Toys 4 Tots Runner Up

Toys 4 Tots was a real test of the girls ability to play strong, play just a little bit better, as we knew coming in we would be short handed...............I had some of the best compliments from the winning Team, their Coach, a Former Michigan Player, let me know her daughter, and 6 other players have played vs "Lil Sluggers" since they were 7/8 yrs old, but the reason they always had our Team on their to do list, those 7/8 players that played against us were always on a different Team, she told me it took the best players from 5-6 teams together to beat us, and it was with a "borrowed Pitcher"....well the pitcher was no secret to us, as we had beat her before, Sept this year we beat her 12-2, but she had a night, and I tipped my hat to her, she did pitch with lots of success this time around............we battled and grinded out at bats all weekend, 11 runs game 1/ 7 runs game 2/ 13 runs game 3/ 12 runs game 4/ and finally a single run in Championship game 5.......it happens, we either Win every time out, or we LEARN on occasions we don't win......this Championship, we Learn..........she got the best of us, but that is what makes Champions, never be satisfied with the end result, learn what weakness in your game was exposed, work on it, and bring it next time out, now you can be a bigger part of success next time out............Pitchers AYO, KFC, PEP, and Turbo, they pitched well and always gave us a chance to compete in the game.........Catchers KandyKorn, KoolAid, and P Dogg, they worked with the pitchers to keep us strong defensively..........and our leather Technicians....Gemini, Tbird, Turtle and Squinky, it took all 11 of us on Saturday, and all NINE of us on Sunday to finish strong in the Tournament...........it wraps up our Winter Season, hopefully the "Momentum" wil carry in the start of Season in the Spring.....a Positive result to an extremely competitive Season..... 16/18u Division is NO JOKE... the game is faster, the ability MUCH better, and the LAZER FOCUS needed to come out on the top end takes no breaks.....it was challenging, but as we have always done since girls were 6/7 yrs old, we went out and COMPETED ABOVE OUR AGE, and now onto the next challenge, job wel done, cya on the diamond.........................  

Game 1 vs San Jacinto High

Though it was an older Team, we looked like the better Team....Ayo - Turbo - KFC had 5 inn of 4 hit ball, that gives us a chance, with only 2 ks, we made 13 plays defensive side of the field, which meant all 11 players had to do their part, Kandy, P and KoolAid handling the rock behind the dish, it gave us a chance, we played strong, we defended welland made noise with the sticks...15 hits to the tune of lots of runs, we did our job, the 2 week layoff did us well, they were hungry to play......

PS Lil Sluggers------------11

San Jacinto Prime----------4

Game 2 vs Outlawz

After a short break, Carne Asada Tacos, Chicken Quesadilla, and they were BOMB...we were ready to go.....Outlawz came out energized, we looked tired and ready for ride home....down 7-0 after 3 inn, the girls took offense to other Team starting to chirp at us, I simply told the girls, they are playing well, they can chirp as we have a "Goose Egg" on the board, we then pushed 7 across...we came out motivated.....Turtle reached on ground Ball, Kandy 1bs to right, Turbo 2bs to center, TBird 1bs to left, Ayo 1bs to left, KoolAid 1bs to right, Squinky 1bs to left, KFC bbs, Turtle bbs/ Turbo Sac Fly to Center/ this all happened in 2 inn, we tied the game up with only 6 minutes left on the clock.....they had their last abs...we threw away routine ground ball, after a bb , we get lead runner trying to steal home, we then hit next batter, 2 on and one 1.....we drop fly ball, bases loaded.....we bring in outfield as we couldn't allow winning run at 3rd, pop up to short center, 2 down.....they then came up clutch, a 2-0 single to left to win the game....the good news, we fought back from 2 hits and 2 bbs through 3 inn to 8 hits and 2 bbs to tie game at 7....it's not when you lose, it's how you lose, and it took them laughing at us to bring the best out of the girls, I felt as if they were "PUNKING US", and we fought back, tied the game, and made them sweat out the 1 run game....we have fight in us, we just came up short....job well done..............

PS Lil Sluggers---------------7

Outlawz----------------------8 

Game 3 vs Valley View High

Motivated, renewed confidence, we were ready...........KFC-Pep-KandyKorn-Turbo-Tbird-Ayo-KoolAid all reached base safely, and we made our last out trying to score from 2nd, loved the gamble, we lost, but in the process they lost their catcher, she took a hard blow from Tbird at the plate, we were out, but she was unable to return to the game, 3 runs inn............8 pitch inn, 3 up- 3 down.....KFC launched another 2b, Pep 1b her home, we notch another run on the board....11 pitches, harmless 1b, and it's 4-0 after 2 inn........KoolAif and P Dogg both walked, then KFC launches a 3b, 2 more across.............we made the pitching change up 6 runs......7 pitches, 1 run, and we are swinging the sticks again............Turbo and Tbird reach on back to back 1bs, Gemin 2bs them home, Ayo 2bs home Gemini, KoolAid and P Dogg follow with 1bs, KFC sac fly to score Koolaid, Pep drives ball past 3rd base to score on inside the park Home Run (ball rolled to 245' fence)............Turbo 1bs and TBird 3bs her home, another huge inn...after a walk and a ground ball out, they hit 3b to score, another ground ball gets us out #2, pop up to the pitcher, and it's ball game, we advance to Semi Final game, after a 4 HOUR BRAKE.........

well, if we are out here this long, we may as well win and get to the "ship", right????

PS Lil SLuggers---------------14

Valley View High---------------3

Semi vs Temecula Fury

Ayo and Kfc kept the game rolling in the Lil SLuggers favor, throwing up zeros for 4 inn, defense was making the plays3 runners, only 2 reached past 2nd, but double plays led by Gemini snagging line drive at 3rd and getting double play at 2nd as well as a 2nd double play with fly ball to Pep and getting double play at 1st....defense was strong, and we finished game early, onto the "Ship".......

PS Lil Sluggers-----------12

Fury----------------------0

Championship vs Outlawz

We made it, we survived Quarter and Semi to make it, and were we in for a battle......2 things changed...they brought 3 different players, players 1-3, they reached base 5 out of 9 trips and scored 4 of the 6 runs, though we have played them before, they were not the Outlawz we played on Saturday, those 3 made a HUGE difference.....the biggest difference, 3 hitter and their Pitcher, she threw gas!!!!! we touched her up back in Sept, to the tune of 7 straight hits and 5 runs in 1 inn........this time, well, she was 2 steps ahead of us, she continued to pepper the plate, we fell behind in counts, and she had a strong performance.......KFC kept us close, she pitched one of her best games, EVER!!! But we didn't have it in us to put together enough at bats to make any noise....we loaded the bases in the 1st inn, but that last out got us and she wiggled out of trouble, in the 4th Pep 2bs and Kandy 3b her home, that was all the noise we could make, we plated 1 run, just couldn't bunch any hits ....we hit several balls hard, but to their credit, they ran them all down, fielded them cleanly, and made the plays......63-64 mph, our victory was she only struck us out 2 times, they just made the plays they needed to make.....we had a scary moment, and the way you girls responded is something I will pass along to other Teams in the future.........we had defense set up for delayed steal, we read it right, we didn't execute, it allowed their runner to hit P at home while she was stretching to reach the ball, as player ran by her she clipped her with her "chicken wing"....it knocked air out of her, left her with a sore rib, after she regained her herself, she wanted to continue...we ran KandyKorn behind the plate, and P took to 1st base.....the girls showed emotion for our player that I haven't seen....THEY WERE READY TO FIGHT....my thoughts, after jawing with their Coach about the play, let's make this happen, girls, regain composure, play the game to the best of your ability, and this will take care of itself down the line............I found out in the process that the Outlawz have a bulls eye on the back of Lil Sluggers jerseys whenever we are around as Lil Sluggers has beat these players most of their playing days....Outlawz is a Team made up from 5-6 Teams that had been beaten up by us since they were 7 & 8 yrs old, they just took the best of the teams, and continue to have tryouts monthly, and Lil Sluggers is always on their radar, as we are the only Team they have faced that has stayed with same nucleus of players, they know who we have, and always hope they bring enough on that day to get us.....it made sense at the end, the celebration when they beat us, how loud it was when they beat us on Saturday by a run in the last inn......I now get how important it was for them.....they outplayed us on this day, I will carry this for a while with me, but if we are to meet again, I'm sure we can have a better game for them, regardless of what 9 players we have at the time, job well done ladies...........it took a 9 hour day to earn a 2nd place finish, but it was well worth it, cya on the diamond.............

PS Lil Sluggers---------------1

Outlawz---------------------6