Brittany was the Danes 18's Third Pitcher in 2003 and is a Class of 2004 from Duluth East High School. She was in her first full year with the Danes in 2003 but had filled in with us a few times in previous years.
In our program, the third pitcher is often the workhorse pitcher and the 2nd starter in the rotation. Brit was a question mark as we headed down south as this was her first experience agianst the non-regional competition and we knew she'd need to pitch well for us to be successful.
Here is her diary, unedited...
Raleigh, North Carolina
Brittany Nelson #8
Friday, July 25
I started my trip to nationals on Friday by driving from Duluth to Brooklyn Park where I planned to meet the rest of the Winne crew. I left at 1 and arrived at Mallory's by 2. There I was met by Watts, Taylor, and the Barsnesses. We started our journey in the "Minne Winne" at three. We then rolled along and picked up Katie in Eau Claire, and then later Jilly J and Jackie in Black River Falls (BRF). With the Winne crew set for the night, we drove to Woodstock, IL to stay at Kirsten's apartment. There we all relaxed and got ready for the day ahead of us.
Saturday, July 26
After waking up around 8:30, Mal and I pitched a morning workout. Tim caught for me and says he will never will again after he got a changeup in the chest. After pitching, Tim made everyone a delicious breakfast that I am sure tasted great. At noon our last two passengers, Malek and Casey,joined us. After barely fitting all of our luggage in the Minne Winne, we set out for NC. The day of traveling went by very smoothly as Mallory taught us a card game, Mafia, that kept us occupied. We played Mafia for about 8 hours straight before stopping at Pizza King, the McKinney's favorite, to be entertained by trains that brought your beverages and tvs that you had to pay for to watch. After Pizza King, Tim came into the Winne and we introduced him to Mafia, and the week will never be the same. We then retired in a 60's hotel in/near Tennesse at 1 am. Katie, Kirsten, Taylor, Malek, Jackie and I slept in the hotel room while everyone else slept in the Winne. The Winne was patroled by the Sure-iff all night.
Sunday, July 27th
Malek, Kirsten and Tim all got an early start by leaving at 5 for NC. The rest of the Winne crew left early as well around 8. We then drove a couple hours and stopped just into North Carolina at a Waffle House. We then kept on going all the way to Raleigh. When we arrived we had to clean out the Winne before we could shower, bad news. After settling in, half of the 16's and half of the 18's went to Perkins for dinner. After dinner we walked over to the grocery store and bought food for the week. The 18's then met for a team meeting and set our team and personal goals for the week. We decided on a 10:30 practice Monday morning, so we went to bed early.
Monday, July 28th
After getting up, eating and meeting in the lobby, we piled in the Winne to go to our morning practice. Our practice went very well and prepared us for the night ahead. After practice, we went back to the hotel and rested until four. We then left for the fields and arrived early to walk the two miles and check out the complex.
Game 1 - v. Ohio Classic, WIN 2-0.
Game 2 - v. Pennsylvania Shockwaves, WIN 3-2.
When our games got over, we went back to the hotel and met for a team meeting. Held by Malek, we discussed the fact that we can't always come back and win in the last inning of a game. After really taking this fact in, we went to bed around 1 knowing that we had to do better the next day.
Tuesday, July 29th
The team got up around 10 to get ready to leave for the fields. We started warm-ups at 1 for our 2 o'clock game. At 2, it started to lightning so we had to retreat to the Winne. While in the Winne it started to pour so we went to Papa's Pizza & Pasta for lunch. It was a little too expensive at 5 pizzas for $75. After eating very quickly we headed back to the fields. Upon returning, we warmed up again just before 5. I was once again "kicked off the island" and went back to the hotel with Kirsten to rest before pitching the night game. While the rest of my team played their third game three hours behind schedule.
Game 3 - v. Nightmare, WIN 2-0.
I met up with my team again at 7:30, and after warming up for the fifth time that day.
Game 4 - v. Duchess Debs, WIN? (We were two outs from winning when lightning struck again, we had to retreat to the Winne and the game was canceled.)
Upon returning to the hotel, Katie and Tim went to a coaches meeting to decide the seeding arrangment for double-elimination play. It was decided that each pool would go with the best record of the most games played between the five teams. In our pool, it was two. They then went to the number of runs allowed to break it down more, Danes gave up 3 and the Debs gave up 4. We got the number one seed in our pool.
Wednesday, July 30th
Since we got the number one seed; our game wasn't until 6. So, a majority of our team (Mrs. Lemon, Lemon, Jill, Jackie, Jen, Loskot, Julie, Dianne, Kirsten, Mal, Casey, Taylor, Jensen and Brit) went to Duke University for the afternoon. Kirsten, Mal, Casey, Taylor, Jensen and I met
Chris Duhon, who plays basketball for Duke. When we were done buying out the Duke Bookstore, we returned to the hotel to rest before our game. We arrived at the fields and started warmups. Yet, right before game time, it started to pour at 6. We had to retreat to the Winne and we entertained ourselves by playing Mafia. After the rain, we got our game in.
Game 5 - v. New York Cobra, WIN 1-0.
We then stayed at the fields and scouted the Carolina Crushers and the Ohio Fire & Ice (aka the Ohio Water). When we got back to the hotel we had a team meeting and decided on a 10 o'clock hit-a-round to prepare us for our 6 o'clock game the next day.
Thursday, July 31st
We had a very successful hitting practice with everyone taking a lot of reps. We are glad to report that Dave (Uncle David) did survive pitching batting practice after almost being killed by Jensen. We then went to Perkins for a team lunch. When we left the restaurant, while in the
Winne, Butkus was "crazy in love." After resting for a while in the hotel, we left for the fields at four. When we arrived to the new complex we were so excited because it was sunny. Yet, on right on schedule at 6 o'clock after getting in 2 and a half batters, it started to pour. The team
retreated to the Winne. The hurricane rain poured down for quite sometime, the sun was also shining at this point. (It reminded me of Duluth - sunny skies and 30 degrees.) At about 8:00, our game finally started.
Game 6 - v. Carolina Crushers, WIN 2-1.
This was the best game in the history of the Danes. Everyone fulfilled their roles, which is what we talked about all season. Everyone did everything they could to win that game, including me. I had to play outfield for the first time this year and was switching between left and right field with each batter. Gina and Mallory both pitched great - and Mal dominated til the end of the 10th, after hitting a 230/240 foot homerun to win the game. After the game, we had a dance party in the Winne. Before our team meeting, we ordered pizzas for dinner for the good price of $36 for 4 pizzas. We then went to bed early to get ready for our 11:20 game the next day.
Friday, August 1st
The team woke up around 8/8:30 and left for the fields at 9. After arriving, warmups began on schedule at 10:15.
Game 7 - v. Ohio Fire & Ice, LOSS 11-2
Game 8 - v. Ohio Water, LOSS 3-0
After a rough day at the ballfield, we went back to the hotel to clean up. When we were showered and dressed nicely, we went to the Olive Garden for dinner. After dinner, we went back to the hotel to hang out before our last team meeting. Before the meeting, Taylor, Casey, Loskot and I went to Wal-Mart to buy the graduating players gifts. For each senior we bought:
Malek - two bags of chocolate to fill her chocolate cravings.
Fildes - play-doh so she can practice building things like Frank Lloyd Wright.
Jensen - slimfast because she thinks she is a fat kid.
Gina - a musical unicorn that lights up.
Brackey (MIA) - frizz ease to cool down her hair a bit.
When we finished our meeting, around 12, we hung out around the hotel. Some of us stayed up late, such as until 4 or 5. However, Casey, Mal, Gina and I stayed up til 6. Not smart.
Saturday, August 2nd
We got up at 8 am, after two hours of sleep, and cleaned out our Winne. We then took off from Raleigh at 9:45. The day went pretty smoothly, sleep, eat breakfast, sleep, eat lunch, sleep and eat dinner. After dinner,we said our goodbyes to Tim, Kirsten, Malek and Casey. The rest of the Winne Crew played Fill or Bust, our new game of interest. We then slept in the Winne in the parking lot of a Days Inn, and retired at 2 am. Our day of traveling tired us out.
Sunday, August 3rd
At 8 am we ate breakfast in Janesville at Perkins. After a couple rounds of Fill or Bust, it was time to drop off Jackie, Jenny and Jill Janke in Black River Falls. We kept on going til we got to Eau Claire, and we said goodbye to Katie. After some hot fudge sundaes, we were on the road again til we hit Mallory's house. We then cleaned out the Winne and made it spotless. Then it was time to say our final goodbyes to the Original Winne Crew. My North Carolina trip was finally to a close as I made the three hour trip back up to Duluth.
Hook 'em,
Brittany
