Major League Baseball is in its sixth week of regular season play. By week three of the season, various sports pundits were talking about which teams were hot and which ones were cold - all this with only about 25 of 162 games played.
For me, as well as many amateur sports enthusiasts, the halfway point of the season is a better marking point. There is still plenty of baseball ahead and anything can happen.
Week eight of the 2008 high school softball season had the Indians of John Burroughs High School (8-10) taking on the Tornadoes of Hoover High School (4-9).
Kayla Dalley took the mound for the Indians, with
Liz Hanna behind the plate. Hoover managed one run in the first inning on a walk, a single, batter hit by a pitch and two Burroughs errors. The Indians could not respond, despite sending five batters to the plate.
The second inning proved scoreless for both teams and the Tornadoes went down in order to open the thirrd inning. The Indians began four innings of offense when they scored three runs on a triple by
Angela Parker (called up recently from the JV squad) and singles by
Lizzie Peters and Hanna.
The top of the fourth inning provided a reality check for the Indians, as the Tornadoes were able to score six runs on five singles, a walk and two Burroughs errors.
First-year coach
Steven Garcia quickly changed his lineup as
Casey Reichelderfer,
Brittni Spear,
Emily Odio,
Katie Budrick, and
Bri Casillas were brought in during the fourth inning.
The "new" Burroughs lineup added five runs in the fifth inning, six runs in the sixth inning and one run in the seventh inning. The Indians seemingly recovered from the Tornadoes' scare, as they came away with the win, 16-7.
The Indians (9-10) returned to their home field, George Izay Park, to face the Glendale Nitros (5-8).
Kerry Hodgins took the mound, with
Katie Budrick behind the plate. Hodgins recorded seven strikeouts in the game while giving up three singles and three walks.
For their part, the Indians' offense had five singles, two doubles, three walks and a home run by
Taylor Buliavac, her third of the season.The nine runs produced by Burroughs were enough to insure the win and place the team at an even 10 wins and 10 losses.
Up next for Burroughs will be its second match up of the season against Pacific League leader, Crescenta Valley (21-0).