Emotional Night about to happen (softball) Update first week high school fall ball…

I shared this with @gatorchamps960608 but in the semifinal game Bottom of the first batting cleanup Reagan finally got her HR otf in a game this past weekend. Go Snakebite 18U.

 

It is a different game once the catchers get to this level. The crazy thing is that as good of a throw as that was. I would say that catcher was on more of the average side. I will never forget coaching a scrimmage this summer and being an aggressive coach on the base paths I watched the other teams catcher do exactly what that catcher did. Straight dart to the glove right on the bag. In the first inning my daughter got a single. I was considering sending her on a changeup as I had already figured out their signs. On the third pitch one of our coaches says to send her who had not seen the throw down after their pitcher warmed up. I said okay but she is going to be gunned out. Sure enough. Great jump off the release. Fast to second. Good slide. Out with ease. I am actually glad the other coach had me send her as I loved her reaction. Ran off the field after a perfect execution with no pouting. Tip of the cap to the catcher for executing.

 

Bringing this back to the first page to make a point.

And looking forward to my daughter getting to scrimmage varsity and show she belongs there on Tuesday.

@gatorchamps960608 …

You playing this weekend in a tournament?

 

Been interesting as JV softball in Marion County is just not good. After playing Eustis we had some notice that we have a team.

Today we played a seed game against Hagerty for a JV tournament we got invited to after playing Eustis down in Orlando. They have a program! So nice to play legit softball! I don’t think they thought Forest would show like we did. We are a few years away imo from having the program they have. But tonight was great softball. Most of the season outside Eustis/Winter Springs/East Ridge has been bad softball and not challenging (Sad but many schools can’t field JV).

You could tell Hagerty was the team to beat and we drew them for seeding this evening. Reagan was suppose to start in the field but our other pitcher got caught in traffic getting to Oveido. So she got the start. -

Unfortunately we do have some weaknesses and give Hagerty credit. After an error to open the last inning they started hitting our pitcher hard. Another error and we end up losing on a walk off grounder to first. You could see their fans the entire game in shock. Their JV was better than most varsity teams. And ours is too minus a few deficiencies. And we need to fix that as a program to get where they are. But we earned real respect!

Reagan threw 3 innings today giving up one earned in the third before handing it off to the planned starter. She has now started her high school career with 3 earned through 22 innings for a 0.95 ERA.

At the plate she went 2-3 ripping everything. A first pitch change up for a single. A fastball up third for a put out and a gap double with two strikes to put Forest up 4-1 before losing on the walk off 5-4. She also scored a run.

So much fun to watch good softball with pitching at a high level from both sides.

@gatorchamps960608

 

We beat their JV but they beat our Varsity. They do it the right way. It was a good game when we played them.

 

I hope a Mod will see this and allow it to stand on its own as a thread. But since I started this thread I will put it here.

Tonight the Forest Wildcats had #76 on their arms for Layla Silvernail (she was not a Forest Wildcat but a respected softball player in the community). She was murdered along with two others this past week here in Marion County. Just a senseless tragedy.

I never coached Layla. But…

“She was a competitor on the softball field. In youth sports it is hard to say you have a rival. But in an odd way Layla was a rival to Reagan (my daughter). I never got a chance to coach her because they were always one of the best pitchers and therefore had to be separated to make sure teams had adequate pitching. Which led to the…what I would call rival part. They respected each other and had a desire to beat each other in the circle and at the plate. Last Spring was a battle for the ages in the Championship Game. It might be the only game that went a full 7 innings at Shocker Park. Layla and Reagan led their teams in a thrilling battle that all of us who were there will always remember. We ended up with the victory on the scoreboard. But the real Victory was the heart displayed by the ladies on the field and seeing two teams led by two great softball players.

After that season we were going to be done with softball until Fall like normal. But last minute made the decision to play All Stars. Reagan told me the story of how excited Layla was that they were finally going to be able to play together. I am so thankful for the battles I was able to watch/coach/coach against on the field. I am thankful for that short All Star season. I am thankful for the interactions I was able to have with Layla as the coach she wanted to beat and the coach that respected her and her game.

RIP Layla!”

My post to remember her this past week.

Monday night they had a gathering at the hospital before Layla would be taken off life support so she could save lives with her organs. Reagan was there with mom. I wish I was as well.

RIP Layla

You have saved lives!!!