Let's check with the official scorer

I realized today I should probably have been keeping a scorebook for Nick and my first season of coaching together.

Not because I’d want to analyze stats and come up with team leaders, but because it probably would have been a good tool to see how players were progressing, and certainly, it would have been a nice memento to stash away and pull out years from now.

Had I had a scorebook Monday, I’m not sure how I would have scored what easily was the best play of our young season.

With the bases loaded – I feel like the bases are always loaded when we play – and our Cubs in the field, a big slugger from the opposing team stepped to the plate. I swear, with his size and the way he swung the bat, he was either too old for our league or taking human growth hormone.

As expected, he drilled a one-hopper to our left fielder, Johnny, who bravely stayed in front of the ball and took a short hop right off his chest. The ball caromed a few feet away, right to another left fielder, Leah.

What? Two left fielders? I suppose I should explain. In the NBAA’s kindergarten league, every player takes the field every inning. You put one player at each infield position, one at catcher and one on the pitcher’s mound, and the rest play the outfield, usually where the infield dirt and outfield grass meet.

So, the ball bounced off Johnny’s chest and over to Leah, who scooped it up and raced to third base for a force out. I think the last time I was that excited about a play was last September at Miller Park. Who would have thought a crazy 7-7 fielder’s choice could make me that happy.

I was proud of Johnny for staying in front of the ball. At this stage we see a lot of fielding that resembles bull fighting – waving the glove as the ball goes by.

And Leah had the smarts to pick it up and outrun the runner at second base. We’ve barely touched on force outs and getting plays at any base other than first, but she knew where to go with the ball once she got it.

And the rest of the team knew something special had just happened. They cheered and jumped around. One player even asked if it was a double play. I said it should have been worth three outs, it was that good.

It was one of a handful of good plays we made during our third game of the season. Had it not been for a few thrown bats, one of which hit the umpire in the legs, it would have easily been our best game of the year.

Three days earlier, our first and only Friday game of the season was not as good. We regressed in comparison to our solid opener, despite having what I thought was a solid practice the day before.

The lowlight came when our second baseman made a terrific scoop of a ground ball – glove on the ground, bare hand on top to pluck out the ball – and came up firing to first base. It was a perfect throw, right on target. But our first baseman was looking elsewhere and the ball drilled him smack dab in the back of the head.

The highs and lows of coaching continue.

Up next: After picture day Saturday, June 6, we play our fourth game at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, at Malone No. 7. The final six games are on Mondays.