at the top of the lineup, Janessa came to the plate. She fought hard through the count. 2 and 1. 2 and 2. She stayed alive on fouls until another ball came across, bringing Janessa to full count. Then Janessa got a hit. Unfortunately it popped up and the 1st baseman moved into position, catching the ball and getting the 3rd out.
Purple Lightning now up by 2 poitns, Kelsey came back to the rubber in the 4th inning. A walk on the 1st batter put the CV Giants on base. The next batter came to the plate and on a pass ball, the runner stole 2nd. Then the 2nd batter connected on a pitch and hit a fast grounder through the infield. Yazmine made her move on the ball as the runner on 2nd took of for 3rd. Yazmine was able to reel it in and toss it to Tess at 1st for the out as the other CV Giants runner made it to 3rd. The CV Giants, wanting to get their runner across the plate started to come out aggressively. The 3rd batter, came out swinging and hit a hard line drive straight back to Kelsey. The runner on 3rd took off for home, but when Kelsey brought up her glove, catching the ball on the fly and getting the batter out, she was caught off base. Not knowing that the runner hadn't tagged up on the fly ball, Kelsey quickly tossed the ball to Hylah at home to try to get the out, but the runner started to go back to 3rd base. Hylah threw the ball to Janessa to get the tag, but the runner was able to make it safely back on base before Janessa got the ball. Having missed the double play opportunity, Kelsey got back to business. She got the next batter to swing on 3 pitches to get the strikeout, closing out the 4th inning with Purple Lightning back on top.
Purple Lightning 7 - CV Giants 5
5th Inning
Coming into the 5th with a 2 point lead and 3 innings to go, Allie came to the plate to try to extend the Purple Lightning lead. The CV Giants' pitcher wasn't going to make it easy and threw heat for the first 2 pitches for strikes. Then after throwing a ball and getting the count to 1 and 2, she threw a change up that got Allie to swing, striking her out. Tess was up next and she came out swinging aggressively. With the count at 2 and 2, Tess took a swing and hit the ball, sending it bouncing down the 3rd base line and getting it past the 3rd baseman for a single. A pass ball on Kelsey sent Tess to 2nd on a steal. Then, Kelsey got a piece of the ball and sent it through the infield toward the 2nd baseman. Tess made a move for 3rd when the 2nd baseman picked up the ball and when she turned to throw for the out on Kelsey at 1, Tess made it to 3rd safely. The ball beat Kelsey to 1st and she was called out. Yazmine came to the plate next. On the pitch, repeating her great 1st inning play, Yazmine went for the bunt. Once again, she caught the CV Giants off guard. She took off for 1st as Tess charged home. By the time the CV Giants reached the ball and were ready to make a play, Yazmine was safe at 1st and Tess crossed the plate. Hylah was up next. On a dropped ball, Yazmine stole 2nd. Then, on a pass ball, Yazmine made it to 3rd. With the count at 2 and 1, Hylah ripped a grounder past the short stop for a single, bringing Yazmine home. Gabby was up next. A pass ball on the 1st pitch sent Hylah on a steal to 2nd. On the next pitch, Gabby swung the bat and hit a grounder toward the CV Giants' 2nd baseman. Gabby tried to race toward 1st base, but was fighting through the pain of her injury to beat the ball to the bag. The 2nd baseman reeled in the ball and tossed it to the 1st baseman, getting the out on Gabby and closing the door on the 5th inning for Purple Lightning.
Kelsey was back in to pitch for the 5th inning. With the count at 2 and 0, the 1st batter hit a ball down the 3rd base line. Thinking it was rolling foul, Janessa let the ball get past her. It was ruled fair and the runner made it on base. With a runner on base, the CV Giants had to try to make something happen in this inning to keep pace with Purple Lightning. Stealing aggressively, the runner took 2nd on the 1st pitch. With the count full, the runner stole on the next pitch, reaching 3rd. Ball. The batter took her base and CV Giants runners were now on 1st and 3rd. The next batter came to the plate. On the pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd, putting the CV Giants in scoring position. With the count now at 2 and 2, the batter hit the ball down the 1st base line. Tess charged in to scoop it up and got ready for the tag on the runner coming to 1st. The runner on 3rd, seeing Tess tied up on the other side of the field took off and reached home as Tess tagged the runner out. After the tag, Tess threw the ball back to Kelsey, but lost control and the ball got away from her. Reacting quickly, the CV Giants' runner made her move and brought another run across the plate, reducing the Purple Lightning lead to 2 points. Trying to shake it off, Kelsey got back to the rubber and went back to work. She caught the batter swinging, striking her out for the 2nd out of the inning. The next batter wouldn't go down so easy though. With the count at 0 and 1, the batter hit the ball way out into the outfield. This time Sara was ready for it and got to the ball quickly. The threw the ball back to Allie at the cut to hold the runner to a single. Tess was called in to pitch to try to close out the inning. A couple of pass balls on the next batter allowed the runner on base to steal her way into scoring position. Then, with the count at 3 and 1, the batter hit a hard grounder through the infield for a single. With the runner taking off, Maia picked up the ball and threw it back into the infield. 1 run came across the plate before the ball reached home and brought the CV Giants closer by 1 point. The 7th batter came to the plate. On the pitch, the batter hit a grounder straight down the middle and the runner took off. Tess fielded the ball, but bobbled it. The runner rounded 2nd base as Tess got control of the ball. She turned to throw to 1st, but the runner reached the base safely. So, Tess turned and made the throw to Janessa at 3rd to try to get the out. The runner reached 3rd before the ball and the runner at 1st, seeing all the action on the other side of the field, seized her opportunity and stole 2nd, turning a single into a double. The CV Giants, riding the wave, started to pour it on. The 8th batter came to the plate. With the count at 1 and 2, a pitch got past Hylah and bounced off of the backstop. Hylah had to scramble to get to the ball and the runners made their move. Getting to the ball, Hylah turned to head for home. Tess charged in to cover the plate as the runner approached, running hard. At the last second, Hylah tossed Tess the ball and the runner went down to slide. While the ball was in the air, the runner tagged home and was safe, tying up the game. A walk on the batter put runners on 1st and 3rd. The 9th batter came to the plate. On the strike pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd. Strike 1. Tess fired another one in there. Strike 2. A pass ball on the next pitch and the runner on 3rd took off again. Hylah tried to scramble again, but the runner had the jump on her and crossed the plate with no resistance, taking the lead late in the 5th inning. Tess got back to work and threw heat on the 3rd pitch, getting the strikeout and closing out the 5th inning with Purple Lightning trailing by 1 point.
Purple Lightning 9 - CV Giants 10
6th Inning
Now it was Purple Lightning's turn to try to come from behind. Caitlin was up 1st in the 6th inning. Getting ahead in the count early, Caitlin took a walk and got on base. Sara was up next and got ahead in the count early herself. This time the pitcher battled back and got to full count. On the next pitch, Sara went for it. She took her swing, but just barely missed it, going back to the dugout with the 1st out of the side. Erin was up next. On a pass ball, Caitlin stole 2nd. Then the pitcher caught Erin swinging, striking Erin out for the 2nd out of the inning. Sensing the end of the game approaching, the CV Giants' defense were, so far, successfully shutting Purple Lightning out of the 6th inning. With Caitlin on 3rd threatening the score, Maia came to the plate. Maia came out swinging and hit a grounder down the 1st base line. Maia took off for 1st, but it was purely academic as the 1st baseman scooped up the ball and got the tag on Maia, closing out the 6th inning for Purple Lightning and preserving their 1 point lead.
Kelsey was brought in to pitch in the 6th. Tess took over at catcher. It would be a battle of wills from here on out. The Purple Lightning defense needed to tighten the screws and make a strong defensive stand to stay in this game and the CV Giants knew that adding points to their lead would likely put the game out of reach for Purple Lightning. The 1st batter came to the plate. With the count at 1 and 1, the batter hit a high ball over the infield into right field. Caitlin moved herself into position to make the catch. She reached out her glove and it almost looked like she was closing her eyes and willing the ball into her glove. Sure enough, Caitlin made the catch to get the 1st out of the inning. The 2nd batter got up to 1 and 1 also when she hit the ball. This time it was a fast grounder through the infield into the grass. Erin made the stop on the ball and threw it to 1, but the runner was safe. Kelsey got the ball back and turned on the heat on the next batter. Catching her swinging, Kelsey struck her out for the 2nd out of the inning. The 4th CV Giants batter came to the plate. On the first pitch, the runner stole 2nd. Ball. 2 more balls brought the count to 3 and 0. On the next pitch, the runner stole 3rd. Ball. Batter made it on base. The next batter came to the plate and on the 1st pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd, getting the CV Giants ready to score again. Kelsey lost her rhythm a little and the count was now 3 and 0, but she dug deep and sqeezed off a couple of strikes to bring it to full count. On the next pitch, the batter seemed to be counting on a ball since she didn't swing, but Kelsey popped her bubble by putting the perfect pitch over the plate and getting the strikeout. Shutting out the CV Giants in the 6th as well.
Purple Lightning 9 - CV Giants 10
7th Inning
This is it, the championship inning. Trailing by 1 in the game, it was do or die for Purple Lightning as they needed to put points on the board to stay alive. All the CV Giants had to do now to secure the victory was to prevent any runs. Alexis was up first. With the count at 2 and 2, the pitcher was able to get Alexis to swing to strike her out. Janessa was up next. The CV Giants' pitcher, with 2 outs away from winning the championship started to focus. 1st pitch came through, no swing, strike. The 2nd pitch came through and Janessa took a swing and missed, strike 2. The 3rd pitch came in and, Janessa didn't swing, thinking the pitch was inside, but the umpire called it a strike. Strike 3. The pitcher sent Janessa back to the dugout with 1 out to go. Allie was up next. Feeling the excitement, the CV Giants pitcher started to lose her pitch and threw 2 balls in a row on Allie to get the count to 2 and 0. The pitcher got ready for the next pitch. She stepped forward and brought her arm around for the pitch. She released the ball toward the catcher. Allie, knowing that this was her last chance to help her team tie the game took a hard and fast swing at the pitch. She connected and sent the ball flying toward 3rd base. The 3rd baseman took a couple of steps to get in the path of the ball and as the ball went over, she jumped up, reached her hand above her head and snatched the ball out of the air for the 3rd out, winning the game by 1 point and locking up the victory for the CV Giants.
Now, I promised a payoff from that earlier call. Well, here it is. The CV Giants won the game by 1 point. Had the protested runner been called out like she should've been, the game would have been tied at this point. But, likely, had that happened, it would've been a totally different game. Who knows if the result of the game would've changed and if Purple Lightning would've actually won. Either way, it was a very exciting game against a very evenly matched and game oponent. Both sides fought hard and the game went back and forth and was competitive. What more can you ask for? Purple Lightning ends the season with the 2nd place TOC trophy. Great job girls!
(end of my soapbox)
Final Score
Purple Lightning 9 - CV Giants 10
The official coin toss once again put the Purple Lightning offense on the field first as the visiting team. Play ball!
1st Inning
For the last time this season, Janessa came to the plate to lead Purple Lightning off. The Giants' pitcher came on strong, but Janessa battled back, but with the count full, the pitcher threw a perfect pitch to strike Janessa out. Allie was up next. She came out aggressive and swung on the ball. Getting a solid hit, Allie sent a grounder past the Giants' 2nd baseman out into right field for a triple. Tess came to the plate next. She also got a hit. The ball bounced toward the short stop. The short stop made the grab, but as she transitioned to the throw, she dropped the ball and Tess got on base as Allie crossed the plate, putting Purple Lightning on the board early in the game. Feeding off the early momentum, Kelsey came to the plate and also connected. The ball bounced toward the Giants' short stop again, but this time she was able to reel it in. She turned to make the throw to 1st, but it went over the 1st baseman's glove and Kelsey turned it into a double. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Yazmine bunted the ball. Catching the Giants' defense off guard, Yazmine took off for 1st. The defense moved in for the ball, but Tess reached home and Kelsey made it to 3rd before they could get the throw off. Hylah was next. On the pitch, Yazmine stole 2nd. The Giants' pitcher, trying to turn things around was able to get Hylah to swing for the strikeout, but a walk on Gabby next loaded the bases - Hylah was brought in to pinch run. Caitlin came to the plate next. On a pass ball that bounced off the backstop, the steal was called in, but the CV Giants' defense was able to recover quickly and the steal was called off. With the count at 3 and 1, Caitlin got a big hit and took the ball for a ride to the outfield and brought in 2 runs. With 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, Sara came to the plate. On the 1st pitch, the runners stole and put Purple Lightning back into scoring position. But the Giants' pitcher, managed to put 3 over the plate to get Sara out, putting an end to the inning with Purple Lightning up by 4.
Tess started Purple Lightning off at the rubber. Reacting to the 1st inning offensive rush, the CV Giants tried to answer. With the count at 1 and 1, the 1st batter hit a grounder through the infield toward short stop. Allie shuffled over and made the stop. She quickly came up with the ball and made the throw to Kelsey at 1st for the 1st out of the inning. Tess got up to full count on the 2nd batter, but lost control of her last pitch and the batter walked. A pass ball on the 3rd batter sent the runner to 2nd on a successful steal. With the count at 2 and 2, Tess got ready for the next pitch. The runner on 2nd took off on the next pitch. The batter swung and missed and was struck out as the runner reached 3rd. A walk on the next batter put Giants' runners on 1st and 3rd. With the door closing on the 1st inning, the next batter came to the plate to try to get the CV Giants on the board. A pass ball sent the runner on 1st to 2nd and put the CV Giants into scoring position. Then, with the count at 2 and 2, the batter swung hard and connected. The ball went down the 1st base line and Kelsey charged in. She picked up the ball, but dropped it coming up. She quickly recovered and ran back to 1st to tag the bag and close the inning, keeping the CV Giants scoreless in the 1st inning.
Purple Lightning 4 - CV Giants 0
2nd Inning
The CV Giants were now determined to stay in the game and their defense took the field for the 2nd time in the game. Erin was up to lead us off in the 2nd. The CV Giants sent Erin back to the dugout quickly as the pitcher put 3 over the plate and caught Erin swinging, striking her out and getting the 1st out of the inning. Maia was up next. Trying to build off of the earlier run, Maia came out swinging and connected. She sent the ball over the infield, but the Giants' short stop was able to make her move and get the jumping catch for the 2nd out. Alexis was up next. The CV Giants pitcher lost her rhythm a little and got up to full count on Alexis. But, not wanting to give Purple Lightning a chance, threw the next pitch right over the plate to get the strikeout on Alexis and shutting Purple Ligthning out of the 2nd inning.
Kelsey replaced Tess at pitcher in the 2nd inning. Kelsey took a moment to warm up as she walked the 1st batter. Making their move, the CV Giants' runner stole 2nd on the 1st pitch on the next batter. Keeping her focus, Kelsey got the batter to swing for the strikeout. The 3rd batter came to the plate. On a pass ball, the runner on base made it to 3rd. With the count at 1 and 1, the batter took a swing and hit the ball through the infield toward 2nd base. Caitlin reached for the ball, but it got past her and the runner at 3rd took off for home. Erin made the stop in the outfield and threw the ball back in to Tess holding the runner to a single, but the runner reached home on the play, putting the CV Giants on the board. The next batter came to the plate. On the pitch, the runner on base stole 2nd. Building off of the last hit, the Giants' batter got a hit as well, hitting a grounder through the 3rd base side of the infield and past Sara in the outfield. Sara reached the ball and quickly threw it back in to hold the runner at 2nd, but another run scored on the play. Shaking the last 2 batters off, Kelsey dug in and got right back to work. The 5th batter came to the plate and Kelsey quickly sent her back to the dugout with the strikeout. A ball on the next batter sent the runner on 2nd to 3rd on a steal, putting the CV Giants back into scoring position, but, with the count full, Kelsey was able to get the batter to commit to the swing to get the batter out, moving the game into the 3rd inning.
Purple Lightning 4 - CV Giants 2
3rd Inning
Back at the top of the lineup in the 3rd, Janessa came to the plate to see if she could get Purple Lightning going again. It was back and forth with the pitcher for a while, when, at full count, the pitcher threw one down the middle, again getting the better of Janessa on her 2nd trip to the plate. Allie came up for her 2nd trip to the plate and, going 2 for 2, got a hit. Allie hit a short grounder toward the short stop that came to a halt in the infield. The short stop, waiting for the ball to reach her, had to get out of her set position to get to the ball quickly. She made the throw to 1st, but Allie beat the ball to the bag and got on base. Tess came up to the plate next and on a pass ball, Allie stole 2nd. On the next pitch, Tess took a swing and connected, but the ball went high into the air and the 2nd baseman was able to get to it to make the catch for the 2nd out. Kelsey was up for her 2nd trip to the plate. On the 1st pitch, Allie stole 3rd and got into scoring position, strike 1. The pitcher then threw a change up to get Kelsey to swing, strike 2. Then, after a couple of balls, the count was at 2 and 2 and the pitcher was able to get one past Kelsey, striking her out and retiring the side.
Tess was called back in to pitch the 3rd. A walk on the 1st batter put the CV Giants on base. The 2nd batter came to the plate next. On the pitch, the runner took off for 2nd. Hylah tried to throw her down, but Allie had to come off the base to make the catch and the runner made it to 2nd. Trying to close the distance, the next batter came out swinging and connected. The runner took off for 3rd as the ball rolled quickly down the 1st base line. Kelsey wheeled in to field the ball as the runner reached 3rd. Kelsey came up with the ball and got the tag on the runner heading to 1st, getting the 1st out of the inning. With the CV Giants in scoring position, the next batter came to the plate to try to bring the runner home. Tess split the 1st 2 pitches for 1 and 1. The batter hit one foul to bring the count to 1 and 2. A ball on the next pitch, brought it to 2 and 2. On the next pitch, the batter took a swing and miscalculated the pitch by a hair and grazed the ball for a foul tip, but Hylah caught the ball in the air for the out. The 4th Giants batter came to the plate and looked like she was going to repeat the previous batter's performance. But, on 2 and 2, she got a big hit and drove the ball way out into left field for a triple, bringing the runner home. Sara had to run back to get to the ball, but she quickly got the ball back in to 3rd to hold the runner in place. The 5th batter came to the plate. On the 1st pitch, a pass ball sent Hylah scrambling for the ball and the runner on 3rd made a break for it. Hylah tried to race the runner back to the plate, but didn't get there in time and the runner scored. The bases newly cleared, a walk on the batter put the CV Giants on 1st base. The batter walked over to 1st, touched the base, then proceeded to take her lead to 2nd. No call. Leaving the base early, should've resulted in the automatic out of the runner on 1st. Cindy (our team manager) was sent in to get a ruling. Neither the plate ump nor the base ump saw her step off base and, under protest, the runner was ruled safe. Game on. The 6th batter came to the plate. On the 1st pitch, which was ruled a strike, the runner on 1st stole 2nd. Swinging aggressively, the batter hit one into foul territory for the 2nd strike, then stayed alive on fouls. Out of the blue, she connected and sent a hard grounder through the middle of the Purple Lightning infield out into the grass, for a single, but the play gave the protested runner enough time to make it home, putting the Giants in the lead for the 1st time in the game (this may sound like sour grapes, but it pays off later. I promise). Getting back to work, Tess dug in to try to get Purple Lightning out of the inning. The next batter showed bunt and on the pitch the runner stole 2nd. The next pitch got past Hylah and the runner stole 3rd and threatened another score. With the count at 3 and 1, Tess battled back to get to full count. On the next pitch, Tess fired it in. The batter took a swing, but missed and Tess got the strikeout and closed down the 3rd inning.
Purple Lightning 4 - CV Giants 5
4th Inning
Having lost the lead and trailing by 1 coming into the 4th inning, Purple Lightning needed to show the CV Giants that they were still in the fight. Yazmine came to the plate to lead us off. With the count at 1 and 1, Yazmine hit a hard grounder through the infield into the grass for a single. Hylah was up next and on the pitch, Yazmine stole 2nd. The catcher tried to throw her out, but the throw missed the mark and Yazmine was able to claim 3rd as the CV Giants' defense was still trying to get the ball back to the pitcher. Yazmine took off for home. The CV Giants' outfield tried to make the throw home, but with plenty of time, Yazmine crossed the plate, tying up the game. A walk on Hylah put a Purple Lightning runner on 1st. Gabby was up next. Making up for allowing the run, the pitcher put 3 over to get the strikeout on Gabby. A walk on Caitlin put runners on 1st and 2nd. Sara was up next. She worked herself up to a count of 2 and 1, then connected on a pitch that took a hard bounce and went over the pitcher's head. The 2nd baseman tried to grab it, but missed and when she came up ready to throw, the Purple Lightning runners had safely advanced and loaded the bases. Erin came to the plate next. The pitcher once again, found her rhythm and, with the count at 1 and 2, was able to get Erin to swing at a low pitch, getting the strikeout for the 2nd out of the inning. Maia was up next and after getting up to full count, the CV Giants pitcher threw a ball and Maia walked, bringing Hylah in to score and putting Purple Lightning back in the lead. A walk on Alexis brought Caitlin home and extended the lead by 2. Back at the top of the lineup, Janessa came to the plate. She fought hard through the count. 2 and 1. 2 and 2. She stayed alive on fouls until another ball came across, bringing Janessa to full count. Then Janessa got a hit. Unfortunately it popped up and the 1st baseman moved into position, catching the ball and getting the 3rd out.
Purple Lightning now up by 2 poitns, Kelsey came back to the rubber in the 4th inning. A walk on the 1st batter put the CV Giants on base. The next batter came to the plate and on a pass ball, the runner stole 2nd. Then the 2nd batter connected on a pitch and hit a fast grounder through the infield. Yazmine made her move on the ball as the runner on 2nd took of for 3rd. Yazmine was able to reel it in and toss it to Tess at 1st for the out as the other CV Giants runner made it to 3rd. The CV Giants, wanting to get their runner across the plate started to come out aggressively. The 3rd batter, came out swinging and hit a hard line drive straight back to Kelsey. The runner on 3rd took off for home, but when Kelsey brought up her glove, catching the ball on the fly and getting the batter out, she was caught off base. Not knowing that the runner hadn't tagged up on the fly ball, Kelsey quickly tossed the ball to Hylah at home to try to get the out, but the runner started to go back to 3rd base. Hylah threw the ball to Janessa to get the tag, but the runner was able to make it safely back on base before Janessa got the ball. Having missed the double play opportunity, Kelsey got back to business. She got the next batter to swing on 3 pitches to get the strikeout, closing out the 4th inning with Purple Lightning back on top.
Purple Lightning 7 - CV Giants 5
5th Inning
Coming into the 5th with a 2 point lead and 3 innings to go, Allie came to the plate to try to extend the Purple Lightning lead. The CV Giants' pitcher wasn't going to make it easy and threw heat for the first 2 pitches for strikes. Then after throwing a ball and getting the count to 1 and 2, she threw a change up that got Allie to swing, striking her out. Tess was up next and she came out swinging aggressively. With the count at 2 and 2, Tess took a swing and hit the ball, sending it bouncing down the 3rd base line and getting it past the 3rd baseman for a single. A pass ball on Kelsey sent Tess to 2nd on a steal. Then, Kelsey got a piece of the ball and sent it through the infield toward the 2nd baseman. Tess made a move for 3rd when the 2nd baseman picked up the ball and when she turned to throw for the out on Kelsey at 1, Tess made it to 3rd safely. The ball beat Kelsey to 1st and she was called out. Yazmine came to the plate next. On the pitch, repeating her great 1st inning play, Yazmine went for the bunt. Once again, she caught the CV Giants off guard. She took off for 1st as Tess charged home. By the time the CV Giants reached the ball and were ready to make a play, Yazmine was safe at 1st and Tess crossed the plate. Hylah was up next. On a dropped ball, Yazmine stole 2nd. Then, on a pass ball, Yazmine made it to 3rd. With the count at 2 and 1, Hylah ripped a grounder past the short stop for a single, bringing Yazmine home. Gabby was up next. A pass ball on the 1st pitch sent Hylah on a steal to 2nd. On the next pitch, Gabby swung the bat and hit a grounder toward the CV Giants' 2nd baseman. Gabby tried to race toward 1st base, but was fighting through the pain of her injury to beat the ball to the bag. The 2nd baseman reeled in the ball and tossed it to the 1st baseman, getting the out on Gabby and closing the door on the 5th inning for Purple Lightning.
Kelsey was back in to pitch for the 5th inning. With the count at 2 and 0, the 1st batter hit a ball down the 3rd base line. Thinking it was rolling foul, Janessa let the ball get past her. It was ruled fair and the runner made it on base. With a runner on base, the CV Giants had to try to make something happen in this inning to keep pace with Purple Lightning. Stealing aggressively, the runner took 2nd on the 1st pitch. With the count full, the runner stole on the next pitch, reaching 3rd. Ball. The batter took her base and CV Giants runners were now on 1st and 3rd. The next batter came to the plate. On the pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd, putting the CV Giants in scoring position. With the count now at 2 and 2, the batter hit the ball down the 1st base line. Tess charged in to scoop it up and got ready for the tag on the runner coming to 1st. The runner on 3rd, seeing Tess tied up on the other side of the field took off and reached home as Tess tagged the runner out. After the tag, Tess threw the ball back to Kelsey, but lost control and the ball got away from her. Reacting quickly, the CV Giants' runner made her move and brought another run across the plate, reducing the Purple Lightning lead to 2 points. Trying to shake it off, Kelsey got back to the rubber and went back to work. She caught the batter swinging, striking her out for the 2nd out of the inning. The next batter wouldn't go down so easy though. With the count at 0 and 1, the batter hit the ball way out into the outfield. This time Sara was ready for it and got to the ball quickly. The threw the ball back to Allie at the cut to hold the runner to a single. Tess was called in to pitch to try to close out the inning. A couple of pass balls on the next batter allowed the runner on base to steal her way into scoring position. Then, with the count at 3 and 1, the batter hit a hard grounder through the infield for a single. With the runner taking off, Maia picked up the ball and threw it back into the infield. 1 run came across the plate before the ball reached home and brought the CV Giants closer by 1 point. The 7th batter came to the plate. On the pitch, the batter hit a grounder straight down the middle and the runner took off. Tess fielded the ball, but bobbled it. The runner rounded 2nd base as Tess got control of the ball. She turned to throw to 1st, but the runner reached the base safely. So, Tess turned and made the throw to Janessa at 3rd to try to get the out. The runner reached 3rd before the ball and the runner at 1st, seeing all the action on the other side of the field, seized her opportunity and stole 2nd, turning a single into a double. The CV Giants, riding the wave, started to pour it on. The 8th batter came to the plate. With the count at 1 and 2, a pitch got past Hylah and bounced off of the backstop. Hylah had to scramble to get to the ball and the runners made their move. Getting to the ball, Hylah turned to head for home. Tess charged in to cover the plate as the runner approached, running hard. At the last second, Hylah tossed Tess the ball and the runner went down to slide. While the ball was in the air, the runner tagged home and was safe, tying up the game. A walk on the batter put runners on 1st and 3rd. The 9th batter came to the plate. On the strike pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd. Strike 1. Tess fired another one in there. Strike 2. A pass ball on the next pitch and the runner on 3rd took off again. Hylah tried to scramble again, but the runner had the jump on her and crossed the plate with no resistance, taking the lead late in the 5th inning. Tess got back to work and threw heat on the 3rd pitch, getting the strikeout and closing out the 5th inning with Purple Lightning trailing by 1 point.
Purple Lightning 9 - CV Giants 10
6th Inning
Now it was Purple Lightning's turn to try to come from behind. Caitlin was up 1st in the 6th inning. Getting ahead in the count early, Caitlin took a walk and got on base. Sara was up next and got ahead in the count early herself. This time the pitcher battled back and got to full count. On the next pitch, Sara went for it. She took her swing, but just barely missed it, going back to the dugout with the 1st out of the side. Erin was up next. On a pass ball, Caitlin stole 2nd. Then the pitcher caught Erin swinging, striking Erin out for the 2nd out of the inning. Sensing the end of the game approaching, the CV Giants' defense were, so far, successfully shutting Purple Lightning out of the 6th inning. With Caitlin on 3rd threatening the score, Maia came to the plate. Maia came out swinging and hit a grounder down the 1st base line. Maia took off for 1st, but it was purely academic as the 1st baseman scooped up the ball and got the tag on Maia, closing out the 6th inning for Purple Lightning and preserving their 1 point lead.
Kelsey was brought in to pitch in the 6th. Tess took over at catcher. It would be a battle of wills from here on out. The Purple Lightning defense needed to tighten the screws and make a strong defensive stand to stay in this game and the CV Giants knew that adding points to their lead would likely put the game out of reach for Purple Lightning. The 1st batter came to the plate. With the count at 1 and 1, the batter hit a high ball over the infield into right field. Caitlin moved herself into position to make the catch. She reached out her glove and it almost looked like she was closing her eyes and willing the ball into her glove. Sure enough, Caitlin made the catch to get the 1st out of the inning. The 2nd batter got up to 1 and 1 also when she hit the ball. This time it was a fast grounder through the infield into the grass. Erin made the stop on the ball and threw it to 1, but the runner was safe. Kelsey got the ball back and turned on the heat on the next batter. Catching her swinging, Kelsey struck her out for the 2nd out of the inning. The 4th CV Giants batter came to the plate. On the first pitch, the runner stole 2nd. Ball. 2 more balls brought the count to 3 and 0. On the next pitch, the runner stole 3rd. Ball. Batter made it on base. The next batter came to the plate and on the 1st pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd, getting the CV Giants ready to score again. Kelsey lost her rhythm a little and the count was now 3 and 0, but she dug deep and sqeezed off a couple of strikes to bring it to full count. On the next pitch, the batter seemed to be counting on a ball since she didn't swing, but Kelsey popped her bubble by putting the perfect pitch over the plate and getting the strikeout. Shutting out the CV Giants in the 6th as well.
Purple Lightning 9 - CV Giants 10
7th Inning
This is it, the championship inning. Trailing by 1 in the game, it was do or die for Purple Lightning as they needed to put points on the board to stay alive. All the CV Giants had to do now to secure the victory was to prevent any runs. Alexis was up first. With the count at 2 and 2, the pitcher was able to get Alexis to swing to strike her out. Janessa was up next. The CV Giants' pitcher, with 2 outs away from winning the championship started to focus. 1st pitch came through, no swing, strike. The 2nd pitch came through and Janessa took a swing and missed, strike 2. The 3rd pitch came in and, Janessa didn't swing, thinking the pitch was inside, but the umpire called it a strike. Strike 3. The pitcher sent Janessa back to the dugout with 1 out to go. Allie was up next. Feeling the excitement, the CV Giants pitcher started to lose her pitch and threw 2 balls in a row on Allie to get the count to 2 and 0. The pitcher got ready for the next pitch. She stepped forward and brought her arm around for the pitch. She released the ball toward the catcher. Allie, knowing that this was her last chance to help her team tie the game took a hard and fast swing at the pitch. She connected and sent the ball flying toward 3rd base. The 3rd baseman took a couple of steps to get in the path of the ball and as the ball went over, she jumped up, reached her hand above her head and snatched the ball out of the air for the 3rd out, winning the game by 1 point and locking up the victory for the CV Giants.
Now, I promised a payoff from that earlier call. Well, here it is. The CV Giants won the game by 1 point. Had the protested runner been called out like she should've been, the game would have been tied at this point. But, likely, had that happened, it would've been a totally different game. Who knows if the result of the game would've changed and if Purple Lightning would've actually won. Either way, it was a very exciting game against a very evenly matched and game oponent. Both sides fought hard and the game went back and forth and was competitive. What more can you ask for? Purple Lightning ends the season with the 2nd place TOC trophy. Great job girls!
(end of my soapbox)
Final Score
Purple Lightning 9 - CV Giants 10
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tournament of Champions - Round 2 - June 3 - @ Rock Stars
So, here we are in the 2nd round of the Tournament of Champions. After the commanding win over the Soul Sisters in the last game, Purple Lightning was set to face the Rock Stars in the 2nd round. The Rock Stars came out on top in the last game of the season and Purple Lightning knew that this team had it in them to do it again. This wasn't going to be a cakewalk by any means. Purple Lightning would have to put their best foot forward and work hard to advance to the League Championship Game and, with both teams fielding their full rosters, everything would have to be left out on the field. The coin toss put Purple Lightning on offense first as the visiting team. So, it was time to see if Purple Lightning could come out on top and fight for the title on Saturday.
1st Inning
Leading us off in the 1st, Janessa came to the plate. Getting an early taste of what the Rock Stars' pitcher could do, Janessa quickly found herself at 0 and 2. The pitcher lost her groove a little and got up to full count. On the next pitch, Janessa took the swing, but the pitcher got the ball by her, getting the 1st out of the game. Regaining her confidence, the Rock Star pitcher was able to get 3 over to strike Allie out. The door started to close on the 1st inning for Purple Lightning when a walk on Tess put Purple Lightning on base. Kelsey was up next and with a count of 1 and 1, she hit one high into right field. Tess took off running as the Rock Star right fielder moved in to get under the ball. As Kelsey approached 1st, the right fielder reached out her glove and caught the ball for the out, sending Purple Lightning back to the drawing board.
It was time for the Purple Lightning defense to answer the Rock Stars' challenge. Tess started Purple Lightning off at pitcher. A walk on the 1st batter put the Rock Stars on base. On a couple of pass balls, the runner stole her way over to 3rd. Starting off behind on the next batter, Tess battled back to get it to full count, but a ball on the next pitch put Rock Star runners on 1st and 3rd. Tess seemed to be having a difficult start. The runner on 1st stole 2nd on a pass ball on the next batter. When the count was at 2 and 2, the batter hit a hard grounder toward 2nd base. Yazmine came in to field the ball, but couldn't get a handle on it and the runner reached 1st as 1 run crossed home, putting the Rock Stars on the board. A walk on the next batter loaded the bases and walks on the next 2, brought 2 more Rock Star runners home. Kelsey was brought in to take over at pitcher. Getting warmed up, Kelsey walked the next batter, bringing another runner across the plate. It was starting to look like a long day for Purple Lightning. The next batter tried to continue the streak by switching it up with a bunt, but the Purple Lightning defense was ready. The ball went on a short bounce down the 1st base line and Tess charged in to field it. She reached out and tagged the runner as she was running by and quickly tossed it to Hylah at home to get the runner coming in from 3rd. With a count of 2 and 2, the next batter took a swing and connected. This time it bounced down the middle straight to Kelsey. Kelsey reeled it in and turned, throwing the ball to Tess at 1st to get the 3rd out, stopping the Rock Stars' 1st inning rush.
Purple Lightning 0 - Rock Stars 4
2nd Inning
Trailing by 4 in the 2nd inning, Purple Lightning knew that they had to put points on the board if they were going to stay in the game. Yazmine came to the plate. The Rock Star pitcher couldn't find the strike zone and a walk put Yazmine on base. Gabby was up next. On a pass ball, Yazmine quickly stole 2nd base. After getting to full count, Gabby walked and Kelsey was brought in to pinch run. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Hylah hit the ball down the 3rd base line. The 3rd baseman collected the ball and tagged the bag, getting the out on Yazmine. A walk on Sara loaded the bases. Catilin was up next. Momentarily, the pitcher got it together and managed to strike Caitlin out for the 2nd out of the inning. But she lost it again and walked Erin and Maia, bringing Kelsey and Hylah home, putting Purple Lightning on the board. Regaining her composure, the pitcher put 3 over the plate to get the strikeout on Alexis to retire the side.
After putting some points up in the 2nd, the Purple Lightning defense had some work to do, while the offense was starting to warm up. Kelsey came in to pitch in the 2nd. She started off strong by striking out the 1st Rock Star batter. The 2nd batter tried the bunt again. Tess charged in and picked up the ball. She turned and threw to Yazmine, but the ball hit the runner in the back of the arm and she made it on base. The question was raised about the runner being out of the base path, but the umpire ruled in the runner's favor and she was officially on base. The runner stole her way into scoring position on a couple of pass balls and a walk on the next batter put Rock Stars on 1st and 3rd. The 4th batter came to the plate and on the 1st pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd. Then the batter connected and sent a fast fly ball down the 1st base line. Tess moved in to make the catch. She jumped and reached out her glove, but the ball was just out of reach and it hit the ground in right field. Caitlin grabbed the ball and threw it back in, but the runner made it to 1st and a runner came home. Regaining her composure, Kelsey put 3 over to strike out the 5th Rock Star batter for the 2nd out of the inning. But walks on the next 2 batters loaded the bases and brought another Rock Star runner in. Getting back to work, Kelsey got the next batter to swing and got the strikeout, limiting the Rock Stars to 2 runs in the inning.
Purple Lightning 2 - Rock Stars 6
3rd Inning
Going shot for shot in the 2nd and needing to make something happen, Purple Lightning was back at the top of the lineup. Janessa came to the plate and, quickly, on 2 pitches found herself again with 2 strikes. On the next pitch, Janessa took a cut and, this time made contact. The ball went toward the 2nd baseman. The 2nd baseman made the catch for the 1st out. Allie was up next. With a full count, Allie got a hit and sent a fast grounder straight to the charging 3rd baseman. The 3rd baseman came up with the ball and gunned it to 1st to get the 2nd out on Allie. The Rock Star defense wasn't going to make it easy. On Tess's next turn at bat, she connected and sent a short fly ball again toward the 2nd baseman. The Rock Star defender reached out her glove and caught the ball for the 3rd out of the inning and it looked like the Rock Stars had our number and were on their way to certain victory.
Tess came in to pitch in the 3rd and Purple Lightning needed to respond with a strong defense. Giving it another shot in the 3rd, Tess started off behind in the count on the 1st batter. She battled back from a 2 and 0 count getting it to full, then making the batter swing for the strikeout. Tess got behind again on the 2nd batter with another 2 and 0 count, but this time caught the batter swinging to get another strikeout for the 2nd in the inning. Refusing to go down without a fight, with a count of 1 and 2, the next Rock Star batter went for the risky bunt. Fair ball! Janessa came in to field the ball. When she got up to throw, she found herself behind a couple of Purple Lightning infielders and took an extra fraction of a second to throw the ball through traffic to Yazmine, now covering 1st. Yazmine couldn't get a good eye on the ball and it bounced out of her glove, allowing the runner to get on base. Not wanting to lose her fire, Tess quickly got back to the rubber to face the 4th Rock Star batter. Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike 3! She made quick work of the batter and sent her back to the dugout, putting an exclamation point at the end of the inning.
Purple Lightning 2 - Rock Stars 6
4th Inning
Entering the 4th inning still trailing by 4 points and the clock ticking on the game, Purple Lightning knew that it was time to make a statement if they wanted to stay alive. Kelsey started Purple Lightning off with a big hit, deep into right field for a double. Yazmine was up next. On the 1st pitch, Kelsey stole 3rd and a walk on Yazmine put Purple Lightning runners on 1st and 3rd. A walk on Gabby loaded the bases and Tess was brought in to pinch run. Hylah was up next. With her bat coming alive in the last couple of games, she continued that streak with a big hit deep into left field for a double that sent the outfield running to get control of the ball. The outfield managed to get the ball back to the pitcher, but the damage was done as the hit brought 3 runs home and reduced the Rock Star lead to 1 point. The Purple Lightning crowd was roaring with excitement. Game on! This was the spark that Purple Lightning needed to come alive. A pass ball on Sara, sent Hylah on a successful steal to 3rd, then Sara hit a grounder toward the short stop. Not letting the earlier hit get to her, the short stop fielded the ball and quickly made the throw to 1st, getting the 1st out of the inning on Sara. Caitlin was up next and she also made contact. She sent the ball into left field and it hit the ground between 3 Rock Star defenders for a single, bringing Hylah home and tying up the game. Erin was up next and made contact with the ball for a single. The 1st pitch on Maia sent the runners on a successful steal and Purple Lightning was again in scoring position and a walk on Maia reloaded the bases. Not wanting to let the game get away, the Rock Star pitcher put 3 strikes together on Alexis for the 2nd out of the inning. Then Janessa, who has been waiting for a big hit, finally got her wish and she hit one down the 1st base line into right field, bringing 2 runs in and putting Purple Lightning in the lead for the 1st time in the game. After getting to full count and staying alive on fouls, the pitcher eventually walked Allie and loaded the bases for Purple Lightning again. Tess was up next and, with a walk, brought in another run and kept the bases loaded. On Kelsey's next trip to the plate, she connected with a pitch and sent it straight toward the pitcher. The pitcher came forward to field the ball, but fell as she was coming up and Kelsey got to 1st and Janessa tagged home. Yazmine was next. With a count of 2 and 1, Kelsey took a long lead on the pitch. The Rock Star catcher, who was itching to throw someone out, finally bit and tried to get the ball to 1st. Allie, on 3rd, left for home, attempting the steal. Kelsey came back to 1st as the 1st baseman got the ball and quickly tried to get it back to the catcher. The catcher stepped off home plate to make the catch as Allie came barreling in. When the dust settled, the umpire made the call. SAFE! Allie scored on the steal, adding to Purple Lightning's increasing lead. Then, after full count and staying alive on fouls, the pitcher was able to get Yazmine to swing to strike her out and stop the Purple Lightning onslaught.
With a big offensive drive, Purple Lightning now had to put up a strong defense to keep control of the game. Kelsey came back for another turn at the rubber. She looked like she was struggling a bit as she walked the 1st 2 batters. Kelsey momentarily found her pitch and got a strikeout on the 3rd batter. The 4th batter came to the plate and, with the count at 2 and 1, she hit a hard grounder through the infield. Caitlin rushed in to make the stop and quickly threw it to Tess at 1st, who then ran it back in to hold the runners on the newly loaded bases and prevent the score. Still struggling, Kelsey walked the next batter and 1 Rock Star runner came home. Tess was brought in to finish off the 4th inning. Tess made quick work of the next batter and caught her swinging for the strikeout. The 7th batter wouldn't go down as easy as she decided to swing on the pitch. She connected and sent it high toward 1st base. Kelsey walked into position and made the catch for the 3rd out and closing down the 4th inning with Purple Lightning in the lead and time running short.
Purple Lightning 11 - Rock Stars 7
5th Inning
Coming into the 5th inning with a 4 point lead, Purple Lightning could possibly be on their way to a victory and a trip to the League Championships. All they needed to do was to play strong on both sides until the end of the game. The Rock Stars were gunning for victory too, but they had to stop the Purple Lightning offense first to make that happen. Leading off in the 5th, Gabby came to the plate. A walk on Gabby put Purple Lightning on base and Kelsey was brought in to pinch run. Hylah was up next. On a pass ball, Kelsey stole 2nd. Trying to repeat her big hit in the 4th, Hylah tried to make contact, but missed on 2 pitches. With the count at 1 and 2, the Rock Star pitcher pulled out the old change-up, getting Hylah to commit to the swing for the strikeout. Sara was up next. On a pass ball, Kelsey made it to 3rd and put herself into scoring position. With a full count, Sara took a swing, but missed for the 2nd strikeout. With the door closing on the Purple Lightning offense, Caitlin took the ball for a ride, sending it into center field. The Rock Star outfielder backpedaled and reached out her hand to make the catch and the final out of the inning.
Not having added to the score in the top of the inning, it was the Purple Lightning defense's turn. The Rock Stars knew that it was time to make their move if they were going to get past Purple Lightning. Kelsey came back in to pitch. Trying to get the ball in play, the 1st batter came to the plate. With strikes on the 1st 2 pitches, 3 balls brought the count to full. Kelsey needed to throw a perfect pitch to get the batter out of there. Kelsey focused on Hylah's glove, wound up, stepped forward and threw the ball. The batter swung the bat. Hylah caught the ball. Strike 3! 2 more outs and Purple Lightning gets the win. The crowd was silent as the next batter came to the plate. With the count at 2 and 2, Kelsey again had to throw a great pitch to get the batter to swing. She took a breath and set her feet on the rubber. She brought her hands together in preparation for the pitch. She cleared her head, stepped forward, brought her arm around in a big circle and released the ball. The batter saw her pitch. She loaded the bat, stepped forward, twisted her hips and released. The ball reached Hylah's glove. Strike 3! 1 more out and Purple Lightning advances to the championship game. With the door closing on the game, the Rock Stars needed an answer. The next batter came to the plate determined. She connected and sent the ball into foul territory. On the next pitch, she connected again. This time, it was a grounder that headed straight for Yazmine at 2nd base. Yazmine came in and got her glove in front of it, reeled it in, came up with it and made the throw to Tess at 1st, beating the runner to the bag and getting the last out of the game for the win. The Purple Lightning crowd went wild!
With the hard fought victory over the Rock Stars, Purple Lightning advances to the League Championship Game to face the CV Giants. Great work Purple Lightning!
Final Score
Purple Lightning 11 - Rock Stars 7
Game Ball
For hitting big and playing great defense, including a great game at the rubber - not to mention her great attitude and performance throughout the year - Kelsey received the game ball. Great job Kelsey!
1st Inning
Leading us off in the 1st, Janessa came to the plate. Getting an early taste of what the Rock Stars' pitcher could do, Janessa quickly found herself at 0 and 2. The pitcher lost her groove a little and got up to full count. On the next pitch, Janessa took the swing, but the pitcher got the ball by her, getting the 1st out of the game. Regaining her confidence, the Rock Star pitcher was able to get 3 over to strike Allie out. The door started to close on the 1st inning for Purple Lightning when a walk on Tess put Purple Lightning on base. Kelsey was up next and with a count of 1 and 1, she hit one high into right field. Tess took off running as the Rock Star right fielder moved in to get under the ball. As Kelsey approached 1st, the right fielder reached out her glove and caught the ball for the out, sending Purple Lightning back to the drawing board.
It was time for the Purple Lightning defense to answer the Rock Stars' challenge. Tess started Purple Lightning off at pitcher. A walk on the 1st batter put the Rock Stars on base. On a couple of pass balls, the runner stole her way over to 3rd. Starting off behind on the next batter, Tess battled back to get it to full count, but a ball on the next pitch put Rock Star runners on 1st and 3rd. Tess seemed to be having a difficult start. The runner on 1st stole 2nd on a pass ball on the next batter. When the count was at 2 and 2, the batter hit a hard grounder toward 2nd base. Yazmine came in to field the ball, but couldn't get a handle on it and the runner reached 1st as 1 run crossed home, putting the Rock Stars on the board. A walk on the next batter loaded the bases and walks on the next 2, brought 2 more Rock Star runners home. Kelsey was brought in to take over at pitcher. Getting warmed up, Kelsey walked the next batter, bringing another runner across the plate. It was starting to look like a long day for Purple Lightning. The next batter tried to continue the streak by switching it up with a bunt, but the Purple Lightning defense was ready. The ball went on a short bounce down the 1st base line and Tess charged in to field it. She reached out and tagged the runner as she was running by and quickly tossed it to Hylah at home to get the runner coming in from 3rd. With a count of 2 and 2, the next batter took a swing and connected. This time it bounced down the middle straight to Kelsey. Kelsey reeled it in and turned, throwing the ball to Tess at 1st to get the 3rd out, stopping the Rock Stars' 1st inning rush.
Purple Lightning 0 - Rock Stars 4
2nd Inning
Trailing by 4 in the 2nd inning, Purple Lightning knew that they had to put points on the board if they were going to stay in the game. Yazmine came to the plate. The Rock Star pitcher couldn't find the strike zone and a walk put Yazmine on base. Gabby was up next. On a pass ball, Yazmine quickly stole 2nd base. After getting to full count, Gabby walked and Kelsey was brought in to pinch run. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Hylah hit the ball down the 3rd base line. The 3rd baseman collected the ball and tagged the bag, getting the out on Yazmine. A walk on Sara loaded the bases. Catilin was up next. Momentarily, the pitcher got it together and managed to strike Caitlin out for the 2nd out of the inning. But she lost it again and walked Erin and Maia, bringing Kelsey and Hylah home, putting Purple Lightning on the board. Regaining her composure, the pitcher put 3 over the plate to get the strikeout on Alexis to retire the side.
After putting some points up in the 2nd, the Purple Lightning defense had some work to do, while the offense was starting to warm up. Kelsey came in to pitch in the 2nd. She started off strong by striking out the 1st Rock Star batter. The 2nd batter tried the bunt again. Tess charged in and picked up the ball. She turned and threw to Yazmine, but the ball hit the runner in the back of the arm and she made it on base. The question was raised about the runner being out of the base path, but the umpire ruled in the runner's favor and she was officially on base. The runner stole her way into scoring position on a couple of pass balls and a walk on the next batter put Rock Stars on 1st and 3rd. The 4th batter came to the plate and on the 1st pitch, the runner on 1st stole 2nd. Then the batter connected and sent a fast fly ball down the 1st base line. Tess moved in to make the catch. She jumped and reached out her glove, but the ball was just out of reach and it hit the ground in right field. Caitlin grabbed the ball and threw it back in, but the runner made it to 1st and a runner came home. Regaining her composure, Kelsey put 3 over to strike out the 5th Rock Star batter for the 2nd out of the inning. But walks on the next 2 batters loaded the bases and brought another Rock Star runner in. Getting back to work, Kelsey got the next batter to swing and got the strikeout, limiting the Rock Stars to 2 runs in the inning.
Purple Lightning 2 - Rock Stars 6
3rd Inning
Going shot for shot in the 2nd and needing to make something happen, Purple Lightning was back at the top of the lineup. Janessa came to the plate and, quickly, on 2 pitches found herself again with 2 strikes. On the next pitch, Janessa took a cut and, this time made contact. The ball went toward the 2nd baseman. The 2nd baseman made the catch for the 1st out. Allie was up next. With a full count, Allie got a hit and sent a fast grounder straight to the charging 3rd baseman. The 3rd baseman came up with the ball and gunned it to 1st to get the 2nd out on Allie. The Rock Star defense wasn't going to make it easy. On Tess's next turn at bat, she connected and sent a short fly ball again toward the 2nd baseman. The Rock Star defender reached out her glove and caught the ball for the 3rd out of the inning and it looked like the Rock Stars had our number and were on their way to certain victory.
Tess came in to pitch in the 3rd and Purple Lightning needed to respond with a strong defense. Giving it another shot in the 3rd, Tess started off behind in the count on the 1st batter. She battled back from a 2 and 0 count getting it to full, then making the batter swing for the strikeout. Tess got behind again on the 2nd batter with another 2 and 0 count, but this time caught the batter swinging to get another strikeout for the 2nd in the inning. Refusing to go down without a fight, with a count of 1 and 2, the next Rock Star batter went for the risky bunt. Fair ball! Janessa came in to field the ball. When she got up to throw, she found herself behind a couple of Purple Lightning infielders and took an extra fraction of a second to throw the ball through traffic to Yazmine, now covering 1st. Yazmine couldn't get a good eye on the ball and it bounced out of her glove, allowing the runner to get on base. Not wanting to lose her fire, Tess quickly got back to the rubber to face the 4th Rock Star batter. Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike 3! She made quick work of the batter and sent her back to the dugout, putting an exclamation point at the end of the inning.
Purple Lightning 2 - Rock Stars 6
4th Inning
Entering the 4th inning still trailing by 4 points and the clock ticking on the game, Purple Lightning knew that it was time to make a statement if they wanted to stay alive. Kelsey started Purple Lightning off with a big hit, deep into right field for a double. Yazmine was up next. On the 1st pitch, Kelsey stole 3rd and a walk on Yazmine put Purple Lightning runners on 1st and 3rd. A walk on Gabby loaded the bases and Tess was brought in to pinch run. Hylah was up next. With her bat coming alive in the last couple of games, she continued that streak with a big hit deep into left field for a double that sent the outfield running to get control of the ball. The outfield managed to get the ball back to the pitcher, but the damage was done as the hit brought 3 runs home and reduced the Rock Star lead to 1 point. The Purple Lightning crowd was roaring with excitement. Game on! This was the spark that Purple Lightning needed to come alive. A pass ball on Sara, sent Hylah on a successful steal to 3rd, then Sara hit a grounder toward the short stop. Not letting the earlier hit get to her, the short stop fielded the ball and quickly made the throw to 1st, getting the 1st out of the inning on Sara. Caitlin was up next and she also made contact. She sent the ball into left field and it hit the ground between 3 Rock Star defenders for a single, bringing Hylah home and tying up the game. Erin was up next and made contact with the ball for a single. The 1st pitch on Maia sent the runners on a successful steal and Purple Lightning was again in scoring position and a walk on Maia reloaded the bases. Not wanting to let the game get away, the Rock Star pitcher put 3 strikes together on Alexis for the 2nd out of the inning. Then Janessa, who has been waiting for a big hit, finally got her wish and she hit one down the 1st base line into right field, bringing 2 runs in and putting Purple Lightning in the lead for the 1st time in the game. After getting to full count and staying alive on fouls, the pitcher eventually walked Allie and loaded the bases for Purple Lightning again. Tess was up next and, with a walk, brought in another run and kept the bases loaded. On Kelsey's next trip to the plate, she connected with a pitch and sent it straight toward the pitcher. The pitcher came forward to field the ball, but fell as she was coming up and Kelsey got to 1st and Janessa tagged home. Yazmine was next. With a count of 2 and 1, Kelsey took a long lead on the pitch. The Rock Star catcher, who was itching to throw someone out, finally bit and tried to get the ball to 1st. Allie, on 3rd, left for home, attempting the steal. Kelsey came back to 1st as the 1st baseman got the ball and quickly tried to get it back to the catcher. The catcher stepped off home plate to make the catch as Allie came barreling in. When the dust settled, the umpire made the call. SAFE! Allie scored on the steal, adding to Purple Lightning's increasing lead. Then, after full count and staying alive on fouls, the pitcher was able to get Yazmine to swing to strike her out and stop the Purple Lightning onslaught.
With a big offensive drive, Purple Lightning now had to put up a strong defense to keep control of the game. Kelsey came back for another turn at the rubber. She looked like she was struggling a bit as she walked the 1st 2 batters. Kelsey momentarily found her pitch and got a strikeout on the 3rd batter. The 4th batter came to the plate and, with the count at 2 and 1, she hit a hard grounder through the infield. Caitlin rushed in to make the stop and quickly threw it to Tess at 1st, who then ran it back in to hold the runners on the newly loaded bases and prevent the score. Still struggling, Kelsey walked the next batter and 1 Rock Star runner came home. Tess was brought in to finish off the 4th inning. Tess made quick work of the next batter and caught her swinging for the strikeout. The 7th batter wouldn't go down as easy as she decided to swing on the pitch. She connected and sent it high toward 1st base. Kelsey walked into position and made the catch for the 3rd out and closing down the 4th inning with Purple Lightning in the lead and time running short.
Purple Lightning 11 - Rock Stars 7
5th Inning
Coming into the 5th inning with a 4 point lead, Purple Lightning could possibly be on their way to a victory and a trip to the League Championships. All they needed to do was to play strong on both sides until the end of the game. The Rock Stars were gunning for victory too, but they had to stop the Purple Lightning offense first to make that happen. Leading off in the 5th, Gabby came to the plate. A walk on Gabby put Purple Lightning on base and Kelsey was brought in to pinch run. Hylah was up next. On a pass ball, Kelsey stole 2nd. Trying to repeat her big hit in the 4th, Hylah tried to make contact, but missed on 2 pitches. With the count at 1 and 2, the Rock Star pitcher pulled out the old change-up, getting Hylah to commit to the swing for the strikeout. Sara was up next. On a pass ball, Kelsey made it to 3rd and put herself into scoring position. With a full count, Sara took a swing, but missed for the 2nd strikeout. With the door closing on the Purple Lightning offense, Caitlin took the ball for a ride, sending it into center field. The Rock Star outfielder backpedaled and reached out her hand to make the catch and the final out of the inning.
Not having added to the score in the top of the inning, it was the Purple Lightning defense's turn. The Rock Stars knew that it was time to make their move if they were going to get past Purple Lightning. Kelsey came back in to pitch. Trying to get the ball in play, the 1st batter came to the plate. With strikes on the 1st 2 pitches, 3 balls brought the count to full. Kelsey needed to throw a perfect pitch to get the batter out of there. Kelsey focused on Hylah's glove, wound up, stepped forward and threw the ball. The batter swung the bat. Hylah caught the ball. Strike 3! 2 more outs and Purple Lightning gets the win. The crowd was silent as the next batter came to the plate. With the count at 2 and 2, Kelsey again had to throw a great pitch to get the batter to swing. She took a breath and set her feet on the rubber. She brought her hands together in preparation for the pitch. She cleared her head, stepped forward, brought her arm around in a big circle and released the ball. The batter saw her pitch. She loaded the bat, stepped forward, twisted her hips and released. The ball reached Hylah's glove. Strike 3! 1 more out and Purple Lightning advances to the championship game. With the door closing on the game, the Rock Stars needed an answer. The next batter came to the plate determined. She connected and sent the ball into foul territory. On the next pitch, she connected again. This time, it was a grounder that headed straight for Yazmine at 2nd base. Yazmine came in and got her glove in front of it, reeled it in, came up with it and made the throw to Tess at 1st, beating the runner to the bag and getting the last out of the game for the win. The Purple Lightning crowd went wild!
With the hard fought victory over the Rock Stars, Purple Lightning advances to the League Championship Game to face the CV Giants. Great work Purple Lightning!
Final Score
Purple Lightning 11 - Rock Stars 7
Game Ball
For hitting big and playing great defense, including a great game at the rubber - not to mention her great attitude and performance throughout the year - Kelsey received the game ball. Great job Kelsey!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Tournament of Champions - Round 1 - May 30 - vs. Soul Sisters
Let me take this time to clear up the end of season standings. After beating the CV Giants in our final meeting, Purple Lightning tied for 1st place with both teams still scheduled for 1 remaining game in the season. Our next game was against the 3rd place team, the Rock Stars. Purple Lightning lost that game and slid back into a tie at 2nd with the Rock Stars. The CV Giants won their final game and locked up the 1st place spot, leaving a tie-breaker at 2nd. Since Purple Lightning and the Rock Stars split their regular season games, the next tie breaker was decided by comparing the Runs Allowed for both teams. Rock Stars had less RA, so they moved into 2nd, putting Purple Lightning into the 3rd spot. Them's the breaks, right?
So, on Saturday, Purple Lightning was set to play the Soul Sisters in the 1st round of the TOCs. The Rock Stars and the Chili Peppers played the 1st game of the day and the Rock Stars came out on top, advancing them to the 2nd round. Purple Lightning welcomed back Gabby after a long injury layoff. She was still favoring the ankle, but was well enough to swing a bat and rejoin her team to end the season. However, since Alexis couldn't make the game and Tess was playing a tournament elsewhere, Purple Lightning was down 2 players. The Soul Sisters had girls playing in the same tournament and, for a moment, it was questionable as to them being able to field a team, but a last minute arrival gave the Soul Sisters the league minimum of 8 girls. A coin toss determined that the Soul Sisters would bat first. Now it was time to see if Purple Lightning could get past the Soul Sisters to meet the Rock Stars in the 2nd round.
1st Inning
With Tess out today, Kelsey started Purple Lightning off at the rubber. The 1st batter came to the plate. Finding her rhythm early, Kelsey quickly struck out the 1st batter. However, a walk on the next batter, put a Soul Sister runner on base. Missing so many players in this game, the Soul Sisters knew that they had to put up an offense to get the game going. Coming out aggressively, the 3rd batter connected, but the ball went high toward 3rd base and Janessa moved in to make the catch for the 2nd out. The next batter was up. Sensing the opportunity fade, she also came out swinging and hit the ball. This time it was a grounder down the middle that Kelsey was able to grab. Coming up and turning, Kelsey made the throw to Gabby, who was back at 1st base, for the 3rd out, holding the Soul Sisters scoreless in the 1st inning.
Janessa started us off on offense. Immediately, the Soul Sisters' pitcher began to struggle. 2 and 0, then 3 and 0, then a walk put Janessa on base. Next up was Allie. On a drop ball, Janessa stole 2nd and a walk put Allie on base. Kelsey came to the plate next. Swinging hard, Kelsey connected and sent the runners. The ball hugged the 3rd base line into the 3rd baseman's glove, who easily got the tag on the base to get Janessa out. Then, she threw to 1st to attempt the double play, but the ball went wide and Allie was able to turn the corner and reach home and Kelsey made it to 2nd. Yazmine came to the plate next and showed bunt. As the pitch came in, Kelsey went to steal 3rd. the catcher tried to throw her down, but overthrew and Kelsey was able to come home. Then, Yazmine connected and sent the ball bouncing into the pitcher's glove. She turned and threw Yazmine out at 1st, notching the 2nd out in the inning. Hylah came up next and after working to full count, she hit a hard grounder down the middle into the outfield for a single. Gabby came to the plate next, swinging the bat for the first time since her injury. She made the best of it as she sent a high fly ball toward 3rd base. The 3rd baseman dropped the ball and Gabby made it to 1st - Yazmine was then brought in to pinch run for Gabby. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Sara hit one through the infield for a single, but Hylah was able to make it all the way home. A walk on Caitlin loaded the bases. Erin was up next and after connecting on the 1st 2 pitches with foul balls, connected on the 3rd. Unfortunately, it went high and the short stop was able to make the catch to close out the 1st inning.
Soul Sisters 0 - Purple Lightning 3
2nd Inning
Kelsey came back in to pitch in the 2nd. Trying to keep the streak going, Kelsey worked hard, but got to full count on the 1st batter. She missed on the next pitch, sending the batter to 1st on a walk. On the 2nd batter, Kelsey started off the same way, but she dug in to get ahead in the count until she got the batter to swing on the pitch to strike her out. A pass ball on the last pitch sent the runner on 1st over to 2nd on a successful steal. Needing to put the Soul Sisters on the board, the next batter connected on a pitch, but sent it straight back to Kelsey. On the fly, Kelsey got her glove on it for the 2nd out of the inning. When the next batter came to the plate, the runner tried to put herself into scoring position by attempting the steal to 3rd, but Hylah quickly got up with the ball and made the runner think twice about it. Kelsey got back to work and got 3 over and caught the batter swinging to get the 3rd out of the inning.
Maia came in to start us off in the 2nd. The Soul Sister pitcher continued to struggle and a walk on Maia put a Purple Lightning runner on 1st base. Janessa was up next and after getting to full count, the pitcher was able to get her to swing, striking her out. Allie came to the plate. She connected on a pitch and sent it high toward 2nd base. The 2nd baseman came over for the catch, but dropped it and Allie made it to 1st. Kelsey was up next. A pass ball sent the runners on a steal and again, the catcher tried to make the throw to 3rd. Again, she overthrew and Maia made it home and Allie got to 3rd. At ball 4, Kelsey took 1st base, putting Purple Lightning runners on 1st and 3rd. A walk on Yazmine loaded the bases. On her next trip to the plate, Hylah hit another hard grounder through the infield into left field for a double, bringing Allie and Kelsey across the plate. Then, things started to go south for the Soul Sisters. A walk on Gabby loaded the bases again and Janessa was brought in to pinch run. A walk on Sara, brought Yazmine across and forced the Soul Sisters to change pitchers. The pitching change didn't do much as walks on Caitlin and Erin brought in Hylah and Janessa. With the bases loaded and 1 out, the Infield Fly rule was in effect. On Maia's next at bat, she hit a fly ball and the runners took off, but Maia was automatically out. The short stop made the catch, then quickly threw to 3rd to catch Sara off base, getting the double play and ending the Purple Lightning rush in the 2nd.
Soul Sisters 0 - Purple Lightning 9
3rd Inning
Pitching again in the 3rd, Kelsey started off with a walk on the 1st batter. The next batter was able to get a piece of the ball and sent it to Allie at short. Allie picked up the ball as the runner approached 2nd so she decided to make the throw to Gabby at 1st. Gabby gingerly got herself into position, but the throw went a little low. Gabby had to stretch it out to make the catch, but she got the out for the added effort. Trying to mount an offense, the next Soul Sister batter hit the ball hard down the middle. On the bounce, Kelsey reeled it in and turned to make the throw to Gabby. Again, Gabby received the ball for the 2nd out. Trailing by 9 points, the Soul Sisters continued to swing agressively. The next batter hit a hard grounder down the right side of the field. Yazmine made her move, but couldn't get the glove down in time. Caitlin came wheeling in on the backup and was able to pick the ball up and get it back to the infield, but the 1st runner was able to cross the plate, ending the Soul Sister's drought. A pass ball on the 5th batter allowed the runner on base to steal 3rd. Then a walk on the batter put Soul Sister runners on 1st and 3rd. A dropped ball on the 6th batter allowed the runner to steal 3rd and put the Soul Sisters into scoring position. But with a count of 2 and 2, Kelsey got the batter to swing, getting the strike out and shutting the door on the 3rd inning.
Back at the top of the lineup, Janessa came to the plate and with a count of 1 and 1 hit a hard grounder through the 2nd baseman's legs for a single. Allie was up next. On the 1st pitch, Janessa stole 2nd and on a pass ball, she made it to 3rd. A walk on Allie, put Purple Lightning on 1st and 3rd. Kelsey was up next. Again, on the 1st pitch, Allie stole 2nd and Purple Lightning was in position to score. The Soul Sisters' pitcher began to struggle again and walks on Kelsey and Yazmine brought Janessa home and loaded the bases. On Hylah's next trip up, she hit a line drive that nearly took the pitcher's head off for a single. As the Soul Sisters tried to get to the ball and stop the play, Allie and Kelsey scored and Yazmine moved to 3rd. Shaken up, the pitcher walked Gabby to load the bases once again - Maia was brought in to pinch run. Then, walks on Sara, Caitlin and Erin, brought 3 more Purple Lightning runners across. Maia got hit by a pitch on her next turn, bringing Sara home. With the bases loaded and no outs, it was back to the top of the lineup. This time around, the Purple Lightning bats came alive. Janessa was caught swinging for 2 strikes, but then connected. The ball bounced down the 1st base line and the Soul Sister 1st baseman was able to make the grab and tag the base for the 1st out of the inning. Caitlin reached home on the play. On her 2nd trip to the plate, Allie hit one that bounced back to the pitcher. The pitcher turned and threw to 1st, but the 1st baseman wasn't in position on the bag and Allie was safe. Erin scored. With runners on 1st and 3rd. Kelsey got a piece of the ball too and sent one through the infield that went deep into the grass for a double, bringing Maia and Allie home. A pass ball on Yazmine sent Kelsey to 3rd on a steal. Then, a walk put runners on 1st and 3rd. The 1st pitch on Hylah launched Yazmine like a rocket on a steal to 2nd and after 2 swinging strikes, Hylah crushed it into the outfield for a double, brining Kelsey and Yazmine home. A walk on Gabby moved the runners to 1st and 2nd and Janessa was brought in to pinch run. Sara was up next and connected, sending a grounder back toward the pitcher. The pitcher missed the grab and Sara made it to 1st and loaded the bases. Watching the game get away, the pitcher struggled again and walks on Caitlin and Erin brought 2 more home. Maia was up next and on the pitch, Sara left her base early, drawing the 2nd out. Then, Maia connected and sent the ball toward the 3rd baseman. On the fly, the 3rd baseman made the catch for the 3rd out.
Soul Sisters 1 - Purple Lightning 24
4th Inning
Trailing by 23 in the 4th inning and time running out, the Soul Sisters' next offensive turn seemed purely academic. Allie was brought in (finally) to pitch for the 1st time this season. Naturally, it took a moment for Allie to clear her nerves. She walked the 1st batter and put the Soul Sisters on base. On a pass ball, the runner stole 2nd, but Allie quickly got it together and got the strikeout on the next batter. 2 more outs and Purple Lightning advance to the 2nd round. The 3rd batter came to the plate and gamely swung the bat. She connected and sent a high fly ball toward 2nd base. Yazmine made the adjustment and got herself under it to make the catch and get the 2nd out. 1 out to go. Allie worked up to full count on the next batter and on the next pitch, the batter connected sending a grounder past Kelsey, but Sara, on the backup was able to make the stop and bring the ball back in to stop the runners on 1st and 3rd. The next Soul Sisters batter got a big hit out into right field. Caitlin made her move. Running in to meet the ball, Caitlin stretched her hand out, but realized that she still had some ground to cover. Caitlin turned on the after burners to close the remaining distance, she leaned in, reached out her glove and at the last second, flipped it over to make the grab just before the ball hit the ground. She stood up with the ball in her glove and that's all she wrote. Caitlin made the catch for the 3rd out, closing the game. Purple Lightning advance to the 2nd round.
Final Score
Soul Sisters 1 - Purple Lightning 24
Game Ball
With her bat coming alive in this game, Hylah made some great hits to bring a load of Purple Lightning runners across the plate in the game and almost knocked the pitcher's head off. For the great batting performance to help her team into the 2nd round, Hylah received the game ball. Great job Hylah!
So, on Saturday, Purple Lightning was set to play the Soul Sisters in the 1st round of the TOCs. The Rock Stars and the Chili Peppers played the 1st game of the day and the Rock Stars came out on top, advancing them to the 2nd round. Purple Lightning welcomed back Gabby after a long injury layoff. She was still favoring the ankle, but was well enough to swing a bat and rejoin her team to end the season. However, since Alexis couldn't make the game and Tess was playing a tournament elsewhere, Purple Lightning was down 2 players. The Soul Sisters had girls playing in the same tournament and, for a moment, it was questionable as to them being able to field a team, but a last minute arrival gave the Soul Sisters the league minimum of 8 girls. A coin toss determined that the Soul Sisters would bat first. Now it was time to see if Purple Lightning could get past the Soul Sisters to meet the Rock Stars in the 2nd round.
1st Inning
With Tess out today, Kelsey started Purple Lightning off at the rubber. The 1st batter came to the plate. Finding her rhythm early, Kelsey quickly struck out the 1st batter. However, a walk on the next batter, put a Soul Sister runner on base. Missing so many players in this game, the Soul Sisters knew that they had to put up an offense to get the game going. Coming out aggressively, the 3rd batter connected, but the ball went high toward 3rd base and Janessa moved in to make the catch for the 2nd out. The next batter was up. Sensing the opportunity fade, she also came out swinging and hit the ball. This time it was a grounder down the middle that Kelsey was able to grab. Coming up and turning, Kelsey made the throw to Gabby, who was back at 1st base, for the 3rd out, holding the Soul Sisters scoreless in the 1st inning.
Janessa started us off on offense. Immediately, the Soul Sisters' pitcher began to struggle. 2 and 0, then 3 and 0, then a walk put Janessa on base. Next up was Allie. On a drop ball, Janessa stole 2nd and a walk put Allie on base. Kelsey came to the plate next. Swinging hard, Kelsey connected and sent the runners. The ball hugged the 3rd base line into the 3rd baseman's glove, who easily got the tag on the base to get Janessa out. Then, she threw to 1st to attempt the double play, but the ball went wide and Allie was able to turn the corner and reach home and Kelsey made it to 2nd. Yazmine came to the plate next and showed bunt. As the pitch came in, Kelsey went to steal 3rd. the catcher tried to throw her down, but overthrew and Kelsey was able to come home. Then, Yazmine connected and sent the ball bouncing into the pitcher's glove. She turned and threw Yazmine out at 1st, notching the 2nd out in the inning. Hylah came up next and after working to full count, she hit a hard grounder down the middle into the outfield for a single. Gabby came to the plate next, swinging the bat for the first time since her injury. She made the best of it as she sent a high fly ball toward 3rd base. The 3rd baseman dropped the ball and Gabby made it to 1st - Yazmine was then brought in to pinch run for Gabby. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Sara hit one through the infield for a single, but Hylah was able to make it all the way home. A walk on Caitlin loaded the bases. Erin was up next and after connecting on the 1st 2 pitches with foul balls, connected on the 3rd. Unfortunately, it went high and the short stop was able to make the catch to close out the 1st inning.
Soul Sisters 0 - Purple Lightning 3
2nd Inning
Kelsey came back in to pitch in the 2nd. Trying to keep the streak going, Kelsey worked hard, but got to full count on the 1st batter. She missed on the next pitch, sending the batter to 1st on a walk. On the 2nd batter, Kelsey started off the same way, but she dug in to get ahead in the count until she got the batter to swing on the pitch to strike her out. A pass ball on the last pitch sent the runner on 1st over to 2nd on a successful steal. Needing to put the Soul Sisters on the board, the next batter connected on a pitch, but sent it straight back to Kelsey. On the fly, Kelsey got her glove on it for the 2nd out of the inning. When the next batter came to the plate, the runner tried to put herself into scoring position by attempting the steal to 3rd, but Hylah quickly got up with the ball and made the runner think twice about it. Kelsey got back to work and got 3 over and caught the batter swinging to get the 3rd out of the inning.
Maia came in to start us off in the 2nd. The Soul Sister pitcher continued to struggle and a walk on Maia put a Purple Lightning runner on 1st base. Janessa was up next and after getting to full count, the pitcher was able to get her to swing, striking her out. Allie came to the plate. She connected on a pitch and sent it high toward 2nd base. The 2nd baseman came over for the catch, but dropped it and Allie made it to 1st. Kelsey was up next. A pass ball sent the runners on a steal and again, the catcher tried to make the throw to 3rd. Again, she overthrew and Maia made it home and Allie got to 3rd. At ball 4, Kelsey took 1st base, putting Purple Lightning runners on 1st and 3rd. A walk on Yazmine loaded the bases. On her next trip to the plate, Hylah hit another hard grounder through the infield into left field for a double, bringing Allie and Kelsey across the plate. Then, things started to go south for the Soul Sisters. A walk on Gabby loaded the bases again and Janessa was brought in to pinch run. A walk on Sara, brought Yazmine across and forced the Soul Sisters to change pitchers. The pitching change didn't do much as walks on Caitlin and Erin brought in Hylah and Janessa. With the bases loaded and 1 out, the Infield Fly rule was in effect. On Maia's next at bat, she hit a fly ball and the runners took off, but Maia was automatically out. The short stop made the catch, then quickly threw to 3rd to catch Sara off base, getting the double play and ending the Purple Lightning rush in the 2nd.
Soul Sisters 0 - Purple Lightning 9
3rd Inning
Pitching again in the 3rd, Kelsey started off with a walk on the 1st batter. The next batter was able to get a piece of the ball and sent it to Allie at short. Allie picked up the ball as the runner approached 2nd so she decided to make the throw to Gabby at 1st. Gabby gingerly got herself into position, but the throw went a little low. Gabby had to stretch it out to make the catch, but she got the out for the added effort. Trying to mount an offense, the next Soul Sister batter hit the ball hard down the middle. On the bounce, Kelsey reeled it in and turned to make the throw to Gabby. Again, Gabby received the ball for the 2nd out. Trailing by 9 points, the Soul Sisters continued to swing agressively. The next batter hit a hard grounder down the right side of the field. Yazmine made her move, but couldn't get the glove down in time. Caitlin came wheeling in on the backup and was able to pick the ball up and get it back to the infield, but the 1st runner was able to cross the plate, ending the Soul Sister's drought. A pass ball on the 5th batter allowed the runner on base to steal 3rd. Then a walk on the batter put Soul Sister runners on 1st and 3rd. A dropped ball on the 6th batter allowed the runner to steal 3rd and put the Soul Sisters into scoring position. But with a count of 2 and 2, Kelsey got the batter to swing, getting the strike out and shutting the door on the 3rd inning.
Back at the top of the lineup, Janessa came to the plate and with a count of 1 and 1 hit a hard grounder through the 2nd baseman's legs for a single. Allie was up next. On the 1st pitch, Janessa stole 2nd and on a pass ball, she made it to 3rd. A walk on Allie, put Purple Lightning on 1st and 3rd. Kelsey was up next. Again, on the 1st pitch, Allie stole 2nd and Purple Lightning was in position to score. The Soul Sisters' pitcher began to struggle again and walks on Kelsey and Yazmine brought Janessa home and loaded the bases. On Hylah's next trip up, she hit a line drive that nearly took the pitcher's head off for a single. As the Soul Sisters tried to get to the ball and stop the play, Allie and Kelsey scored and Yazmine moved to 3rd. Shaken up, the pitcher walked Gabby to load the bases once again - Maia was brought in to pinch run. Then, walks on Sara, Caitlin and Erin, brought 3 more Purple Lightning runners across. Maia got hit by a pitch on her next turn, bringing Sara home. With the bases loaded and no outs, it was back to the top of the lineup. This time around, the Purple Lightning bats came alive. Janessa was caught swinging for 2 strikes, but then connected. The ball bounced down the 1st base line and the Soul Sister 1st baseman was able to make the grab and tag the base for the 1st out of the inning. Caitlin reached home on the play. On her 2nd trip to the plate, Allie hit one that bounced back to the pitcher. The pitcher turned and threw to 1st, but the 1st baseman wasn't in position on the bag and Allie was safe. Erin scored. With runners on 1st and 3rd. Kelsey got a piece of the ball too and sent one through the infield that went deep into the grass for a double, bringing Maia and Allie home. A pass ball on Yazmine sent Kelsey to 3rd on a steal. Then, a walk put runners on 1st and 3rd. The 1st pitch on Hylah launched Yazmine like a rocket on a steal to 2nd and after 2 swinging strikes, Hylah crushed it into the outfield for a double, brining Kelsey and Yazmine home. A walk on Gabby moved the runners to 1st and 2nd and Janessa was brought in to pinch run. Sara was up next and connected, sending a grounder back toward the pitcher. The pitcher missed the grab and Sara made it to 1st and loaded the bases. Watching the game get away, the pitcher struggled again and walks on Caitlin and Erin brought 2 more home. Maia was up next and on the pitch, Sara left her base early, drawing the 2nd out. Then, Maia connected and sent the ball toward the 3rd baseman. On the fly, the 3rd baseman made the catch for the 3rd out.
Soul Sisters 1 - Purple Lightning 24
4th Inning
Trailing by 23 in the 4th inning and time running out, the Soul Sisters' next offensive turn seemed purely academic. Allie was brought in (finally) to pitch for the 1st time this season. Naturally, it took a moment for Allie to clear her nerves. She walked the 1st batter and put the Soul Sisters on base. On a pass ball, the runner stole 2nd, but Allie quickly got it together and got the strikeout on the next batter. 2 more outs and Purple Lightning advance to the 2nd round. The 3rd batter came to the plate and gamely swung the bat. She connected and sent a high fly ball toward 2nd base. Yazmine made the adjustment and got herself under it to make the catch and get the 2nd out. 1 out to go. Allie worked up to full count on the next batter and on the next pitch, the batter connected sending a grounder past Kelsey, but Sara, on the backup was able to make the stop and bring the ball back in to stop the runners on 1st and 3rd. The next Soul Sisters batter got a big hit out into right field. Caitlin made her move. Running in to meet the ball, Caitlin stretched her hand out, but realized that she still had some ground to cover. Caitlin turned on the after burners to close the remaining distance, she leaned in, reached out her glove and at the last second, flipped it over to make the grab just before the ball hit the ground. She stood up with the ball in her glove and that's all she wrote. Caitlin made the catch for the 3rd out, closing the game. Purple Lightning advance to the 2nd round.
Final Score
Soul Sisters 1 - Purple Lightning 24
Game Ball
With her bat coming alive in this game, Hylah made some great hits to bring a load of Purple Lightning runners across the plate in the game and almost knocked the pitcher's head off. For the great batting performance to help her team into the 2nd round, Hylah received the game ball. Great job Hylah!
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