UofL Softball Practice

In between games during the Regional playoffs we had some time to kill and needed some batting work. So one of our coaches pulled some strings and our team found themselves getting batting practice and the University of Louisville indoor batting facility on campus with one of the UofL coaches. Can't beat that.

Babe Ruth Softball Ohio Valley Regionals

Millie's team has made it big time. They are playing this weekend in the Ohio Valley Regionals which is the last step to the World Series in Florida. It's a pretty big accomplishment to have made it this far and only 20 teams total from across the US will play in Florida. The 5 day event is taking place in Fern Creek, KY. Fortunately it's not too far from home so we can drive each day.

The first day of events was a big kick off. Lucky for us, it was the hottest day of the year so far with a heat index of over 100 (please note my sarcasm). It was pure torture. Although we didn't need a hotel the coaches thought it would be fun for the girls to all stay at a hotel and we could have a team party that night and swim. So we checked in to the hotel around 1pm then headed to the fields for team photos around 2:30. The girls (and Reed) goofed off until it was time for their photos.

After seeing lightening in the area, they made everyone go inside where we were able to get a big group shot of all of our Floyd Knobs teams that were competing this weekend as well. It's pretty amazing that we have 3 teams that made it this far, 1 in each division from 8U up to 12U.

After that was a big parade from the school to the track where each team was introduced and they did a short welcoming speech which included University of Louisville's head softball coach Sandy Pearsall. It was so hot most everyone left the stands after the girls walked through and stood under the bleachers in the shade.

When the speeches were finished the girls headed to the fields to participate in some optional fun events. There was a running event, a throwing event from home to second, a hitting event and a pitching event. Millie chose to do the running event with a few of her other team mates.

She didn't win but one of her team mates did. It was a long hot day but the girls enjoyed it and really enjoyed the swimming and pizza party that night in the hotel. I'm glad mom came and stayed with us because she sure helped entertain Reed.

Tennis Champion...Again

Well, I guess we need to make room on Millie's trophy shelf another First Place trophy. She played in a tennis tournament today at Floyd Central. She has not picked up a racquet in over a month due to her constant and never ending softball season (more on that later, we are not finished).

They youngest category they have is 10 and under so that is where she has to play even though she is only 7. She played in this same category last year at age 6.

There were only 3 girls signed up to play so they did a round robin and the each played the other 2 girls. Millie's first opponent was only 6 years old but she was really good. I'd say she was much better at age 6 than Millie was. She will be an amazing player in a few years. Every game was close but Millie ended up winning the match 8-3.

Millie's next match was against a 10 year old from Jasper. This little girl was very good too but Millie also beat her 8-3.

Since Millie beat them both, that put her first place. The tournament director didn't have a trophy for her because at the time of ordering trophies, they had no one in this category signed up but he will order her one and get it to us.

Millie had a great time and was excited to tell her coach how she did.

5 Years Old

Reed's party was a few days before his birthday so he got his gift from us and my mom on his actual birthday. He has been wanting a chair for his desk. I found a neat tractor seat chair and I knew he needed it. I think he enjoyed putting it together more than anything.

The cat helped take care of the box.

Later that day we went by my mom and dad's house where dad gave Reed a bag of his favorite chips and mom gave him a set from BassPro that he has been wanting forever! He was so happy.

Later we had lunch at King Fish on the river and finished up with a trip to his favorite place, BassPro.

Reed's 5th Baseball Birthday Party

Baseball and softball have consumed our lives since before spring sprung so it was only fitting that Reed request a baseball birthday party. I had to keep this party very easy because Millie had state tournaments that weekend and we did know what time they would be. I decided to have the party at a park so Reed could invite some friends. I'm way too high strung to have a bunch of kids running around my house. We sent tickets out to everyone so they could get in to the 'stadium' and had an open concession stand for snacks and treats.

I didn't need to buy decorations with all the baseball and softball trophys and gear we had around the house.

The kids and grownups had fun playing some ball and others enjoyed the playground and creek at the park. It was an unusual day for July and with the rainy morning, it was actually a bit cool. I didn't take too many photos after everyone arrived but everyone had a good time. Reed loved his gifts which included a bird feeder from my sister and her family (Reed loves watching birds and wanted a feeder to feed his pet Cardinal), a monster truck, a watch, a lego game, a bike shirt and an IOU for a trail ride with a cowboy hat.

Cousins

Millie and Reed's Aunt Chris and her family are visiting the states for a few weeks from overseas. Chris and the girls and Rick's mom were able to stop by and watch some of Millie's game. My kids just love the girls. Millie's softball schedule is making it difficult to spend a lot of time with them but we seem to be getting quick little visits in when we can.

Floyd Knobs All Stars District Champs

This past week our ball park has been hosting our district Babe Ruth Division softball and baseball tournaments. As host field, we have been asked to do lots of volunteering including announcing, ticket and shirt sales, book keeping and concessions. We have been busy. The benefit of this is as host field, your teams get an automatic advancement to the State tournament which we will also host beginning Friday.

Our announcer one night was especially entertaining...

To really tell this story, we need to go back to the Lanesville Slugfest from last weekend. We played North Harrison and beat them during the week. Then they beat us in the championship game of that tournament (which was not related or connected to the official Babe Ruth tourneys we played this week and coming up). Let's just say the North Harrison coach was a jerk. Plain and simple. We won't go into details, just take my word for it. The parents and the girls were looking forward to meeting them again during Districts. As last week progressed, we won all of our seed games and so did North Harrison. However, North Harrison crushed all the teams they played and none of those teams scored against them. We did not meet up with North Harrison during the seed games. So North Harrison was #1 seed and we were #2 seed. This is what sets an honorable coach apart from North Harrison's coach. During a game when you are winning by a lot, an honorable coach will play his bench or bring his outfield in to play bases. There's no point in driving your win down the throats of 7 and 8 year olds and it gives your girls who may not always get much ball time to do some extra fielding. North Harrison did not do this and they even kept using pinch hitters. It's just a game and they are just kids. Yes, we want to win but there's an honorable way and a jerky way to do it.

So it was us against North Harrison again in the Championship game. We had just played a game right before that one so it was a double header for us. Fortunately it was not hot so our girls were feeling pumped up. Millie was feeling especially pumped because she hit a home run during this game and she caught a pop fly. The girls were fired up and ready to go. Here is Millie's home run.



North Harrison's coach was already making us mad before the game started. One of our moms saw him throw his empty drink bottle on the ground and start to walk away. Her (being much like myself it seems) went up to him and told him he needed to pick it up. He was, of course, jerky to her and even went to the umpire and tattled and told the umpire to keep us in control. Check yourself North Harrison Dude, you're on our turf.

When the game finally started in the rain and after 2 delays for lightening we were looking good. We were home team and we got a lead after the first inning and kept it until the third inning. We were up 12-6 but North Harrison had a great inning and got the lead on us. We slowly closed the gap over the next few innings and when they were up to bat in the 6th our coach called a time out and our girls in the field gathered for a quick pep talk when we only needed 1 more out. North Harrison's coach was so jerky he began to pitch the ball to his batter when our whole team was in a huddle. The ump looked at him and yelled "time" like the guy was an idiot, which of course he was. The coach just rolled his eyes at him like he sure didn't know any of our girls were not on the filed. Jerk, plain and simple. I feel bad for the girls who had to play for him. Well, they ended up scoring 0 that inning so we only needed 2 runs to win.

We had Presley on third with no outs and we now only needed 1 more run to win. It was looking promising...

Jerky coach called a timeout, I guess he thought we did it to be jerky so he wanted to do the same thing. Whatever, you can't get us down. Lydia was up to bat and her mom gave what must have been a good pep talk.

Lydia made a hit that was good enough to let Presley score! We were super excited of course. Our girls have played really hard the past 2 weeks practicing and getting to know each other and their new positions. I found out just yesterday that North Harrison plays these girls together as a team all season, not just in All Stars. We would be even more amazing if we did that but we like to be fair to all of our girls and let them all learn the game on equal footing. Not create a super team that our other girls can't beat. Jerky.

Trophy time. Millie was really concerned because the got plaques instead of a trophy. She was not happy, what was this plaque thing and where was her trophy she wondered...We explained it was fine and that a plaque was a different style of trophy. She reluctantly bought into it.

Our amazing team and coaches!

Part of Millie's fan club.

So who needed that automatic entry into the state playoffs because of being the host team??? Not this team. We earned it fair and square! Bring on the next round.