Completing the Cycle

I've struggled with my hitting a bit this year in baseball. I've made good contact, but only one hit to date in 2 games. I went 1-4 and 0-4 in the first two outings, so I was hoping to do better today.

After my morning run, I spent 10 minutes hitting balls in the basement, and then got to the game early and got 10-12 swings in the batting cage with someone tossing them to get warmed up.

In my first at bat I'd been warned about the wide strike zone of this umpire, and experienced it firsthand. With 2-1, I let a wide one go outside that I was pretty sure was outside. With my warmup swings, I'm not confident I could have reached it, and it was a strike. I ran it to 3-2 before taking one under my elbows that was way inside. However it was called a strike, and nothing I could do. I should have swung, taking the chance on a foul. I felt worse because I'd swung at strike 1, and it had bounced in front of the plate. Stupid.

My second time up, same pitcher, I decided to swing early. I hadn't seen anything over the plate, so the second pitch was inside, a curve that was dropping, but close enough so I swung and drove it right down the line. It kicked up dust, was called fair, and I hustled around for a triple.

My next at bat they intentionally walked the guy in front of me to put men on first and second with one out. Not a bad play for a double play, especially as it was the 4th hitter. I came up and ripped the first pitch (new pitcher) to right center for an easy double and then came around to score later. The last at bat, a third pitcher up there, and again I ripped the first one as a sharp grounder to the right of the first baseman and it got through for a single.

So in 3 games I've had a home run, then a triple, then a double, then a single. I didn't get up again, but I am 4-12 this year, which isn't bad. Two strikeouts, one my fault for sure, and lots of good contact. This is definitely a better fit for me.

We lost today, I didn't care much, didn't see anything in the outfield except 2 grounders that got through the infield, and then one that was left center and I misplayed it slightly. The whole team seemed sluggish, and I jammed my knee on a quick stop, so it was sore for about half the game.

Still fun, a good game, and even though we lost, I had fun.