It's a Walk Off!

After a tiring journey to that far away place for an afternoon meeting I regained some stamina and drove down to Lincoln Park after work. I shimmied down the hill while Ercan carried my chair. Some of my favorite people from other teams came over and checked on me. Their support means a lot to me. We're one big kickball family.

My team, like always, began to slowly assimilate as we were about to face off against the team that runs the league, All About That Base.  Scouting report like always with them is to be mindful of the base runners and don't kick it to Elyse in left field :). They will keep running. It's best to get the ball back to the pitcher and force the play to stop! It only looked like they had 4 players from their original squad, but still.

They won the rock paper scissors and elected to be the away team like always. The game started out slow. My other main pitcher was unavailable for the game. My main monster/shortstop player was also unavailable due to injury.  We just got word earlier in the day that the other girl on my team that got knee bonked by a bulldozer girl in the game before the game I got hurt, found out her diagnose. Torn ACL & MCL. Ouch! We're not having great luck this season in the injury department!

Craig took over pitching and pitched fantastic. Earlier in the day he officially became our team's co-captain which is something I certainly needed to suss out sooner than later. He's fully capable, able, and willing which were my three conditions. I've got faith in him to keep the ship afloat and on taget.

All About That Base's lead off runners got on base each time they were up but he managed to pitch out of those jams every time. It stunk not being able to go out there and throw but I was happy to give Craig the opportunity to roll, an opportunity he always clamors for when he plays for my team and I subsequently hog all the innings. Ha. He's fully capable throwing it. He might not have the corkscrew english I put on my pitch, but he's got the bounce which can be trickier to kick anyway.

The game was tied 1-1 for many innings. We play 6 inning games. In the bottom of the 6th we were unable to break thru. In the bottom of the 7th we were unable to break thru.  If we are still tied after 8 innings we go to a kick off. A kick off is where one player kicks from home plate, and the closest kick to second base wins the game. Let's not do that. I believe our team has only had to do that once or twice since I've played.

In the bottom of the 8th, Steve Rodway (batting .826 this season) lead off and got on base. Craig kicked a moon ball to the pitcher for the first out. Jay got on base but got hung up on the base paths when Frank kicked and ended up out at second. With two outs, Steve on third, Frank on first, Alex came to the plate. Get a kick Alex. Just get a kick. Alex poked it into right field and that was that!  We won!! Walk off style!!

The win felt good. It was much needed for our team.  There was a couple B.S. calls and I may have ran my mouth a tiny bit but it all worked out in the end. There was an obstruction call at first base made against us at one point and not called the same way against the other team. I know these things happen and I can relate since I ref a lot, but it did feel annoying that it wasn't called consistently.

Craig pitched all 8 innings and only allowed 1 run. Frank and Steve do what they do and got on base nearly every time they were up. Alex went 3-3 and delivered the timely hit at the end.  Dave and Steve played a great two headed monster at short/monster.  Only one ball dropped due to 'lack of calling it' which is how they scored the only run.  All in all, a good game for us to get back to our winning ways and show us that we can do this without some of our key players.  I was proud :)  Elyse even dropped one in the outfield and I've never seen that in my 6 years playing WAKA Kickball!

After the game my team enjoyed watching and videoing me scooting backwards up the hill.  Hey at least I can still make people happy with my infectiously awesome attitude about life! Most of my team went to celebrate at Cafe Hollywood. I went home. I'm not quite ready for that full crutchlife out and about on the town and I hadn't yet got my handicap parking permit for my car.

It was great to get out and see everybody even if I had to just watch. This is what I do now, I recap our games. Lol. Even if the walk off win was more of a scoot off for me, it felt really good to win!

The Box celebrates victory!