Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Get Out the Broom...We Just Swept

Greetings from the softball field, here’s the latest update. This past weekend we played Western Illinois and had senior day because it was the last conference home series this season. Well, we swept Western, senior weekend went off with a bang, and I hit a WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM to end the 1st game on Friday. Man, what an amazing feeling. I am quite positive that as I was rounding the bases and heading for home that I had the cheesiest grin on my face that reached from ear to ear. It was awesome!

Let me take you back…here’s how it happened. In the bottom of the 6th the game was tied up and we held them scoreless, so we went into extra innings. It was the bottom of the 8th with 2 outs and Mic gets on by an error, so then it’s my turn. Montgomery calls me over to give an “inspiring speech” (contents unnecessary) and then I step into the batter’s box. The 1st pitch was thrown, outside corner rise ball up at the letters, and I swing. I had a feeling as soon as I hit it that it was gone because I got all of it, I mean if you swung the bat and ever got a hold of the whole thing on the sweetest part of your bat, you know its going the distance; and it did! The funny thing about this moment was that, this season in particular I have become notorious for letting the 1st pitch by, but for some reason it just seemed right.Thank goodness, success. We won that game 6-2 in the bottom of the 8th.

Game two was a smoke out. Western didn’t have a chance, we took the bull by the horns and ran with it scoring 7 runs in the 1st 4 innings while keeping the Westernwinds at 0. They ended up scoring 1 in the 6th with bases loaded, but a stop by pitcher Lauren Highsmith (Smity) and our awesome defense slammed the door to the only momentum Western could muster. J-mar another senior, hit her 1st homerun of the season to be added to the club (the home run club) and on senior weekend no less. It was great it was 1st and 3rd and she jacked it over the left field fence and onto the deck. Good thing none of the deckers were out there otherwise they definitely would have gotten hit. We won the game 7-1 with a thunder and lighting delay in the 7th inning that delayed the game for almost an hour just to play two outs. It was crazy, but once the radars were clear we were allowed to return and cleaned house with the next 3 batters. Good job Smity!

It was looking so promising that Flo would hit a homerun in the last game. I mean, I hit the granny in the 1st game, J hit the 3-run shot in the 2nd game, and since Lyn was out due to surgery and shoulder injury, it just seemed logically. Sadly though it didn’t happen, but we still swept Western Illinois 2-1 in the final game on Saturday. Before the game the four seniors Flo, J, Lyn, and I were presented with gifts from the coaches and girls to commiserate our four/five years here as a Centenary Lady. From the coaches, we received a plaque with an action shot taken at some point in our college career and from the girls we received a collage with loving notes on the back from each girl to us. All and all, it was a perfect day even though I went 0 for 1 with a 1-3 (hit to the pitcher), a walk, and a sac bunt to move runners. I was and still am pretty satisfied with my performance for the weekend, definitely a great way to send our senior year out in style! This Tuesday we play our last home of the season against Northwestern State whom we played last weekend and won 3-1 because freshman Bonnie Matak blasted a 2-run homer. (Bonnie is what I call my little protégé, a story for another day.) This Tuesday we hope to clinch the title of undefeated against all of our in-state rivals (LaTech, Northwestern, Grambling, etc). Until then…

“Live everyday to the fullest because we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.”
RIP Big Dan

~Weady #22

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