The Knock Out of the Park and the Dreaded Pop Fly

Yesterday, which felt like the hottest day of my life by the way, had some ups and some downs for our family. Lauren had a home softball game at 6:00 and Alec was to have a home baseball game at 7:30. At first I thought, "Isn't this great? They both have home games and I should be able to watch most of Lauren's and only miss a little bit of Alec's game!" Now after the last 6 weeks of NOT having two home games in the same town on Monday nights, you could see why I might be excited. Unfortunately all my whining about why the weather wasn't more "summer-like" came back to bite me in the butt. Lauren and the other girls looked absolutely miserable out there on the field when the game started. They were hot and all that heat was just sapping all their energy. Lauren got up to bat 3 times during the game. The first time she got a base hit and she smiled and gave me a thumbs up from first base. I immediately sent a text message to Dan to let him know how great his daughter was doing. The second time up, she swung at a high ball. I was so nervous for her. I could tell that she REALLY wanted to knock it out of the park. Next two pitches were balls. She held her ground. Then the pitch...she let that bat rip and the ball went WAAAAYYYY out in left center field. I jumped up out my chair, yelling and clapping! She made it all the way to 3rd base and not due to errors in the field, but due to her awesome hit! Finally, the end of the game and Dan makes it. She gets up to bat....and strikes out. Her shoulders slumped on the walk back to the dugout. I go over to talk to her. "Mom, I just really wanted dad to see me get a hit." My heart breaks for her. The girls lose their last game of the season.

On to the next game - I only missed one inning of Alec's game and he didn't get up to bat. Yes! Even though I am sweating and uncomfortable, I love to watch the small fry boys play! Alec struck out the first time he was up to bat. He drug his bat back to the dugout and shook his head at me when I told him it was alright. The next two times he got up, he got two good hits. The first time he got out at first base, but the second time he got a double! He was so excited! Then in the top of the fifth inning....tragedy strikes. A pop fly is hit to left center. Alec puts his glove up and tries to run backwards to catch it....and it cracked him right on top of the head. Everyone said they could HEAR it hit his head. He fell down on the ground and his coaches ran out to the outfield to check on him. He got up and walked back to the dugout with his coaches and they gave him an icepack. I went in to the check on him. He told me that his head hurt really bad, but his vision was alright and he didn't feel nauseous. I asked him if he would be ok to play. He said "no". I told him to sit out an inning and then try to get back in the game. He did too. He sat out the rest of that inning, but then he went back out on the field and even went up to bat again. He got a base hit and I was so proud of him for not giving up. I worry a little bit that he is going to be afraid to catch the ball now. I guess we will find out at his game tomorrow night. Wish us luck!