Batter Up!

I won't post about all the boys' games, but this one was pretty unique. First of all, they've had six scheduled games this season--two were rained out, two we missed for church and travel, and two they played in, last night being their third. The team they played beat our team (in a game we missed) like 27 to 3 . . . and they played them back-to-back! Well, our game was the late game at 8 PM--crazy on a school night, right? Games are scheduled for 1 hour and 50 minutes, so (given the fact that Buck slept for three hours the night before, went to work at midnight, returned home after two, and then went to a doctor's appointment at three, followed by art from six to seven) I suggested Buck stay home and sleep (he had to be back at work by 4 a.m.) and keep the girls at home too. 

Good thing he did! There was an accident on the road leading to the ball park complex, so none of the umpires arrived to the games before ours on time. Because those games began more than a half hour late, they delayed our starting time to 8:45 PM! Are you doing the math? That's a VERY late night for 10 to 12 year olds.

However, the boys got some extended warm up time; the moms got some extended visiting time, and things got rolling as the wind picked up and the temperatures dropped. Only one kid's mom thought to put him in long sleeves under his jersey--that one mom was not me :) The boys said afterwards they stayed plenty warm, but I cringed every time I shivered in my collapsible stadium chair.

Perhaps due to their long session playing catch, the boys came out strong and fielded really well! Our boys were toward the bottom of the batting order (starting out at center and left field). Graysen cracked a double (his first official hit of the season complete with celebratory dance on base) and then Brennen cracked a double (his first official hit too!) B's double pushed Graysen home, and he stretched out on his stomach fingertips on home plate (there was a catcher in the way who may or may not have left a bruise via his head on G$'s hip). Graysen was called out by the umpire, but Brennen snuck his way to third. The next kid struck out, and B didn't get to score his run.

Fast forward . . . Graysen gets walked, Brennen gets a nice hit! They steal their way to second and third. Their team is only one run ahead with the final inning coming up. Remember--this team smoked their teammates the last game! The catcher tried to throw Graysen out at third, but the third baseman missed the ball. Line coach sent Graysen home for a stand up score! 10:03 PM

10:04 PM Brennen is on third 
and sees the catcher miss the pitch. Brennen goes flying home after his brother and scores his first run of the season--also a stand up!



Both boys got a little dirt on their pants and some grass stains to boot. We didn't finish until 10:45 PM (although we moms may have joked with the umpire that lighting flashes might have been spotted overhead--about the only reason they'll call a little league game these days, of course we made sure we were winning first lol ;)

No one else was at the ball fields, so we walked with a group of other players and families back to our van in the otherwise deserted parking lot. The boys relived their game highlights--including a sweet out at first by Brennen, and a really well fielded stop by Graysen in left. Their pitcher caught a ball off the batter while he was standing still, and that revved up the boys as well!

We pulled into the garage at eleven o'clock. I made up some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while the boys grabbed pjs and hit the showers. The girls had cleaned up the boys' room, made their beds, and that made it SO much easier for us all to get some much-needed sleep!

It was late, but it was unique and fun. I felt like a real sports mom making sandwiches for my athletes as midnight approached. Now do I want to do this every game? (Next Monday and Tuesday are also scheduled for 8 PM!) Ummm, no. But this time was fun, and several of the other moms started talking about how they need to take their kids to church--they just happened to be talking about the little church that Buck and I have been attending. We're praying that they do come and feel comfortable already knowing people there. That would be incredibly rad and totally an extra perk to a late night game!