My "Atta Girl!!!

**WARNING** This post contains lots of parental bragging and longwindedness!! Stop here is you do not wish to listen to my blah,blah,blah....


So tonight was the championship game for the U-8's!! Let me back up and fill you in on some details from the weekend. The girls played in the 'Districts' tournament this past weekend. 16 hours of softball between Saturday and Sunday. Both girls had 2 games each day....it was crazy! (Thank heavens there was a playground at this site or else I would have never made it with the boys!) Anyway.... Kay's team placed 2nd in districts which means they go on to the State Tournament in 2 weeks. Joce's team won the district title tonight! Now, you have to understand how big of a deal this was. It was a double elimination tournament which means that you continued to play after one loss, but had to fight your way back to the winners bracket....and boy, did they fight! They were handed their first loss by Hamilton Township....let me tell you about Hamilton..... They have an indoor complex and play year-round starting from the age of 4! Need I say more? These girls are little machines!! (I digress!) We lost the first game 9-7. Respectable, yet a loss. We went into the losers' bracket and won, therefore, we had to face Hamilton again yesterday. They won that game 16-13!! What a comeback that was! So, due to the double elimination, they had to play Hamilton again tonite! It is such a long story....but I will highlight it for you.... At the bottom of the 6th, we were down 6-2....(In my head, I was already preparing my "loss" speech for Jocee) We had last ups and the girls just rallied! We were back up to 6-6 and the ball was grounded to the outfielder. She jogged in a tagged 2nd as the 7th run scored. The ump called her out at 2nd and it looked like we were tied, but our coaches protested stating that the rule was that an outfielder cant make the out at 2nd. She must throw the ball to an infielder to make the out. Long process of protesting and appealing and AMAZING restraint on the part of our coaches. I cant say enough about what a great example they were of good sportsmanship to our girls.....(I cant speak so highly of the coaches from Hamilton) but .......we didnt win the protest and on we went to extra innings! Hamilton scored 1 run in the 7th to make it 7-6 and then we were up! Still with tears in their eyes....our girls started swinging. One run scores to tie it up and.... Up comes Jocee!!! She hits a line drive into centerfield to drive in the winning run!!! Way to go Jocee!!! I couldnt stop smiling. I am so proud of that girl!!
This was the first ever season for the U-8's in this district and they won!! They all got trophies and medals, but the coolest thing is that by next spring, they will have a HUGE billboard at our home field with their individual names on it and the District Champs Title! We have many more years to play at that field with the boys and I know that each time I look at it, I will remember this night and the part that my "atta girl" played in the win!!
Great job Girls!!! Love you Jocee!!!