Follow Up Weekend - Thunderstixx Wish She was Still Sick

So it turns out that Maddie was "sick" the last weekend.  She did have a rash starting the Tuesday before the tournament, said she never felt well.  (See my previous post)

Maddie had a rough weekend in the dirt, so I was excited to get back out there...  our Friday night pool game was cancelled because of rain, and based on a blind draw our first game was Saturday at 9AM against the Thunderstixx.

The Thunderstixx always play late into Sunday and usually place.  They finished first in the last tournament where Maddie wasn't herself.  Maddie had pitched a couple games for them in February as a warm-up.  I wasn't impressed, but they seem to always win.

We beat the Thunderstixx Saturday AM 5-3 and there was never a doubt.  Maddie pitched 4 innings with 8 Ks and ended the game with a K.  Not a "pulled" solid hit.  Was always in control.

Maddie pitched the late Saturday game against an Oklahoma team and eventual tournament winner.  She did MUCH better than I had expected.  We lost 2-0 with both unearned runs.  A dropped pop-up at second and a double pump from short allowed both runs to score.  Can't win against good teams when don't make routine plays...

The loss dropped us to the loser's bracket and we played the Thunderstixx again Sunday AM.  Again, Maddie was dominant and we won 3-0.  Maddie had 7 Ks in 5 innings and was never in doubt...  the Thunderstixx had a good tournament, except when they faced Maddie...

We lost the game after, Maddie rested a few innings on the bench...  she wants to play all the time...  working on our outfield skills...

She pitched and hit well....

Sometimes You Win... Sometimes You Loose...

Over the last few years I can think of dozens of games that you have to say "Maddie won".  Games where either her pitching or her hitting were the differentiator and absolutely caused the team to win.

Playing in an important pool game in a VTD Qualifier Maddie went to left field.  The game was tied 3-3 with time expired.  Bases were loaded with two outs.  Maddie was hit a high fly ball...  she was under it... it hit her palm and popped out...  we ended up loosing 7-3.

You learn more about a person under duress than in good times.

I didn't yell at Maddie.

Maddie was appropriately disappointed, embarrassed and apologized to teammates for loosing the game.  I saw it happen...  I also saw her teammates say "no problem"...

After the coaches talk, Maddie was appropriately quiet...  and waited a few minutes by herself...

The neat thing about softball...  is there is always another game...

We had a good talk about being prepared, practice makes perfect, everyone makes mistakes, "get-em" next time, shake it off,...  all on the ride home...  actually, one of our better talks on the ride home...  proud of my kid...

A Dad's Job

Sometime a Dad's job is to listen to your kids...  nah...  they are kids, what do they know?...  just kidding...

Alex just finished a 3 1/2 hour practice in Red Oak, Texas... about 45 minutes away...

Alex is in the white socks and blue shirt...  she was asked to play on the 18U Texas Wildcats Gold team...   the team is pretty good and has about 1/2 the players as high school seniors and graduates...  I think the mix of players and coaches got her to accept the offer to play...

Now she will have a busy summer...

http://www.texaswildcatsgold.com/