Taking one for the team

The game started out not so well. We were down a player, and the girls were just not so into it. The opposing team went ahead like six-zip. Darby even grounded out her first at bat. It didn't look so good.

But then the girls seemed snap out of it, scored a few runs, bringing the score to 8-4, and were in the middle of a rally at the tail end of the game with a reasonable shot to get back into it.

Darby was at the plate, with a runner at first and one out. I was first base coach and I told the runner that we must score, so please take off with all due haste the very moment Darby hits the ball. And indeed a moment later, the ball was in fact hit by Darby, and the runner did indeed take off with much speed, until...

Thwack.

Darby was a little late on the ball, so instead of her usual third-base-side line drive, the ball travelled directly between first and second, well on its way to right field and hopefully extra bases. But then, it hit the runner. Runner's out called the umpire, and we were back in the same boat, only with two outs.

With Darby as the runner on first, and a good hitter up to bat after her, I leaned over and to tell Darby that there was one out left in the game, and that she must score soon if we were to hang in there. I ask her to please exit the first base area in the specific direction of second base as quickly as she possibly could the very moment the ball is hit.

The batter hit the ball with much speed, Darby took off, looking good, and...

Thwack.

Darby was hit, square in the thigh by the ball, and dropped straight to the ground. The umpire pointed to her, yelled runner is out, that's ballgame, and the whole thing was over in one hasty, anti-climatic mess.

I ran over to Darby and cringed as I saw softball stitch marks on her leg. So I picked her up and carried her through the team handshakes until she said she could walk. Within a few minutes, you wouldn't have know she had just taken one for the team, as she was running around with her teamates, going after team drinks.

That wasn't quite the two in a row I was looking for, though. But at least they made a good go of it.