No Repeat in Orlando

The Disney clan were not so nice to us this weekend in Orlando. As I mentioned, we were playing in the "World Series" for another softball organization, ISA, this weekend. Compared to the 250 team event last weekend, this weekend's event seemed mch more doable with only 29 teams. The rules are slightly different and the ball is much more lively. Our long ball hitters should benefit by being able to reach the fences as needed and our singles hitters should be able to benefit from the outfielders playing deeper.

Those were both true, but they didn't help us enough. We didn't have a few talented players down with us this week as one tore his achilles last weekend when he got hit with a bat that was tossed out of the way (and into his leg) by the opposing teams catcher, another had another tournament to go to with his "primary" team and a third tweaked his back. No worries, we still had a pretty good squad.

Though our first game was close through 5 or 6 innings, I think it was 10-5 after 6 maybe, they hit forever in the seventh to make the final score 25-6. Ugh. We gave away 6 outs on the hitting side early unfortunately. This organization has a one home run rule at our level. So you can hit one home run a game, but the second one will end your inning no matter how many outs you have. We hit a home run in the first inning to take a 3-1 lead I think. Fine. Then in the third inning, our first batter in the inning hit the very first pitch for a home run, ending the inning. In the fifth, we had two guys on with no one out and we hit another home run, ending the inning again. So hitting in the 8th spot I only got up to bat twice and was 0-2, one good at bat and one bad.

Which took us to this morning, where we benefitted from yet another forfeit. Our coach noted that on field three in that complex, we were 2-1 for the week while scoring zero runs! We were scheduled to play on that field last weekend and got a forfeit and then lost our last game of the tournament there 4-0. This weekend we got another forfeit there.

Our next game wasn't as bad as yesterday's, but it still wasn't good. The power outage continued and we lost 15-5. My defense wasn't good at all today and I was only 1-2 hitting. Maybe it was the busy week or the second weekend of heat or what but I didn't have nearly as good a tournament as last weekend.

To top it off, I misread my departure time and missed my flight out of Orlando. The skycap tried to book me on the last flight that could get me to Chicago, but I only had 10 minutes to get through the airport, through security, on the tram and to my gate. I did not make it. The plane was still there at the gate, but they had just closed the doors. Damnit.

Fortunately I was able to retrieve my luggage, was able to get a ride back to the resort and was able to get back to the room I was staying in on Friday. So I guess, when all is said and done, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I fly out in the morning, still in time to see the Bears/Eagles on Sunday night. Bearssssssss.