New People, New Place...Same Feeling.

I grew up playing Miss Sarasota Softball. For about 9 years of my life, Saturdays were filled with one, two sometimes three games for my parents and grandparents to watch. I played pitcher for a season or two (hey, my sister was a pitcher so of course, I had to follow in her footsteps). I found my calling at catcher...rather my true love being behind the plate. I was in every play, I got to call what pitches our pitchers actually knew how to throw, chat with the umpire and mess with the batters. It was perfect for me. I retired from fast pitch softball at the ripe ole' age of 14. I was all set to play softball in high school, but head coach for varsity gave me an ultimatum soccer or softball. It was an easy decision, you give me an ultimatum (9 times out of 10, you will lose). I choose soccer without even giving it much thought.

About a week after I quit fast pitch softball, my sister asked me to join the slow pitch softball team. Score! Back on the diamond for nothing but fun. No competition, well extremely little competition. We were a decent team, played once a week and never practiced. It was an ideal transition from fast pitch as a youth to softball as an adult. Over the last 8 years, I have played on a few softball teams, mostly co-ed...but 1 all women's team (I will never do that again). Some of which we were pretty good, others well we had a good time, and some the competition was intense.

Since moving out west, I have had to make all new friends and find a new softball team. I was lucky to find a softball team that everyone's heart is in the right place, but my god we are absolutely awful! As terrible as we are, there is good news to report...they have introduced me to a league of talent. During one of our games, I was recruited, (I must admit it feels pretty good to be the only players on an entire team to be recruited), to play for a team that only plays in Saturday tournaments. They travel all around the front range and play and as shocking as it is, the team is actually very very good! The girls throw harder than the guys and they hit their target in the numbers. No longer, am I the only girl that slides (that is a bummer, I always liked that to be my claim to fame).

Yesterday, was the first time I was able to play with this team. First game was at 9 am. I show up and a girl asks me to warm up (I try not to judge athleticism by appearance but sometimes I can't help it, this girl looked like she would have been better off being the water girl), I tell her sure I am all game to throw. First throw about 10 yards apart, rocket right to the chest. I was lucky to get my glove on it. We warmed up for a little bit and I began to look around, all the females throw that way, most with better accuracy and harder then the males on the team. I have my typical gator gear on, and she makes a wise crack about the gators. I kind of look at her funny, it just so happens that the team I was playing on were all Florida State fans. Even our jersey's had a Florida State logo. There were two girls on the team from Ohio State, so that was a good chuckle, but what are the chances that I find a team that are Florida State fans. I was just happy that I finally I found a team, where all the girls can actually play, I guess I'll just have to get over playing with Florida State!

Time for the game. Coach asks me what positions I can I play, since I will be the relief pitcher. I respond with the usual, I can play anywhere, I am a true utility player, although, I prefer to keep my teeth so I'd like to stay away from third base. He just laughs, and says left center it is. I love the outfield, so I am pretty happy. I play four innings out in left center, sit one inning (the only inning I sat all day), and then to the pitchers mound for the last inning. I went 3-4 with 2 RBI's in the first game. I slid into third base in the 3 inning and sliced open my knee pretty good, but I poured some water on it and kept playing...a little blood never stopped me. We ended up losing 14-12. Bummer, we are now in the losers bracket of a double elimination tournament. We get an hour break before our next game. I run to the drug store, got some supplies to bandage up my bum knee and head back to the field.

Next game we demolish the team. My bat was on fire. I went 4-4 with two stand up triples. The first at bat I hit a line drive that dropped in over the short stop, it was a base hit, but nothing spectacular. The second at bat I hit a line drive in the gap between left and left center, for a triple. Next at bat, I hit I notice that entire outfield had shifted to the left (assuming I was a pull hitter), perfect. I wait for my outside pitch and go for a line drive down the right field line. Stand up triple that easily could have been a home run. We were already up by 11 runs and the 12th run would have called the game, so I stopped on third. Luckily the other team came back with a few runs, so we actually got to play a full game (time wise anyways). Next at bat line drive up the middle. It was as if I could do no wrong. We went on to win that game 21-10.

To make a long story longer, after our initial loss, we won the next four to make it to the finals. One little snag, we were playing against the team that beat us in the first game, so we had to beat them twice to win the tournament. We beat them the first game of the finals, 11-4 but lost the second game 5-3. Our team was literally exhausted. Since we were in the losers bracket, we only had the one break after the first game. I don't think I have played that much softball in any one day in my entire life. I had a great time, but I am paying the price today. My leg is all torn up, and my arms hurt to lift...not to mention the nice sun burn I have on my arms and legs.

I pitched a total of 8 innings, not really sure why I pitched at all, but it did give our pitcher a chance to rest in each game. I struck out three batters, one watching and two swinging. Combined for the day I went 19-22 at bat with a total of 11 RBI's. I was on fire! After the tournament, I was asked to join their Saturday team on a regular basis and their Tuesday night summer league. It felt pretty good, to be invited.