2008 NSA World Series

There's so much to talk about I know I won't get to everything, so I'll just start babbling.

We left for Columbus, OH at 8:20 on the morning of the 19th and arrived right around 3 o'clock. I was amazed at how well the kids behaved during that 470 mile long trek westward. We stayed at Embassy Suites, which is designed so that all rooms face a large atrium. After stressing for weeks about the cost of this place, I'm glad we decided to stay there. The whole team stayed there, and the kids could have some freedom while the adults socialized in the atrium area. In other words, my twins couldn't escape my sight, at least when they changed locations. We all had some issues with some of the things hotel management did, or didn't do, but at least the physical space was ideal for us.

We didn't know what to expect from the teams we were to face this week. All of them had to qualify for this tournament by playing and, supposedly, doing well in local NSA tournaments. Apparently, some teams got there because all the other teams in their area already qualified (thus the berths move to the next teams down the line) because the first team we played were not that good, at least on Monday when we played. LSL won that first game 23-1.

The second game, on Tuesday morning, was against the Indiana Dreams, the Indiana state champs, I think. They were a tougher challenge, but we beat them by a score of 4-0. On Tuesday afternoon we played the QC Firebirds. These girls beat LSL and sent them home on Wednesday last year. We beat them 7-1. On Wednesday we played the Delaware Magic, who we've played several time in local tournaments. They tied us once, but usually have not been that hard to beat. This time we beat them 10-0 in four innings.

Thursday is when you start seeing the harder competition. The teams still in town have been winning their games. Our first game of Thursday was against the IN Diamond Chix. This was almost our worst game of the tournament. Most of the girls were playing very flat, not hitting the ball, and making errors. We wound up wining 2-1 but everyone was very worried that the girls were taking this tournament as seriously as they should.

Our worries were justified in the next game, Thursday afternoon, against our arch-rivals (and off-the-field-best-buddies) the Philadelphia Spirit, who also happened to be staying at our hotel. With a shared record of 3-3-1, the Spirit wanted to tip the scales in their favor more than our girls did, at least until the chips were down. In the first inning, compounded by a lack of offense and an abundance of defensive errors, Philly scored six runs. We were in a giant hole. Apparently that's where our girls wanted to start from because they came back with a big, five-run inning of their own and only lost by a score of 9-7. This was our first loss so got bumped into the Loser's bracket, meaning we have to win five straight games on Friday if we want first place. It also means that eventually, we'll probably have to play Philly again.

Friday morning, 9:45 am, starts a string of games that defied all expectations. We faced the Indy Dreams again and shut them out for a 10-0 win. Then the Ohio state champions, the Ohio Ice, were beaten by a score of 6-2. While we were playing the Ice, the Spirit were experiencing their first tournament loss to the KY Diamond Cats.

Our third game on Friday was for a shot at the championship game with the Diamond Cats. We had to even the score with the Spirit first. And we did. With a score of 7-4, we beat them and were guaranteed at least a second place finish. This was about when I got that priceless hug. As soon as the game ended, after the usual ecstatic cheering, both teams met on the pitcher's mound and danced and cheered together. I was dumbstruck (a very unusual occurrence) at how the girls instantly forgot they were softball rivals, trying to pulverize each other on the diamond, and became the friends that we've been watching play together all week at our hotel. They even stayed for the next game to cheer LSL on in the contest between us and KY.

Now, Ali Caulkins, our pitcher, is just someone who is so special I have to take some time out right here to gush over her. So far this week, she had pitched almost every pitch in the nine games we'd played. She had overcome probably a dozen errors in the previous three games in a row to get us to this next game. I don't think I'll ever meet another ten year old with so much heart and ability as this girl has. Now she has to face the KY Diamond Cats. On this Friday, KY had only played one game to our three and were well rested. Ali pitched a game that was 3-2 (KY) until the very last inning. A few fatigue-induced fielding errors led LSL to a loss to only the second team to beat them this year. They took second place in a national tournament, an accomplishment matched only once by the LSL 10U organization.

In the end, the Philadelphia Spirit players were with our players, in the dugout and celebrating on the field right along with their softball rivals and friends. They spent one last night at the hotel together, playing and enjoying themselves before they go back home to start a whole new season of girl's fast pitch softball.

The new season, by the way, starts with tryouts on Aug. 9. Have a good two weeks off, girls!