Baseball

This has been such a fun season of baseball for our family.  When we got here, we knew we were going to put our kids in anything they wanted to help them acclimate to our new place.  Caden had been asking for a while to try out baseball, but nothing worked before now.  We're so glad it ended up now instead of before.  We feel like we got the BEST coach in the world, with the best team mates imaginable.  They made it a season to remember!!!

Caden started off the season with a terrible try-out.  He came back feeling like he was the worst player out there.  It was not a good day for him.  However, a few days later we got a call from Coach Howard saying he'd like to draft Caden into his team, The Red Sox!  We were super excited.

 He started way behind almost every player on his team.  This was his first year.  He was 11.  The others had been playing since before they were walking!  However, as the season progressed, so did Caden.  He actually got to a point where he was hitting more than most of the seasoned players.  He was always attentive, anxious for the ball to be hit to him, waiting for his chance to shine.  He was buoyed up each time he did something great.  He might have even had a psycho mom that screamed loud enough to be heard a mile away.  I was so proud of my little man!!!

 Their team lost only to the Reds.  It was always SUPER close!  So, when it came time for the last game of the normal season, we were a little nervous to see it was the Reds.  If we lost, we were finished.  However, right out the gate we got a great lead and kept it the entire time, winning 17-4!  You could feel the sheer excitement of the whole team.  We'd won the Championship game!!!  We were headed to the Tri-Cities League where they combined West Richland and Richland National.  Four teams from Richland and four from West Richland met in a single elimination tournament.  And guess what?  We won our first game!!!

When we came back for the second game, we were proud to find out that all of the other Richland teams had been eliminated.  We were the only Richland team left standing!  No mom could be more proud.  Our whole section beamed with such pride that our sons had been the last team in all of Richland Nation Little League to stand at the very end.  We didn't win our second game, it was pretty close the entire game, but we ended up loosing 9-12, but we felt proud that we hadn't lost as bad as the Reds on that last game.  Caden held his own throughout the season.  He really did get good- despite his advance age and lack of previous practice.  His coach made it a perfect experience!  We couldn't have asked for a better model for our son.  We really looked up to Coach Howard!  I'm sad and glad the season is over.  However, I am looking forward to doing it all over again next season!!!