Pirates Take on Shell Lake and Spooner

    Grantsburg 17 - Shell Lake 3           Grantsburg 23  -  Spooner 0

    Finally softball season has returned.  I have spent many weeks typing fake newsletters then throwing them away.  It is good to be back and it is good to be playing softball.  We graduated seven seniors last year and they will be missed.  We hope that things are going well for all of them.  Sasha was our catcher and she was great to have around.  She is gone.  Melissa came through with an impressive year.  She is gone.  Alyssa Ryan moved to second base last year and was also a starter on the state championship team.  She is gone.  Satin (AKA Michelle) was smooooth. She is gone.  Amanda was amazing as a senior.  She is gone. Maddie had a nice year.  She is gone.  Allison had a sweet swing.  She is gone.  Sarah used to play at third.  She has been moved to catcher.  Cody has been moved from right to center.  Emily has moved to the outfield.  Heather is not pitching and is in the outfield.  Holy cow...do we look different?  Bring on the 2009 version.  Tonight we will start Michelle as pitcher, Sarah as catcher, Annie at first. Tiffany at second, Ingrid at short, Romo at third, Emily in left, Cody in center, and Heather in right.   It is a new team.  It will make its own stories.  Some of the stories will be awesome.  Some will be terrible.  Some will be sad.  But most of them will be wonderful.  When the season is over, all we have left is stories.  So Me thinks....We should try and make some gooooood ones.  Don't look forward to the next game or the next tournament.  Enjoy today's practice.  Enjoy today's game.  Enjoy today's sunshine.  Enjoy today's rain.  Enjoy each other.  For this a short time in your life....so make the best of it.

I tried to find an animated gif for a Laker but did not find one.  So I spent a few minutes looking for a Rail, but did not find one there either so I had to settle for the old Pirate.  Perhaps a Laker refers to a fish...not sure.  and a rail.... could be one of Mr. Berg's birds.  And have you read the articles about North Dakota and nicknames?  Who will speak for the Pirates? or Hurley's team? But in the meantime I have a really cool video for you.  Sam and Jo had to prove to the team that they really wanted to come in and work out....so they here is a little video of the Wild Things.  Macy plays the ice jam while Jenn plays the Pine tree.

THANKS TO SCOTT Hoffman for all of today's pics...

And so at 4:00 we boarded the bus.  There was more food than I had seen for many months as we headed to Stillwater.  The players admired the Stillwater houses and wondered why we don't have houses like that in Grantsburg.  We drove passed Dale Schauls house (ex grantsburger) and saw where he bowhunts out of the neighbor's tree... Kevin, our bus driver remembered the shortcut and soon we were at the dome....very early...Shell Lake had been there a LOT longer.  After getting our yearly dose of laCrosse, we took the coin toss and lost...However!!!! If you ever want to start a season in the right direction, it was tonight.  Tiff walked, Cody reached on a fielder's choice.  Then the rockets started to go off.  Poor Don stood there at third with his healing knees and realized his only escape was to close his eyes and hope.  Mich hit the left center gap for a homerun.  Annie and Heather just about wrecked the ball with their line shots. Emily followed with her own line drive.  Tiff tripled down the line and Annie launched one to the soccer nets in left.  At this point the umps decided that balls hit to the far wall were going to be triples.  When the dust had cleared, the first inning gave Grantsburg 12 runs.  I think we were all impressed.  We were also a bit shocked when Shell Lake started their half of the inning with two hits.  The third batter also hit a line drive but it was snagged by Tiff at second.  She stepped on second for the double play and then.......realized that if she had been still thinking next play... we could have had a triple play...but Tiff let her go... She said it would have been too much excitement in the first inning.  Sheila probably could not take it. 

 As you look back at the this first game, the hitting for Grantsburg was very good.  Our fielding and decision making was very NOT good.  I guess that is why we practice.  Shell Lake was shocked early but I think they are a pretty good team.  I think they will do well.  They have new coaches this year and the entire team is heading in a nice direction.  We won't always hit like that in the first inning but it makes being the visitor a good thing.  It was realllllly good to see Sarah hitting some lasers.... And you coaches...note the closed front foot, the power L in the back and the hands out front.

For the game Mich pitched the first four with Jessica finishing the game.  Michelle, Annie, Heather, Emily and Sarah each picked up two hits. Tiff and Mich had four RBI's each.  Shell Lake did pick up five hits and was the recipient of three walks. The 2009 Pirates have a different look in the infield.

Then off to Culvers...right after we admired the 212 shirts on the Forest Lake players.  Grantsburg filled the place.  It was grand to see soo many fans and players....  GREAT to see Virginia Ryan.  We were allllll excited to have her join us.  She is a great fan and we are pleased that she could make it.  I was also excited when Mitch and Satin walked in.  And even though Oknyo  was playing jet set, we did talk about the old Black eye...and there is no pressure this year to write the newsletter.  If I didn't do it right away last year, Oknyo would give me grief. Somebody remind me how to spell it... We also appreciated this set of umps.  They are just fun to have around.

Game 2 was with Spooner.  They had only one senior and one junior on the team.  They were very young.  SCF had beaten them in the second round. Mich found her groove and pitched a much better second game. In her four innings of pitching, she struck out 12...yes that is correct with four in one inning. And we make less errors when we don't have to field the ball.  We also understand that against the best teams, we will be fielding the ball....a lot.  But for tonight, this is what Michelle looked like to the Spooner batters.

Tiff started the game with a single and was followed by Cody... Somehow we did not score.  In the second inning we busted lose for eight.  EC jacked one up!!! She smiled...mom smiled...we smiled...sore cheeks.  22 other runs followed Emily's HR> And...you don't want to hear the blow by blow so now for the summaries. Romo and Annie had three hits. Tiff, EC and Sarah picked up two each.  Gabbie had her first single since 7th grade. (did not play last year)  Finchy got on the board with a hit. Mac and Mc each picked up their first varsity single of their careers. In all we had 19 hits in the five inning game. Nicole is a frosh.  We usually have a pretty good time with them.  We teach them two things during their freshmen year... We always win the flip during home games...and if you concentrate you can catch half of the ball.

So what do I think?  We are kind of where we should be...the hitting was good.  the fielding was poor. It is hard to judge baserunning until we get to practice it outside. The energy seemed high.  We need to practice some focus for a few players. But it was a good start... we were pleased. 

Jess came in and finished both games.

And now.....the 212 summary....where in the game did 1 degree make a difference? Did we always get the extra base?  Did we know where every throw was supposed to go?  Did we take too big a step on our swings?  Did we see all of the signs?  It will be the LITTLE things that make the difference in BIG games.  Practice the little things!!

TWIS:  So what do you think of the new white helmets?  Somebody ask Cody and Romo why we call them BO.  Mac texts me at 11:00 at night and says...I may not be at practice because they may take out my appendix.....excuses, excuses..... We have to teach the boys how to take down the batting cage.  Thanks Swany for letting us use your gym last Wednesday.  Have you written the Amery double header on your calendar.  Lindy had more stories than all of you.  Sarah went to the St.Thomas camp...one of the best around.  Brian keeps the stats....more than anybody can ever read but very nice for us.  With only 14 on the team, the umps will like us a lot better...not as many subs.  We have actually practiced outside twice.  Don is getting faster each day. Heather's arm fell off but we found it.  Cody and EC skipped class. (shhhhhhhh)  Nicole actually talked at the last practice.  Jessica is imitating the Sevastapol pitcher.  and...speaking of nice guys, their coach is a really nice guy.  We talked with him at Steven's Point.  We also met the two new coaches for SCF.  I think they will new a nice job for the Saints.  The new windscreen looks grand...too bad for you who park in right field and listen on the radio...(there is still some room...get there early)  The Youth softball organization paid for the fence.  Romo could be the funniest person in the world.  She went to catch without her protector...the ump gave her grief..so the next inning she left her glove and then said to the ump.... what do you think of that?  WE found the heaters...it was awesome.  Cody's thumb is big..and so is Heather's.  We miss all of the parents from last year. But, it was nice to see the new set of parents. SCF has new uniforms, and played very well.  Good luck at the ACT today...hope you remember how to spell it. Ing lost her phone.. any ideas?  We turned the bus around and went back and looked.  Sorry about the texts...guess I can't spell.  Paul Hedlund is always there and sooo willing to help.  The people that hang around softball are just nice.  Tiff's new glasses seem to work. Did you like the white helmets?  Lindy, Lindy, Lindy. Does anybody remember the time she hung upside down on the center field fence?  Buddy and Sena...hope to see you Tuesday.  My camera didn't work in the dome so I hope Scott has sent me an email.  By the way..did you hear about Trent's freak accident and the huge sliver that was removed by the Doc??? wow  and when he told his Grandma, he got the FP mixed up with the VD.  Glad he is improving.  Early practice this week...Be on the field by 3:45.  YES, we will slide!!! Yes, it will be cold!!! So I hope everybody had a good fire this last weekend... 8:03 still by the phone.gggg

And finally...... Some of you get this.. but Don and I are pretty lucky to be able to work with these athletes.  We consider it an honor and have a tremendous amount of fun.  They are just great kids and I look forward to practice every single day. So now mark this page as one of your favs.  Knowing the inside information will make you more a part of the team.  Then email some of your relatives this URL so they can keep in touch.  We also have the ability this year to have streaming video of the home games.  But...do you think anybody would be there to watch???  Me either. And for song selection this year.... We won't let the players pick..we will make it easy listening...  Home games Tuesday and Thursday...can't wait.

212.

SYBTF