Softball Szn: Nowhere to go but up

Look, not every monumental season starts off well. I could throw you a bunch of clichés about athletes who failed to live up to expectations in their first game only to have fantastic careers. That would make it seem like I am deflecting though.

A little backstory, I posted the news about my un-retirementfrom softball with the hopes to get on base 75% of the time yesterday. Give it a read.

I knew a key way for me, to get on base was taking pitches and hitting the ball on the ground. I did one of those things a lot and did the other one zero times.

Just in case you are wondering, We Got Runs lost in five innings, but that is not the point. My quest for the .750 On-Base Percentage (OBP) is also at an 0-fer at the moment. But, as always, stats don’t tell the whole story.

First off, the team we were playing took batting practice for a while before the game. That seemed unfair considering our team had to hustle to make it on time since we have jobs. Whatever.

Another little side note but since no one will talk about my fielding, I made 2 good plays and 1 bad play; solid fielding percentage. Also, I went after a pop fly that I had no chance of catching. The ball hit the line, but thanks to our first baseman shielding the ump and me throwing my hands in the air, that ball was called foul. You don’t see that type of softball smarts in the stats sheet. But defense is not the name of the game this season.

At bat number 1

With a runner on first, and no one out, the team was down 2-1. They needed some production at the plate. Hitters in front of me were jumping on the first pitch with plenty of positive results, so I felt the needed to do the same. I hit the ball on the ground to the left side. I respected 90, and got to first. Sad part was, their infield was able to get the lead runner out at second for the first out of the inning. The next batter grounded out as well, but I got to second base before there could a play. Again, the infield was able to get an out on a ground ball.

With two down and a runner on second, our 10-hole hitter knocked a base hit to left field. Our third base coach, conveniently in the dug out on the first base side, told me to go home and I turned the jets on.

Was I willing to run over the catcher? Yes. We needed that run. Lucky for him, the throw got away and I scored.

I looked it up later and none of this counts towards my OBP. It does show, though, that I have speed that needs to be respected.

At bat number 2

A tougher situation came around in my next at bat. We had two down, and were trailing by a few runs. Again, there was a runner on first, but this time he would be leaving on contact.

In my first at bat, I noticed the pitcher was throwing a little short, causing me to heave at the ball. I went up to the plate, with the mindset of taking a couple of pitches to allow the hitter behind me the chance to pick up his first RBI of the season.

Naturally, I swung on the first pitched and hit a bouncer back to the pitcher. Again, I respected 90, but was thrown out at first.

The game was called after the other team got up 10 in the fifth, so I never got my third at-bat.

Overall, not the best start. I can admit that. But the season is not one game long. I know what to expect and I have a strategy for my next game. If anything, this is going to be a game other softball players think about when they start the season off rough and are looking for something positive to turn it all around.