Sunshine State Softball
As I mentioned yesterday, the Ohio Lasers Scarlet Softball team is playing in a tournament down in Panama City, Florida this week. They rolled into town sometime yesterday afternoon and they get started with games first thing this morning. Unlike last year where @mrsbozz and I made the road trip to see them out in Colorado, we decided to stay home this year.
It's a bit bittersweet as this is the last time that our niece will be playing with this team, but given the heatwave the country seems to be in right now, I just don't think I could handle the heat down in Florida. Our other niece (her older sister) was reminiscing about a tournament four years ago when they were playing down in Gulf Shores Alabama. She said it was some of the hottest weather she has ever played in and she just remembers being absolutely exhausted by the end of the first day.
It's a bit scary now nasty the heat can be.
I remember being at a game many years ago when my younger niece was still pitching and she had to come out of the game because she had some pretty severe heat issues. We had to fill her full of liquids and electrolytes the rest of the day. I remember we had to drive her back home to Michigan for the coming week and I just let her sleep the whole ride home in the back of the car.
Hopefully these ladies don't have any issues like that today.
Action gets started this morning at 10:30 AM as the team takes on the Indiana Gators. At noon, they face off against a Mizuno Flagship team, and then at three they have their final game of the day against Gold Glove Midwest.
As I stated yesterday, competition is going to be pretty tough in these games because this is a national tournament. Obviously, teams come from all over the country to play in these tournaments. That's a pretty big change from the same regional teams in a four or five state radius that they are used to playing against.
They are going to have to be on their "A" game if they want to make it deep into the bracket. I actually am not sure they even care at this point. Yes, they want to win, but I think they are just having fun playing in their last handful of games together and they are trying to appreciate that for what it is.
I could be wrong though.
Either way I will be watching them and cheering them on. I just hope that my niece has some good games and is able to get her bat on the ball. She is long overdue for some solid at bats. With the level of pitching they should see in these games, there is a good chance she will be able to send a few balls.
My Sports Account - @bozz.sports
