This is one awesome team

Rob was laughing as we dropped Brandon off for his last games saying "wouldn't it be the pits if we didn't have enough players show up to the playoffs and we had to forfeit?" Well he wasn't too far off the mark. As game time came around things were looking really bad. We were 2 players short of having a full field and one player short of not having a penalty every time the not-so-ninth batter got up to bat. To top it all off we were blessed with the same umpire who messed us up the game before. At this point we were just hoping to hang in there and not be trampled by the team who started the playoffs in last place. We were just hoping for 2nd place at best.

We got the home team advantage and started the game. It was so hard to see the outfield so empty. There was only three people in the outfield and no 2nd baseman, but I'll tell you, these boys were all over the place. We were able to hold the other team to 1 point while we got 3. This was an amazing feat considering that we were underfielded and we got an automatic out every time we got through the batting order. It ended up being a great game and we held onto 2nd place. The umpire came through for us too. He had been reminded before the game that he needed to be more fair and he did great.

In order to take 1st place we had to beat the D-Backs twice that same night. That meant that we would have to play three games with the handicap that we had. I will spare you the suspense from here. We played our little hearts out and for awhile we really had hope where there seemed to be none. We were able to hold them really well, but with the automatic out we just could not get the runs in. The final score of the game was 5-1. It was fun to see his coach move those little players all over the field as different players got up to bat. He knew exactly where they were going to hit it every time and most of the time those kids were able to get outs because of it. It was awesome and they did far better than I would have given them credit for.

We got 2nd place in the playoffs. WE. Did you hear that? I was on that team. At least some of the mothers wondered if I was. I was literally having anxiety attacks during those two games.

But here is the greatest highlight of all. Brandon is one of the youngest most inexperienced players on that team. He was lucky to get a hit here and there and he got on base about half of the time, he stopped some great balls that came into the outfield, and he got to play third base off and on. He had a great play that I highlighted before from third base but he was not really ever involved in getting a real out, until the last inning in the last game of the season...

He was playing on second base (never done that until this inning). There was 2 outs, a runner (the scary pitcher from the team and a great player) on 2nd, only one player to cover shortstop and third base. Now I don't rightly remember the play that sent the runner on second toward third, but the shortstop had the ball and started to chase him back to 2nd. As the runner got closer to 2nd the kid threw it to Brandon. They had him in a pickle. I was beside myself. My heart was ready to bust out of my chest. (It is beating a little fast even as I speak type now.) Brandon catches it and the runner turns and runs from him. Brandon chucks it to the shortstop and the shortstop starts to chase the runner BACK to 2nd. Oh have mercy! Please just tag the kid, but no. He throws it back to Brandon who catches it and is knocked down by the runner as he is sliding into the base, and Brandon swipes his mitt at the kid and tags him BEFORE he touches the base. I. was. ecstatic! I have never yelled so loud that my lungs have burned before in my life. I don't even think Jeremy's cow call had anything on me last night. He had a smile on his face that went from ear to ear despite the injury to his man parts that came from being knocked to the ground. There were no tears there.

Anyway, thanks for endearing with me. I am going to be sad to see it end. It was quite an entertaining season. Here are some pictures (from our cell phone as I somehow forgot the camera) of their trophy ceremony.

Don't quite know where the standing at attention comes from, but check out that same smile that never left his face.

Take a look at these 8 little men that pulled off such a great night of games.