status: destroyed

I really can't be too upset about the state of our softball fields and season. I still have a dry, untouched house and car. Hendersonville parks suffered an estimated $5 million in damages, according to a police officer we talked to on the Monday after the big rain. The Parks Dept. is getting the kids' softball/baseball leagues going again first, then as they rebuild fields they'll try to get the adults up and running. It could be late June...

field 6 - Monday, May 3

field 6 - Tuesday, May 11

SDA softball

reach out and grab this link to softball pics from tonight's game:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=112324&id=760788168&l=d24df62445

insurance runs

Ryan is playing on a softball team this year sponsored by Taylor Jones' (HA alum) Shelter Insurance Agency. They play on Thursday evenings in Gallatin at the Triple Creek Park, double-headers at either 6:15/7:15 or 8:15/9:15.

Richie Halversen pitching to an opposing batter. The guys are playing open league and the skill level of the different teams varies a lot. This team they played lost their previous week's game by about a 50-point deficit, hard to do since you only need 15 runs for a slaughter rule (15 in the 4th, 10 in the 5th, 5 in the 6th).

Ryan's been playing right-center field. He likes chasing after all the line drives and fly balls that come his way in the outfield.

Phil Shoemaker rounds 3rd base to score on Ryan's hit









Ryan on 3rd base, waiting to come home

Ryan batting

Team managers Taylor Jones and Richie Halversen watch from the dugout as their team bats. I think there are about 20 guys total on their roster. It's been fun meeting some people who I've gone to church with for a while, but don't really know.

Mikey Smith tries to apply a tag at home, with no success. Our team really should have won both games, but couldn't pull out the first. I don't know the scores. You'd have to ask Ryan, the number boy. He's keeping stats of their games. :)

Will Anderson waits for a throw to 3rd

"the dad exhibit"
Will's kids - Samantha, Ethan, and Billy, and their friend Tristan - talk to him in the dugout

the schedule is out!

All games are on Tuesday nights.

4/7 vs. LHBC - Green 8:30/9:30
4/14 vs. Good Shepherd 8:30/9:30
4/21 vs. Northeast 8:30/9:30
4/28 vs. H'ville Church of Christ 8:30/9:30
5/5 vs. First Baptist 8:30/9:30
5/12 vs. Community 8:30/9:30
5/19 vs. LHBC - Blue 8:30/9:30

That gets us through graduation. After the 19th, the league will be divided into the top and bottom groups of 4 teams, who will play more games for a few weeks.

amazing what you can capture with a big lens

Intramurals have started again at Highland. For softball, our first sport, Chadd had staff pick the six teams. These pictures are of the first two games, Double-play vs. In-a-Pickle and In the Clutch vs. Swiffer. My team is called Corked and we've lost our first two games (Wed., Thurs.) pretty badly.

Steve Baughman flies around the bases

Raphan, Janelle, and Katie watch their team, Double-play

Randy and Ryan take in the action

Senior Rachel looks for a high pitch

My buddy Maggie (many of you have met her in Collegedale)

Chadd runs out to make a call on Chris's run-down, or "pickle"

Kayla watches her team, Swiffer, while they bat

Carson's not to interested at the moment

Low-light panning glove trade-off

good dirt

After a real heartbreaking forfeit last Tuesday (by the other team!), we were really fortunate to have enough players (plus some) for tonight's games.









It was the first day of the womens' church league tournament. We had a 6:30 game, followed by a 7:30 game for sure, whether we won or lost. The tournament is double-elimination with a losers' bracket. So, if you lose twice, you're out. :(

I guess I'm waiting for something to happen here. Not sure. Like my new blue shorts? I got them today and yes, I know they don't look great with the green shirts. I just wanted to try them out.












The nice thing about early games is that we have lots of fans. The 8:30 and 9:30 games are usually pretty quiet as far as the cheering section goes. Chadd made sure to high-five us all after both good and bad innings as we came in to the bench.

We had a really good first up, but fell apart as the game progressed. They got two (yes, 2) grand slams in the game. Oops. Renee played left field tonight. We had a lot of players shifted as we tried to fill holes left by the rest of our teammates going on vacation. The nerve . . . :)






Ryan had my camera and got a lot of good pictures of us playing. They're mostly of me, so I hope you don't mind. A lot of their players hit really hard grounders my direction. I even managed to catch a few!





Me batting. I couldn't find a bat tonight that I liked. Unfortunately, when teammates leave, their equipment does too.


This is me backtracking to catch a pop-up. You can see how dry the field is by the little clouds of dirt that come up with every step.












Becky brought Olivia and Gabby to the game since they didn't get to see one last week.






I told them before I left the school this afternoon that I was going to the DMV to change my name on my drivers license. Olivia exclaimed, "To Jifer?!?" I said, "No." To which she replied, "To darebase?" Gotta love that girl.







After our 7-20 loss by the run rule (slaughter rule) we headed up to field 12 (because everyone knows losers walk) which is nicknamed "the one with the tracks." The guys routinely hit the railroad tracks with their home runs. Not us. Nikie had some good hits in both games.

My first at-bat was my best one of the night. I don't remember exactly what happened, but when I got to Chadd at 3rd base, he hesitated and waved me home. I knew when he hesitated that I might be in trouble at home. They had just warned us to go easy on their catcher (#23) because she's pregnant. Ignoring that and wanting to save my bacon, I slid and knocked their pitcher over, effectively knocking the ball out of her hand. Hee hee. Ryan caught the action.

Another at-bat later. I popped the ball WAY up to the left fielder. Oh well, I got 2 more RBIs after the HR. We won 16-5!

We met Nikie, Chadd, Renee, and Carson at Taco Bell afterward and showed them the Alaska pictures. Their a/c froze us out though and we all went home.

Next game: Mon., July 7 @ 8:30p

softball schedule

Tonight was our last intramural hockey game and as the bruises begin to heal, I thought I'd let you know what will be occupying my Tuesday nights through the end of school:

Date Time Home v. Visitor
4.8 8:30p First Baptist v. Team SDA
4.8 9:30p Team SDA v. First Baptist

4.15 8:30p Team SDA v. LHBC-Blue
4.15 9:30p LHBC-Red v. Team SDA

4.22 8:30p Community v. Team SDA
4.22 9:30p Team SDA v. Community

4.29 8:30p Team SDA v. Good Shepherd
4.29 9:30p Good Shepherd v. Team SDA

5.06 8:30p Madison Ch./Christ v. Team SDA
5.06 9:30p Team SDA v. Madison Ch./Christ

5.13 8:30p LHBC-Red v. Team SDA
5.13 9:30p Team SDA v. LHBC

5.20 8:30p Team SDA v. Cornerstone
5.20 9:30p Cornerstone v. Team SDA

sacrifice your extremities!

We had our last regular season games tonight against a team with the same record as us, 11-7. We're tied for 3rd in the league with another team.

I'm not sure if this was before or after JP pulled her hamstring. She was hitting really well tonight.

I missed lots of balls that came to me tonight. Here's one of them.

Ryan coached bases for us.

Renee misses one over her head.

Cindy steps up to the plate.

Renee's nickname is "Legs." She nearly always beats the throw to first, or throws them off by being so close when the ball is thrown in.

Ryan got this shot of me turning a double-play. I think I made two during the games. One time, I caught a line drive and tried to throw the girl out who had left first, but nearly missed hitting her in the head.

We were tied 15-15 going into the 6th inning (supposed to be last, due to time) in the first game and let them get ahead. We were home team, but only pulled off one run for a final score of 23-17. (I just read what I typed and realized that 15 + 1 = 16! So that was our final score, 23-16. Sorry about that - note the time.)

The second game was a lot better for us. We ended up 13-1. So, we're still tied with this particular team. I can't complain though, because I got to turn double-plays, slide, and I hit a home run (not over the fence).

L to R back: Norvella Ashby, Keri Williams, Jamie Latham, Renee Mathis, Wilma Case, Cindy Burtnett, Nikie Watkins, JP Mathis, Don Mathis - coach L to R front: Carrie Iverson, Shauna Aldrich, Jackie Duffy, Michelle Young not pictured: Jifer Proctor, Julie Stewart, Michele Ley, Denice Bushor Thanks to Chadd, Ryan, Tyler, Don, and Paul (and anyone I forgot) for coaching bases!

team SDA

Starting around April 9, every Monday and Tuesday night mean softball games in Hendersonville. Nikie was telling Madison stories during the guys' game this Monday.

Easton was very interested in this little turtle that Nick's girls' brought to the game. His mom thoroughly sanitized him after he touched it.

Chadd Watkins

Hector Corcino

Ryan was very serious about taking pictures.