My second year 12U DD is pitching up on our 14U inter league rec team. Due to competition from travel teams and other sports our 14U division has not been able to field enough teams for intra league play over the past 4 - 5 years. Rather than merge the 12U and 14U divisions as we have done in the past the league decided this year to join a 14U rec inter league. The benefit is the 14U play more games and get to experience a higher level of competition. The downside is a couple of the leagues we play against are MUCH bigger than ours (275 us versus 450 - 500 them). Last night we were playing against the #1 team from the largest of the other leagues. My DD's PC is very familiar with this league and worked with her earlier in the week on a new pitching strategy for this game.
The PC told my DD that throwing fastballs against these players would not be very effective. My DD has a very good fastball with excellent location but this team eats up fastball pitchers. The PC stressed to my daughter that she would have to pitch smarter to win this game. The core of the strategy was her 3 - 2 rule. No more than three of the same pitches in a row and no more than 2 pitches in the same location in a row. In addition she was limited to throwing ONE fastball an inning. The other pitches had to be change-ups, drops or risers. The whole idea was to keep the other team off balance the entire game.
First Inning: She used her one fastball for this inning on the first pitch. No damage done, it appears the batter was taking the pitch to evaluate her speed. Following her PCs strategy she threw a CU inside on the next pitch for strike two. She then followed up with a riser that the batter swung WAY under. One out. The next batter hit a soft dribbler back to her on the first pitch, CU, for the second outt. The last batter struck out looking on 5 pitches, the strike out pitch being a drop to the outside part of the plate.
Second through Fifth: Very similar to the first inning. I do have to give credit to their coach. He recognized the strategy being used and made adjustments with the hitters. She averaged about 1 K an inning and gave up 4 hits and 1 run.
Sixth Inning: This was our last inning and since we were visitors the other team had last ups. We were up 3 - 1 and I could tell my daughter was tiring. The first batter up hit a solid line drive to left center field off a riser that had too little speed. Ended up being a chest high fastball. The outfield held her to a single. No outs, runner on first. I paid my daughter a visit to the mound and she told me she could do this. What happened next surprised me. My daughter called time and talked to her catcher. The very next pitch was a 4 seam fastball high and off the plate. The catcher caught it smoothly and immediately came up throwing to second as the base runner was stealing. I found out after the game the PC had worked with my daughter and her catcher on a pitch out just for this situation. The putout knocked the wind out of the other team and the next two batters went down on strikes and we won the game.
I am very impressed with my DD and the fact that she won the game by pitching with her brain and by following the PCs strategy.
The PC told my DD that throwing fastballs against these players would not be very effective. My DD has a very good fastball with excellent location but this team eats up fastball pitchers. The PC stressed to my daughter that she would have to pitch smarter to win this game. The core of the strategy was her 3 - 2 rule. No more than three of the same pitches in a row and no more than 2 pitches in the same location in a row. In addition she was limited to throwing ONE fastball an inning. The other pitches had to be change-ups, drops or risers. The whole idea was to keep the other team off balance the entire game.
First Inning: She used her one fastball for this inning on the first pitch. No damage done, it appears the batter was taking the pitch to evaluate her speed. Following her PCs strategy she threw a CU inside on the next pitch for strike two. She then followed up with a riser that the batter swung WAY under. One out. The next batter hit a soft dribbler back to her on the first pitch, CU, for the second outt. The last batter struck out looking on 5 pitches, the strike out pitch being a drop to the outside part of the plate.
Second through Fifth: Very similar to the first inning. I do have to give credit to their coach. He recognized the strategy being used and made adjustments with the hitters. She averaged about 1 K an inning and gave up 4 hits and 1 run.
Sixth Inning: This was our last inning and since we were visitors the other team had last ups. We were up 3 - 1 and I could tell my daughter was tiring. The first batter up hit a solid line drive to left center field off a riser that had too little speed. Ended up being a chest high fastball. The outfield held her to a single. No outs, runner on first. I paid my daughter a visit to the mound and she told me she could do this. What happened next surprised me. My daughter called time and talked to her catcher. The very next pitch was a 4 seam fastball high and off the plate. The catcher caught it smoothly and immediately came up throwing to second as the base runner was stealing. I found out after the game the PC had worked with my daughter and her catcher on a pitch out just for this situation. The putout knocked the wind out of the other team and the next two batters went down on strikes and we won the game.
I am very impressed with my DD and the fact that she won the game by pitching with her brain and by following the PCs strategy.
