Second place finish in Coca-Cola Classic Softball Tournament in Cleveland, TN

We have had some perfectly beautiful softball weather to this point, but this weekend's tournament proved that summer has arrived. We did actually luck out on Sunday with an overcast sky, but the heat and humidity were still abundantly evident.


Our girls played some tough competition in this contest, with a total of 13 teams including teams from Knoxville, Madisonville, and Chattanooga in Tennessee, as well as some Georgia teams. We battled back in extra innings in one game and came from behind in the last inning of another to make it to the championship game. We faced the only other Knoxville team for the championship, and unfortunately came up a little short. But it was a great effort by the entire team and we had a good time as well.





Megan showed her speed both on the basepaths and in centerfield, where she had several nice catches and fielded a ball backhanded on the short hop to prevent it from rolling to the fence (and kept runs from scoring in the process).
Here she is scoring--she's so fast, she almost ran out of the frame! You can see the umpire calling her safe.










The girls really are a team, supporting each other with chants and carrying water and neck coolers to the pitchers and catcher between innings. They were hot and tired by the end of Sunday, but they never gave up and were even able to smile in the dugout.

















We have a fantastic group of parents, here they are late in the day on Sunday. We feel nearly as hot and tired as the girls! We may not have to run and throw, but cheering and supporting are tiring too.











The "little brothers' club." We have SEVERAL players who have little brothers in the 4-9 year old age range. They get along great and provide entertainment for each other during the long days at the ball park. It is not unusual for Nicholas to be happily entertained for the entire weekend, checking in only for food and drink (and maybe a bathroom trip!)












Although I have been known to bemoan my lost weekends on occasion, the truth is we all really enjoy it. And when the girls play as well as they have been this summer, well that's just the icing on the cake! (And who needs clean clothes, dusted furniture, and vacuumed floors anyway?)