Champions!

The kids returned to school August 27 the morning after a spectacular finish for the Lightning in the Missouri City "High Heater" classic. The team had easily won on Thursday and Friday to receive a bye into the semifinals on Sunday. They crushed the team from Galveston needing only one quick run in the 4th inning to secure a 10-run rule victory 16-6.

The championship game was a rematch with the Missouri City Power, Friday's victim. The Lightning had a slim 3-0 lead after two innings, a lead that would be erased and turned in to an 8-3 deficit in the middle of the fourth. The team was clearly wilting a little in the heat. Coach Mike Font really rallied them and they played with whatever energy their little bodies could muster the rest of the way. We scored 2 in the bottom of the fourth and then both teams were scoreless in the 5th. After 3 up and 3 down in the top half, the Lightning faced an 8-5 score with only three outs remaining.

Honestly I don't recall the exact sequence, but I know Payton was up with 1 out and men on 2nd and 3rd. He ripped a double up the middle to score both runners and was later plated to tie the game. We had a chance to win it with a man advanced to third with two outs but we couldn't convert and went to extra innings.

Some misplays in the field gave the Power two runs and so the Lightning again faced a score or lose half inning. Two quick outs gave us some worries, but we got to the top of the order and Sammy Kuntz smashed a long double to score the tying and winning runs leaving Payton on deck both elated at the victory and probably a little relieved at not being needed.

I apologize for the craptacular picture. My phone says 2 megapixels, but obviously I have some RTFM to do.