This was a first for DD......

Playing in a very competitive tourney today (14U "A"), third round of the winners bracket. DD was pitching a great game. I think the score was 2-1 we were winning, 2 outs bases empty. The 4 hole comes up, big girl who smokes the ball regardless of the pitch location. The first two at bats DD altered speeds, hit her spots, etc....and the girl still roped the ball. The girl hugged the plate and just had one of those looks like "ha ha ha, I'm gonna crush whatever you give me". The kind of kid you want in your team. Anyway, you know the type......

So, I was sitting there in my chair along the fence trying to keep my mouth shut and let DD's coach do his job. I don't know what pitch sequence he was calling but it appeared to me that he was calling waste pitches just trying to keep the ball from going out of the park which was the best thing to do in my opinion since there was 2 outs and no one in base. DD had struck out the 5 hole twice already. Third pitch of the at bat DD puts one way inside trying to send her a message to scoot of the plate. Batter never moves and gives DD a chuckle and gets right back on the dish. Fourth pitch was a fireball straight to the ribs. The girl hunches over but is okay and walks down to first base while DD is staring at her the whole with a look on her face only a parent knows. The look that says "I know I should not have done that but man did it feel good". After the game I did not ask her what the coach called or if she meant to plunk that girl but I think we both know wether or not she meant to, the next time she faces that girl, she probably won't be as close to the plate. I couldn't help but be proud of her, right or wrong, I was proud of her for being a competitor. Anyway, I'd thought I would share the experience as I thought it was a good one.

5 hole comes up and hits a dink slow roller to first base to end the inning. We end up winning 3-1.

Sounds like you should sleep with one eye open if the DD is mad at you.

great story. SOunds like your daughter handled the situation just as was needed.

Boomers
I am guessing that DD is one that will have the courage to throw a change up on a 3-2 count.....awesome! Pitching is not for the meek.

How did you not ask her if it was on purpose? I would have had to know.

Love it.... I don't know your dd personally, but any self respecting pitcher facing a beast that crowds needs to stay inside and mix speeds well and it sounds like she did it as well as poss. I'm never okay with hitting a batter on purpose, but if an inside screw gets a little wide..... $#!+ happens. I'd rather see a beast standing on 1st, rubbing a sore spot, rather than her rounding third with high fives awaiting at the dish. Good job

In the grand scheme of things your daughter gave the batter a free ride. If she's going to go around purposely hitting batters then she better be tough, because it will come back around. If she felt trapped, as in she didn't have a suitable place to pitch, then use this as a learning opportunity. She can always switch to a strategy of pitching relative to the batter, as opposed to relative to the plate.

Given the situation trying to get the inside part of the plate back is a good idea but she needs to start in the second inning. Hopefully she did not feel like she did not have any tools in her arsenal because if the base are loaded and you are up one she has to figure out how to get her out. Also usually if you are not getting the inside the river and white of the other batters box is open and changing speeds is usually your next best tool but given the situation take the W and move on.

On a side note it is really annoying to see girls crowd the plate, but usually the only reason they are crowding so bad is the umpire is calling the white of the other batters box and won't call the inside quarter of the plate the only two options the batters have is to get their toes on the line or get called out on "outside"strikes they could not reach with a 36in bat.

djcarter1966 said:

On a side note it is really annoying to see girls crowd the plate, but usually the only reason they are crowding so bad is the umpire is calling the white of the other batters box and won't call the inside quarter of the plate the only two options the batters have is to get their toes on the line or get called out on "outside"strikes they could not reach with a 36in bat.

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I'm pretty sure the #1 reason is to put pressure on the pitcher and that this is #2. And what size guys I mean girls do you have on your team that swing a 36" bat?

Not sure this is a good thing. The batter got into the pitchers head and "won"'with a free base. I would have liked to have seen her try to get a great hitter out (maybe induce her to pop up, weak grounder, or even strike her out). The only way to get better at getting a great hitter out is by attempting to do it. Plucking them serves no purpose, especially late in the game. Maybe the inside pitch got away from her, that happens, but it sounds like you think she did this on purpose and are proud of it.