Good day for my pitcher

[Catdad]

My 12u dd played in her teams first scrimmage of the season this weekend. It was a 4 team mini “tournament” where team played 3 games. First 2 games she played first base. In their final game she pitched. She did well but the rest of her team forgot how to play defense. It was painful to watch. Should have been out of the inning 10 times at least. But she held it together and kept throwing strikes. It was so bad the other teams players and parents felt bad for her.
Finally got out of the inning. Thankfully her team remembered how to hit. My girl hit a triple at her next at bat, then came out and threw a 4 pitch inning to finish out the game for the win.
Hard lesson but I told her those kind of innings make her stronger.

 

[Shiloh]

My DD once had 11 strikeouts, in one inning! For real.
Team went through 3 catchers, none of whom could catch the third strike.
They finally put the SS at catcher and got out of it.

I feel for your DD, but those kinds of games (a) make for great stories to tell years later, and (b) build all kinds of character and resilience.

Congrats to both of you.

 

[Catdad]

Her catcher was great and it was not one player’s fault. A lot of miscommunication on fly balls and throwing errors. The coach is a great motivator and got their heads back in the game for the last inning.

 

[uncdrew]

I hope the team gets better, but it is a great lesson for a pitcher. Do what you can, shrug off the rest.

We were the same way for a few years. When we finally found a team with a solid defense, the results were amazing. Her wins, ERA, WHIP, and most importantly her happiness... all improved greatly.

Getting a 1-0 seven inning complete game win is awesome (for the pitcher's dad).

 

[NJSwampdragons]

That happened to my 11-year old daughter during a game in a tourney this past fall. Last inning became an error fest. Team had a huge lead. She eventually got pulled with 2 outs, and they bring in the #4 pitcher (only tourney action this girl would see all fall). 2nd batter she faces, ground ball to short out at 1st - game over. Not so fast, the call gets overturned and eventually they end up losing.

My daughter was devastated, but nearly every player came up to her and said it wasn’t her fault. Next day her team mercies the same team, then my DD pitches 3 no-hit innings in the championship game and they beat a 2nd-year team they lost to the day before. My DD pitched the whole weekend with this painful hip bruise, so really gutted it out that weekend without her best stuff. The team probably played the best defense that day of the entire fall after being terrible the day before.

Defense is so unpredictable at 12-u. It drives my wife crazy, but that’s a different topic. Hopefully it builds character for the pitchers.

 

[jsoftballcoach]

We call it the “never ending inning” and I’m pretty sure happens to every pitcher at some point. Good times

It happened last year to DDs teammate and we’re watching her pitch on TV today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk