The best part about Calen's baseball team is that the coaches didn't draft all the "best" players.
I mean yes, every team drafts a certain number of "great, good and developing" players I'm sure. But when Brad chatted with one of the coaches the other day, he explained that one of the teams drafted as many "hitters" as he could, with little regard to fielding, in hopes it will give him a leg up on the competition. Calen's coach focuses more on fielding.
Defense wins championships, or so they say.
Whoever "they" are, they aren't wrong. However, small ball wins championships too.
It was a cold, freezing, rainy spring evening for a baseball game. Again.
We might as well live in Alaska. Oh wait.
Calen started at 2nd base and his team struggled on the pitching mound early, giving up 8 unanswered runs in the first inning alone.
I mean, you try pitching with a soaking wet slippery baseball when it's raining sheets and is 40 degrees.
Fun fact: If you are behind by 8 runs in the 5th inning, the game is over via "mercy rule".
Going into the Point of No Return (i.e. that dreaded 5th inning) and down 11-3, Brechan (Calen's team, named for the Brechan Construction company that sponsors the team) had to score at least one to stay alive.
And sure enough, they scored ONE run on a stolen base to home to score that kept them out of the mercy rule, AND held the other team to zero runs in the bottom of the 5th, so we live to play on.
And then, the comeback began in a huge way in the 6th inning, and Sox was a key part of it.
With two outs and a runner on 2nd, our batter strikes out swinging, but the catcher let it past him, and the runner was safe at 1st.
Two outs, runners on 1st and 3rd, and who's up to bat but Calen.
Normally I'd hold my breath here. For years now he's been a less than average hitter, nervous at the plate, strikes out (or walks) a LOT, but afraid to swing. But something has changed in the last two weeks, he's become confident, strong, and dare I say a great hitter. He still doesn't have a ton of power, but he's connecting, making hits, and even if he gets out, at least he's hitting the ball. This new confidence and proficiency at the plate has earned him a leadoff or second at bat spot.
Case in point: With 2 on and 2 outs, we still have a shot.
Calen fouls off a couple. We all hold our breath. And then he absolutely smokes the ball just over the shortstop's head. It should be a solid RBI single, but the throw to first was wild, and Calen didn't even hesitate, flying around the bag and sliding into second for a massive two out two-run double.
Of course I didn't get photos or video of it.
Now we are down 11-6. Hey, at least it's less of a blowout. New pitcher, Calen steals 3rd base and the batter walks and then promptly steals 2nd base.
Another two out, 2 strike count, and the batter hits another double, scoring Calen and the other runner. Now it's 11-8.
After two steals of home on passed balls, the score is now 11-10 and the inning is over on a strikeout. What an inning! And onto the 7th.
The other team managed to score 4 more, making it 15-11 in the 7th.
After a two singles, a triple, and another single, Brechan creeped back to make it 14-13, and Calen is up to bat again with a runner on 2nd and nobody out. Calen's hot bat comes through again and blasts a single to 3rd base, not scoring anyone, but advancing the runner to 3rd nonetheless. They score the runner on a single afterwards, tying it up. Sox steals 3rd, and then scores on an RBI double, making it, are you ready: 15-14!!
What. A. Comeback.
The other team manages to score 1, just one, in the bottom of the 7th, and after that it was actually getting dark (at 9:45, when the sun usually stays up until midnight) due to the dark clouds and rain, so they called the game a tie.
I mean, that's exciting right there.
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