Neither a pleasant day nor a good
game. Playing a tough Ritenour team in less than ideal circumstances (which,
admittedly, were the same for both sides) did not bring out the best in us.
Scoreless after two innings, Ritenour put a 5 on the board in the third as our
previously stellar defense stumbled a bit. Five more runs in the fourth put the
game essentially out of reach.
The one absolute positive was that
the girls didn’t chuck it in and head for a warmer spot. We needed two runs to
keep the game going into the sixth: we got four. We needed another run in the
bottom of that inning and scored two to force the Huskies to play all seven
innings, although they tried hard to ensure a run-rule victory that wasn’t to be.
We didn’t play our best game, but
if we were to play Ritenour 10 times, my guess is they’d win 8 of those, so
that’s not my problem with this game. I’m seldom disappointed in the girls (and
that’s never softball skill related); I can be disappointed FOR them, because I’m
their fan as well as their coach and I want them to succeed, individually and
as a team. When we fail to do that, I have no problem as long as we support
each other as teammates, as long as we’re rooting for each other, even if we’ve
been subbed out.
We hit the ball pretty well,
knocking out a dozen hits, including doubles from Grace Behrle, Claudia LeSage
and Maggie Pool. We also showed how a good bunt can put pressure on even good
teams, as all four bunts resulted in either successful sacrifices, a hit or a
reached by error. The short game was definitely a plus this afternoon.
I’ve mentioned before that this
team needs to mature, needs to develop a team chemistry that builds
cohesiveness and overcomes divisions. That continues to be a work in progress.
I hope parents will encourage their daughters to root for their teammates all
the time, for success as an individual matters not a bit unless all her
teammates succeed as well.
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