So, we took second place. The guys were so dejected, watching Lubbock do the dogpile on the mound, and posing with their National Championship banner.
All day I was saying, "Win or lose..." - as in "Win or lose, we're all going to go out and celebrate how well we did" or "Win or lose, this has been an amazing experience" or even "Win or lose, I'm really looking forward to going home." #2 and #3 are still true. I'm writing this from home, and the first thing I did was take a nap on my own bed. Dean made a wonderfully simple dinner of broiled chicken, brown rice, and salad. It was heaven after a week of burgers, fries, pizza, biscuits and gravy, and so many things I don't eat on a regular basis.
The game: our starting pitcher just didn't have it. He only went 1/3 inning and gave up 5 runs. His reliever, another of our winning starters, gave up another 5 runs, and the score was 10-7 after four innings.
The positive: Davis made an appearance, and really made the most of it. He pitched three innings. In the 5th he put up a zero, and again in the 6th, and gave up 1 run in the 7th. He had two strikeouts, one walk, and gave up four hits. Dean and I tried not to text frantically back and forth during his outing. He looked great. Dean said the announcers on the web used the word "phenomenal." This mom's heart got what it had been waiting for all week, so despite the monumental team disappointment, I came home happy. I have to admit I was a bit depressed this morning, after waving goodbye to the team bus, to see that the newspaper coverage concentrated on the struggles of our first two pitchers without notice of the reliever that gave us a chance to get back in the game. I guess there's always something to disappoint us, isn't there?
The Point Loma website has some nice things to say, and some nice pictures. I'm even in a couple. Here's the article. At the top there's a link to the pictures. http://www.pointloma.edu/Athletics/AthleticsEvents/Baseball_NAIA_World_Series_vs_Lubbock_Christian_19155.htm
The Lewiston crowd that we sat with all week was as happy for me as I was, I think. I told them my palms were clammy and I was nervous, and after seeing him face a couple of batters they asked why I should be nervous! One man reminded me to get a picture of that zero on the scoreboard after each inning. I did, but my camera doesn't have a powerful enough zoom, so it's pretty fuzzy. I may just have to invest in a new camera!
At the end of the game and the award of plaques and all-tournament honors (several of our players received them, and our team received the character award), the Lubbock team moved to right field to pose for pictures under the scoreboard, and their parents were allowed onto the field to take pictures. Then the towns people were allowed onto the field, and the kids raced to right field to collect caps or any other gifts from the winning team. (The man next to me pointed out his grandson racing across the grass.) Then they came over to our team looking for gifts and autographs. By this time the Point Loma parents were also allowed on the field. Our team prays together after each game, and the kids waited patiently until we were done. Our players gave away hats and signed autographs for kids and adults alike. One man had a tournament T-shirt and was having the whole team sign it. A little boy named Alex had been following our 2nd baseman Alex Cameron all week; he'd had him sign a bat the night before and was having him sign a ball last night.
Another nice feel of the community: the pastor of the church we visited last Sunday came to every game, and sat near me most games. I had Davis' camera to take pictures during the game, and realized about the 3rd inning last night that the batteries were shot. Fortunately they are only AA. The pastor went to the store and bought batteries and came back -- before Davis went in the game. That's just too cool!
I got to share the first leg of the team's flight home. They flew to Oakland, and changed planes to go to San Diego. I even sat with Davis! The team seemed to be doing OK. Many of them stayed up all night fishing and hanging around. Davis and I talked, read, and slept. It was very nice. ... So, this week I changed my flight home twice, extended the car rental twice, changed hotels once, extended the hotel stay once ... NEXT YEAR I'll plan to be there for the whole thing, and then if for some strange reason we leave early, I'll only change it all once. The team tasted it this year -- they'll know what they're playing for next year. I hope we're back next year.
Last night when I came down to the field, Davis had tears in his eyes and said "thank you for being here for this." I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
Two pictures - one, the team praying after the game, with the town kids waiting nearby. Two, a mammoth burger we had at the town's famous burger place, Effie's. It's a pound, and four of us split it. They make the buns themselves (where else would you find one that size), and it was really delicious! Former Point Loma player (and older brother of Alex) Taylor Cameron is holding it up for me.
Signing off -
~ Claire
No comments:
Post a Comment