Once upon a time, the Miami Squirts fastpitch softball team went to Provincials. The little team from the little town came out of nowhere… Ok, no. Not entirely nowhere. They did do really well last year, and they went to Provincials then too. But this year was different. This year, the girls won 13 of 14 league games, and 6 of 9 tourney games – 19 out of 23 games in total. It won them the gold medal for being first in our league!

I had this entire story all written out twice today, and the damn computer crashed each time (and I tell my authors to make sure to save!). I’ve told it a lot so far, both in person and through email and chats, but I neglected the blog. My apologies…

Might I say that we had the best looking team out there? All the girls wore black shorts, black knee socks, black or mostly black cleats, the team jersey in a smart forest green with bright white lettering, white caps with forest green “Miami” in the same font as the jerseys. For those with longer hair (all but Care), they had pigtails braided and done with mostly green bands. The only one that was different for the first day was Nic, and if she’d changed from her red slider and slider shorts to black, we’d have been pooched, I’m sure – that and at least I always know who Nic is. There were other girls wearing white slider shorts, but they were hardly noticable under the regular black shorts.

None the less, Miami Squirts are a damn good looking bunch.

As Coach Wally says though, looks don’t mean a thing if you don’t know what you’re doing on the field, and he and Dolly have done a spectacular job giving the girls what they need to play so well.

Friday afternoon, my mother and the girls and I arrived in Landmark. Landmark is like every other small town in Manitoba, but they have a great ball complex. Four diamonds (actually, I saw six, but two were in heavy dis-repair) that were groomed impecably. Close to the time we needed to be on the field, we moved from one diamond to the other, and caught up with the rest of the team and families. We were ready; more to the point, the girls were ready.

The first game went past like a shot – we won, but in the ensuing excitement, I’ve since forgotten the score. Suffice to say, we won. The next game was harder, against a team that everyone else seemed to dislike greatly (probably, they dislike the coach – I concur). The team reflected the coach’s attitude of snot and over-cockiness. It was a damn close game, and I mean DAMN CLOSE. Our girls had last bat, and it’s a good thing they did. The Dak.Bliz were actually rather good at the game, despite their taunting and histrionics from the coach. Anyway, our coaches looked stressed; actually Wally looked like he’d shatter if someone touched him – and then we got a run in and tied it. Cort was on third…just waiting…and then…she stole home during another play, and made it! Gods, what tension and excitement and screaming and crying and wow!

We won. Don’t mind if I do brag.

Saturday’s game was ok..a bit slow for us, the team was so-so. We were up..way up. Good place to be right off at Provincials, I think. Anyway, Care got up to her first bat, and when she connected with that ball, she sent it flying out into far left/centerfield. She dropped the bat, ran to first where Dolly was motioning her to round it to second. As she rounded second, Wally was motioning and yelling “Round it round it round go on!” and she hit the base – and followed the coaching perfectly – making it home before the ball even really made it back onto the infield. That’s my baby..my baby girl that couldn’t even play last year and because of that, refused to pick up ball, bat or glove all last summer.

Now she knows how Rhi felt those times she hit the home runs. Granted, Rhi only has to run to first and the runner takes over and goes on, and the runs were only because of over-throws, but still, a run on a single play is still a home run.

Mom cried. I cried a bit. Embarrassed Care to no end, in fact, she began telling us to “Suck it up, princess”. Gee, I wonder where she got THAT phrase from. *eye rollage* Again, don’t mind if I do brag…

We won, and Coach Wally did the “Wally Wiggle” on the third base line, dragging all the girls out with him. See, I know Wally didn’t really expect the girls to perform so well – yeah, he knows they’re good, and they can play hard – but Provincials are totally different than league play out here. Most of us expected we’d be going home after the main game on Saturday. I don’t know if any of us expected the girls to win all three games, putting us first in the pool, and first to play Sunday morning in the medal playoffs.

We were all up much too early on Sunday morning, the girls full of nerves – mom and I too excited. We got to Landmark, about a half hour early, even for field practice, but there were others there already, and in the freezing cold (in contrast to Friday and Saturday, Sunday morning was like walking into the Crystal Sanctuary) the girls warmed up. Cort’s arm has to have been sore from pitching every inning in all three of the other games, and thankfully one of the moms had packed a long sleeved shirt. Not a one of us had thought to pack the girls’ warm-up shirts, but oh well, making do was done.

And then we looked at the schedule. We were up against Dak.Bliz. right away. The girls did some moaning and groaning, but got a great speech from the coaches – we beat them once, we can do it again.

Oh if only that had worked for the first two innings! By our bat in the second, Dak was up 9-0. You could see the defeat on the girls’ faces. It was awful. Things started to pick up…we had one strike out, then the bases were loaded. I looked at the last batter…and I knew.

Care was up next.

Coach Wally pulled her aside during yet another ‘time’ call by the Dak coach (whiny bugger) and had a quick talk with her. I don’t know what he said, but it worked. She smiled at us, that evil little smirky smile she has, as she stood at the plate.

Hey Grampa? Did you see your granddaughter? I know you did..I know you were there. She must get this from you…

CRACK!

I don’t know where the ball went. I think I remember it going to center, or maybe left of center..I dunno now. All I know is I began screaming with the others, and as she rounded second, I stood at the fence. Wally’s arms were waving everyone on over third – including my baby. And she made it home!

Care did something only one other girl on the team has ever done before – she hit us a grandslam. Even being a writer, I don’t have the words to put my feelings down. Pride, joy – it’s all here, even now almost a week later. I think all of the moms were crying. I’m crying a bit now…and like I said, it’s been almost a week.

That grandslam put the score at 9-4. Our girls were motivated now, and we had a full run count to call the inning – 9-6. Cort pitched a great third – three up, three down, if I remember right. Then we were up again, and our girls did us proud, getting in another six runs to win the game. I’ve never heard so much yelling and cheering before, or so much pouting and hollering as the Dak team and coach were doing. The coach stormed out of the Landmark complex in a snit. Ha Ha Ha.

Naturally, Wally and the girls did the Wally Wiggle once more.

We had about three quarters of an hour to calm ourselves for the next game. I bought lunch for our group (both my brothers and Dobhailen’s girlfriend had come over to watch and cheer for the day), while my mom phoned any family and friends she could think of…crying as she related the tale of Care’s grandslam. One of the Landmark ladies came over and congratulated us on the win. It seems Dak is in their league, and they all dislike them. Ok, probably the coach, but whatever – they had been cheering for Miami. Tee hee!

Back to the same diamond, in the same dugout. This time we were facing Glenlee – and they have a pitcher that is just amazing. They’ve not lost a game so far as I know, and that includes Provincials. They went on that day to win the gold. However, we did get some runs in, and according to one of their coaches, Miami was the first team to actually put up a fight, and make the Glenlee girls work for the win.

I tell ya, that pitcher has to be A-level, really. I bet through the entire game she only threw a handful of wild-balls.

That loss put us in the bronze medal game, against Varsity View. Again, our girls had lost heart, and although they fought for it, they lost. Not by much, by only a run..but it was still a loss.

For a team that two years ago didn’t win a single game in league play, Miami Squirts have nothing to be sad about, being fourth in the province. They have EVERYTHING to be proud of. This is one hot team that’s going to be hot as a PeeWee team next year.

You did your best girls, and that best was so much more than anyone could have hoped for. You are simply amazing!