Knockouts Knotables

USA Softball 14u National Championships

Wrapping up the season in lovely Evansville, Indiana playing the USA National Championships 14u Tournament, the Knockouts came into the tournament with some momentum from the previous Pee Dee Classic Showcase. These national tournaments provide the opportunity for some good softball as well as some good team/parent bonding time. What was challenging would be teams from around the country we hadn’t faced, and the heat wave that was covering the Midwest at the time.

The tournament play began on Wednesday with our first game against the Finesse 14u Hoverman team from Rossdale, Ohio. The Finesse team jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. Their pitcher was in command but the Knockouts made their only dent in the top of the third. Avery Evans got on with a beautiful bunt single to first (this would be an awesome theme for her this week as it was the first of many hits). After stealing second, Addison Laney drew a walk. Talia Hawa came through with a strong single up the middle to score Evans for the Knockouts' only run. The Finesse team proceeded to blow the game open with solid hitting and pitching winning by a score of 12-1.

Fortunately, there was another game on that Wednesday against a Maroon Crush 07 Breeding team from Eagle Rock, Virginia. It was a great bounceback start to the game as Vivian Billiard was in the circle to start the game. After retiring the first batter, the Crush team hit three consecutive singles to load the bases. The lefty pitcher proceeded to retire the next two batters and escape with no harm. In the bottom of the first Courtney Cole hit a nice double to LF and scored on a home run by the next batter, Billiard, giving herself a 2-0 cushion after the first. In the bottom of the second inning, Evans led off with another well executed bunt single to 3B. Kinsley Tyson earned a walk, Lily Allred was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Up came Kinsey Hamilton who then hit a monster double to score 2 runs. Selah Trantham proceeded to drive in a run with a sacrifice fly, and a second run scored on the play due to an error by the right fielder. After 2 innings the Knockouts led 6-0. This Crush team answered right back with a 4 run inning in the top of the third. The Knockouts extended their lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the 4th when Tyson scored from third on a single from Trantham. However the Crush team made the game a nail-biter by scoring two runs in the top of the fifth inning to make the score 7-6. The Knockouts held on to win by that same score. Camryn Perkins picked up the save with two shutout innings pitched and four strikeouts. It was a fun game highlighted by ten hits and no errors by the Knockouts. Evans went 4-4 on the day with four great slap bunts for hits to lead the team.

Thursday’s first game was against a Nationals 07 team based out of Rockdale, Illinois. In what was a well pitched, evenly played defensive effort by both teams, the Knockouts went on to win 2-1. Haley Inman led the team on the mound going six strong innings giving up 4 hits and 1 run. After getting out of an early first inning jam when the Nationals led off with 2 singles, Trantham caught a runner trying to steal 3B. Inman then retired the next 17 of 18 batters in a row and pitched into the 7th inning before being replaced by Perkins. Perkins pitched one inning giving up only one hit and got the save shutting down the Nationals last ditch effort leaving the tying run at third base. Offensively, the Knockouts finally broke through and scored when Cole led off the top of the 7th with a double and Billiard drove her in with a single to give the Knockouts a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning Evans continued her hot bat and got yet another bunt single and Billiard scored on an error for what seemed like an enormous 2-0 lead.

The Knockouts ended pool play 2-1 and had a late afternoon bracket game against a Dirt Devil 08 13u team from Channahon, Illinois. This was a fun back and forth offensive game throughout. And mixed in with a few errors it turned into a high scoring game. The Dirt Devils broke out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Knockouts responded with 3 in the top of the second to take the lead 3-2. Evans continued her slap bunting clinic with a leadoff bunt single to 3B. Hamilton followed with a walk and Evans scored on a sacrifice fly by Tyson. Laney then hit a double to bring Hamilton in to tie the game. Cole followed with another double down the left field line to give the Knockouts the lead. The Dirt Devils fought back with three runs of their own highlighted by consecutive triples in the bottom of the second to recapture the lead 5-3. But the Knockouts came right back and tied the game at 5 in the top of the third when Macey Hardy hit her own triple and scored on a single by Evans (first one as non bunt). After being sacrificed to third by Hamilton, Tyson’s double tied the game at 5. Both teams then played some solid defense and pitching until the top of the fifth. Inman led off with a single to RF. Hardy came up and hit a clutch home run over the left field wall to give the Knockouts a 7-5 lead. Two batters later, Hamilton hit a solid line drive down the RF line that kept rolling away from the fielder. Using her speed, she scored on an inside the park home run of her own. That made the score 8-5. Then in the top of the 6th, Cole hit a triple and scored on a Billiard ground out to 2B to give the Knockouts what felt like an insurmountable 9-5 lead. So, this is a sport where teams always want to have last at bat opportunities because….you never know what can happen. Well, unfortunately for the Knockouts, we were witness to a bad domino effect collapse in the bottom of the sixth. The team commuted 3 errors while giving up 3 hits and gave up 5 runs without recording an out and fell 10-9. It was a tough ending to the day putting us in the consolation bracket for Friday’s games. The Knockouts would have to face an uphill battle to move on in the tournament. This was a game that we had and will definitely close out in the future as the team grows together.

So one of the more interesting features in the USA tournament is that all bracket games had 3 umpires to make the game more official. That would come into play in this game. Friday’s bracket game was against a team from Oak Park, Illinois called the Windmills Blue. They were a strong team with a good starting pitcher. This was a tight game with the Windmill team leading 2-0 going into the top of the fifth in spite of two double plays by the Knockouts. The bottom dropped out in the 5th when the Windmill team started a rally with some key hits and some defensive errors that extended the inning allowing them to build to a 7-0 lead. The final score was 10-0 to end our Evansville experience way too early. And I don’t want to blame poor calls by umpires but at least 5 calls that altered the progress of the game. And it was consistently inconsistent by all three umpires.

Overall it was a good experience, one that provided coaches with things that we will improve upon in future practices. Results showed signs that the team needs to get more familiar and trusting of each other on the field. But moreso, that we have a strong group of talented young women who are all capable of being productive and competitive and how dangerous these Knockouts can be when we hit on all cylinders.

Knockouts Knotables (Non-Softball)

Memories are made on trips like this one. Team bonding, family bonding, and activities were a good display for these Knockouts players and families to build upon.

Some highlights:

• Our softball girls playing beach ball volleyball at opening ceremonies.
• Whether it was swimming, movies, bowling, laser tag, arcade play, or the team lunch at Freddie’s (thanks Coaches), the Knockouts owned the hotel lobby eating the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.
• Other memories - sibling brothers giggling over silly answers during a crimes against humanity card game... Or parents hanging out getting to know each other better over adult beverages watching the MLB All Star Game... Or coaches talking strategy over the same carb choices for breakfast.
• As a former coach, my focus was on-field activities like lineups, playing time substitutions, what signals to give, motivational pep talks in huddles, celebrating successes, coaching opportunities to correct mistakes to name a few, but now getting to experience the other side of fence world, I get to observe and enjoy.
• Parental behaviors during games from both teams. (Whether it is words of encouragement and cheering good game play results to the team or “momma bear” protective comments against an opposing parent who made moronic comments).
• Surviving the heat (Especially between games- tents, sports umbrellas, sunscreen, cold water, even using the concession stand roof overhang for shade. Whatever works, I love the creativity).
• Shade jockeying for prime seats before the game starts. (Calculating where sunset angle will be by end of game before play starts).
• Strategies for bleacher coaches (Outfielder shifts, pitch calls, and where to hit the ball to name a few).
• Laughing over silly player behavior on field. (Like our batter pumping her fists after barely fouling off a pitch with 2 strikes... Or hearing an opposing pitcher who knew that her change up was so off on her release she kept saying “oh sh*t”).
• Spending a bunch of money on tournament paraphernalia (I believe that tournament tee shirts are the equivalent of the money I/we spent on concert tee shirts when I was younger).

Looking forward to what next season has in store. Bring it on!!

Knockouts Kquotes

I found a book entitled, "How to Be Amazing at Anything.” It had only a single page inside and was just one word long... "PRACTICE."

QWritergram

**********************************

Great teammates don't care who gets the credit... Team success is more important than individual recognition.

**********************************

Travel ball parents should be off on Monday and Friday.

**********************************

Knockouts Knext-up

8/21-22 Bearcat Team Friendly- Lander University, Greenwood, SC