It Ends With a Double

Justin played in the GWTBCA all-star game Sunday on a blistering hot afternoon with winds whipping around all day.  It was brutal in those aluminum stands at Moegle Field.

We got to see him be recognized before the game for being the 2A recipient of a scholarship from GWTBCA.  This was nice as there were only four scholarships granted from 5A-1A and Justin was awarded one of them.

Then later he reached base on an error at 2nd, but was promptly picked off first by the left handed pitcher.  When Justin went into the dugout, he sat down and said, “Daaaaannnggg!”  After which a teammate replied, “Yeah, I forgot to tell you he has a SICK pickoff move.”  Justin would not be the last this pitcher would get.  Another north runner was picked off by the same pitcher and a third should have been had not the 1st baseman misplayed the ball.  That must be SOME move.

Justin pitched the 3rd and 4th innings.  Didn’t stretch well before the appearance and didn’t have his best stuff, but still did pretty well.  The north defense let him down a little in the 3rd inning when a misplayed ball at 3rd base would have ended the inning with no runs scored.  For once he got Jace Chancellor to ground a simple hopper instead of drilling it back at the pitcher, and we still didn’t get him out! 

Instead, two runs scored before we got the third out.  He pitched the 4th inning and had another tough outing.  Three runs scored in the inning and it was mixture of leaving pitches up in the zone, a couple of walks, a hit batsman and more less than stellar defense.  Hey, to be honest, some of these boys are asked to play out of position in these games and it ends up showing eventually.  Justin didn’t do bad, but not what he’d hoped for.

He was the first batter up in the top of the 9th (9 inning games in this showcase) with his team down three, and drilled a line drive into left center than rolled to the wall for a standup double.  It’s just what his team needed.  Shallowater teammate Dusty Leach came in to run for him, which was a good move and one Justin supported.  The north eventually got two runs in to close it to 9-8 but lost the game by that one run.

So the kids last at bat in high school was a stand up double ripped to left center.  Not a bad way to end.

Last High School At Bat

What Do You Do When There’s No Baseball?

Heh.

For the first time since Justin was 5 we are not playing any baseball in June (well, past June 2 anyway).  The JR team of Shane’s finished their season June 2, and Justin’s high school games are over with no Crows ball this year.  I seriously don’t know what to do with myself.  If I’m not careful, I’ll end up having to paint and clean and put up window blinds and tend to yards and flowers….good grief!!!  Or maybe I’ll spend time rebuilding the fence the two dogs seem intent on destroying, or repairing the holes in the yard the two dogs have created.  Or I could finally put a cap on the chimney.  Or I could finally get rid of the useless planter in the back yard and lay down pavers in that corner.  Or I could finally put up the steps to the deck I’ve had planned for about a dozen years now.  There’s always the bathroom at Dad’s which I’ve been planning to redo for months.  Come to think of it, I have plenty to do without baseball, and just THINKING of it is making me tired. 

Shane has a few AAU basketball tournaments in the next few weeks, but they better not interfere with vacation plans.  We didn’t take one at all last year, and have not taken one outside of late July/early August in years.  I’m ready to take a JUNE vacation!

A Painful Post

This is more painful than I thought it would be, and I’ll have to fight off some depression.  The Mustang baseball season is over, and Justin’s high school career will end next week in the GWTBCA all-star game.

The Holliday Eagles defeated our Mustangs 11-3 Saturday night to end the playoff run in the regional semifinals.

With Justin being the oldest this is the first time I’ve had to deal with something coming to a sudden end for him like this.  Only one team in the state ends their season, or their senior’s careers, the way they want to so most all of us have to deal with this.  I can tell you that was the quietest drive I’ve ever taken from Abilene back to Shallowater.  It seemed to fly by (thankfully) but only because I spent the entire trip pondering the end of high school baseball for JP and so I wasn’t counting mile by mile pass by.  Physically it’s going to take me days to get over being up past 2:30am two days in a row; emotionally it’s going to take longer for me to get over the end of the 2009 Mustang season. 

It was a wonderful season and I’m so happy for Justin that he could not only be a part of it, but a big part of it.  It was a dream come true.  Thanks to all the coaches who helped get the kids this far, but special props to Jeff Richardson who we just think the world of and who has done such an amazing job with Justin.  I’m convinced Jeff is the reason Justin had the year he did.  Justin finished with ERAs of 3.07 on the year, 1.62 in district and 3.82 in the postseason (unofficial “Dad stats”).

Maybe something good will happen next week in the all-star game and it will lift my melancholy spirits.

Three Mustangs Recognized

Nice news from the baseball team this week. All three of our seniors have been invited to play in the GWTBCA all-star game June 7. Congratulations Dusty Leach, Weston Odom and Justin Pearson!

If they are still in the playoffs, they will be allowed to suit up and be at the game in the dugout, but only watch. Here’s hoping they can only watch!

Yet Another Playoff Change

The proposed lineup for the regional semi-final was not approved by the UIL.  They do not allow two games to be played Thursday night.  Rather than change it to one Thursday and two Saturday, however, it has been changed to a one game playoff Saturday night at Hardin-Simmons in Abilene starting at 7pm.  Shallowater will be the home team.

Now the Matchup

We got what we wanted.  We’re in the regional semifinals.  Our reward is to face top ranked Holliday.  We have tremendous respect for that team and that program.  Respect, but not fear.  To get any further we’re going to have to beat the team the pollsters say is the best team in the state (the same pollsters thought Hawley was the #3 team and they lost their first playoff game – one and done).

Polls don’t matter now.  Teamwork.  Execution.  Committment.  These are a few of my favorite things to borrow a phrase from one of my wife’s favorite songs.  We have those.  I don’t know how much further we will go but I can tell you I believe whoever beats us is going to have to earn it.  At this point in the playoffs the bad teams are gone.

After today’s game the team went to eat and a goodly number of parents went with them.  Some of them there were talking about where we played next, when, how it worked and what was the best setup for our team as to playing 2 of 3 or a 1 game playoff, 2 on Thursday or 2 on Saturday, etc.  I told our coach I don’t care where or when we play – just that we play.  I will be there.  I am thrilled to be at this level with our team and like our chances to advance.  All you can ask for is to get to play the game and see who wins.  We have that chance.

It’s there for the taking.  May the best team win.

A Little Pub?

Well the newspaper didn’t even see fit to mention Justin’s name after he came on in relief in the second inning, pitched the rest of the way and got the win 15-6 against Slaton in game one of the regional quarterfinal series 5/22, so I guess I’ll at least post that he was indeed in the game. 

{I think I just satisfied all the rules of writing a lead-in to an article in that sentence, but then again I’m not a journalist so what do I know?}

Justin didn’t even have his best stuff and after having been home sick for a couple of days just three days prior to this game he gutted it out to help save the staff for the rest of the series.  He pitched 5.1 innings and though he got hit hard a few times he only gave up 1 earned run.  And for this, his name doesn’t even deserve to appear in the article.  Facinating, A-J, simply facinating.

Mustangs Win – Chancellor Does It Again

On a day when we were short two players, Jaron Robertson came through with a 7 inning complete game against Dimmitt to help the Mustangs advance into the Regional Quarterfinals.

The ‘Stangs will face district rival Slaton, who were led by Jace Chancellor to an area round win against Bushland 8-7 in 8 innings.  Chancellor did it again for Slaton, pitching an 8 inning complete game – his third complete game in four days.  Unbelievable.  Plus he hits the game tying HR in the seventh and gets the game winning RBI in the eighth.  Somebody check that dude for a cape and horn rimmed glasses.

Details of the regional quarterfinal matchup can be found on the Mustang Baseball Page.

Justin Won’t Be There…

Dang it!  We work so hard to get where we are, wait weeks to play with UIL postponements, etc, and the day our first playoff game arrives – Justin will not be there.  Woke up with the stomach virus this morning and is out.

I am so frustrated I could punch a hole in the wall.

JP Gave Up An Earned Run

I know, but hey, it is kind of news….given that by my records he had not given up an earned run since 3/24 in the first Roosevelt game.

Vernon got one on him, and wouldn’t you know it, it would be a HR that the batter was behind on but got enough of the ball on the barrel to put it over the right field fence.  Ah well.