SweetHearts vs  Lady Krush
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 - F13 – 7:15pm - Game #377

Yes, it was coach's birthday and yes most of his family showed up including his daughter who is the reason he started coaching 27 years ago. There were pictures taken, gifts exchanged, and plenty of "well-wishes" to go around. It also was a game that by SPAR standards should never have been played except the two coaches urged the umpires to stay and call.

First Inning: Lady Krush didn't have enough players yet coach Greg urged the umpires to allow the two teams to play since it was the last game of the season. Krush batted first to allow time for a player to show up. Coach made sure that the umpires and scorekeeper didn't count the missing players as outs. Micaela got off to a slow start as she hit the first batter and walked the next two. A single cleared most of the bases before a routine hit back to the mound got the first out. Another walk followed by a strike out followed by a base hit pushed the score to 5-0 before a pop up ended the inning.

With all the "good feelings" the SweetHearts could musher, the runs didn't appear. A base hit by Alexis was followed by an out, and Terrah's base hit. Micaela swung for the fence but good fielding would have stopped her at third yet an error at third allowed her to score cutting the lead to 5-3.

Second Inning: By the second inning Micaela was in her groove as she held the Krush to one run on great fielding by Sammie and Savannah.

The SweetHearts found their groove at the plate two in the second inning. Brook began the surge with a walk followed by Courtney, Autumn and Alexis. Terrah's base hit and fly outs by Savannah and Shelby helped produce five runs to take the lead 8-6.

Third Inning: The next inning saw the Krush get two more runs before two hits back to the mound stopped the Lady Krush from regaining the lead. The 'Hearts returned the favor by adding one run in four batters to push the lead to 9-8.

Fourth Inning: With time dictating "the final inning" Krush can to bat needing a couple of runs. Micaela was told that if she walked more than two she would be pulled. She walked the first batter then a 'freak double play' happened as the next batter hit a line drive to Terrah at first. She tagged the runner out then tagged the baserunner as she returned to first. Savannah reminded coach Greg that he said the 'returning players' could change positions at the end of the game, so with two outs he allowed them to move. Savannah came to the mound and was then told she had two batters before she would be moved. She walked the first one and the got the next batter to pop-up to Terrah to end the inning and game for the win.

Notes: Thank you to Brook and Sammie and all the team for the wonderful birthday gifts, signatures, and hugs. Thank you to my daughter (my reason for coaching), my wife and son and all the rest of my family who came out to support me on this special day.

Thank you also goes to Mrs. Sorgee for all the times she kept score allowing players to have the updated box-score they were after.