The Wheels Came Off

The baseball bus today went off the tracks. We had an early game, and I drove a couple other guys up there. We arrived a touch later than I wanted, and didn’t have any infield warm ups, just a little throwing and stretching.

It started out hard, with the top of the inning having us give up 3 runs. I fielded a hard hit one at 3rd, rushed the throw, and pulled the guy towards home. He didn’t get the catch, worried about a collision with the runner. Then in the 4th, the wheels came off. Two hard hits to me, that I fielded, but then didn’t make good throws. One to the left (outfield) and one that was just short and bounced too close and the first baseman missed it. In both cases, I had time, fielding hard hit balls, but rushed things. I did make one other throw over there, so it wasn’t completely hopeless, and I fielded things well. I just kept rushing throws.

At the plate we did better as a team. I hit third, coming up in the first with people on second and third. After a few fouls, where I was seeing the ball well, I caught one and ripped it to deep right center, to the fence, getting a double and driving a few in. My second at bat had me missing a few because almost getting crossed on a curve that would probably have dropped on the plate. I was swinging and caught it just enough to blooper into short right center for a single. My last at bat had a few fouls and then a strong swing at one up and away. The umpire was calling them outside, so I swung, trying to go with it. I did, but it popped out to short. Still I went with it and it went to the left side of the plate.

The fourth inning, where I messed up two throws also had the rest of the team fall apart. A grounder going through the shortstop’s legs which might have ended the inning, an error at second, another bad throw from second, and a couple hits had us give up 6 or 7 runs.

We never recovered, not getting many more hits or scoring more. It got everyone a little down after a good start.

But no one got hurt, and we played better. Next week we have a game being video taped, which should be interesting. Hopefully I’ll play better and the team will do well.