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!
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