GAME #1 Mudcats -VS- Lookouts

                                   ***FiRsT GaMe of ThE SpRiNg SeAsOn ***
  
March 27th, 2014 Mudcats -VS- Lookouts


I don't know about your family, BUT ~ this Mudcat family ( MOM ) was excited all day about the 1st game. I don't think I had visions of a perfect season, hit's over the fence, amazing plays or ESPN showing up. I just know it sure is fun to see those boys play, to see our coaches beam with pride and to enjoy the BLEACHER/ SIDELINE experience.


I'm going to go out on a limb and only guess a few families did the West Raleigh Baseball game day shuffle ! For our family that begins the night before. There should be a book written, " Twas The Night Before a Baseball Game"!  UNIFORM ( belt, pants, under armor, slider pants, "wiener cup" socks) EQUIPMENT( bat bag, bat, glove, helmet, batting glove) homework for school ( oh, yeah--I guess that's important :-), lunch for school, extra car snacks ect... all ready for game day !


We took a side trip to Subway on the way to the game from school( I'm going to need a better pre-game plan because WOW-- it's getting expensive) ! The "IN THE CAR" experience went like this, "Hurry up hurry up, you need to get your uniform on , put the school clothes in your bag ( because this matters), hey not inside out, no you can't unbuckle that seat belt-- eat that sandwich, I paid a lot of money for it,  don't drop all the bread on the floor, OMGoodness did you just spill your pretzels, Mommy I need help with my belt, Mommy why do I need a cup ( I said because I want Grandchildren, then he wanted to know what that had to do with the cup and I tabled that discussion~~LOL )Mommy unscrew my Gatorade bottle,  oh yeah-- AND DRIVE :-) WHAT A REALITY SHOW IN THE MAKING !


We pull up to West Raleigh just in time and by some baseball god's guidance we are all dressed ( yep me too ) belly fed, fully hydrated, looking sharp and there he goes ~~~my little MUDCAT~~ full of ham & cheese, Gatorade, all dress to play and ready to see his team mates ! He just throws that bat bag over his shoulders and runs quickly like nothing just happened. Just another day in his little world.  I sigh and quietly think, " WHAT JUST HAPPENED" then a calmness comes over me! WOW,  this is the life :-) I feel silly for being so pushy, but I think I too was just as excited to get there and see my team mate/ Mudcat  Mom's & Dad's  too :-)


                                                         *** GAME TIME***
The sun finally made it's appearance to kick off our spring season ! Both teams were looking great during warm-ups. Line-ups were being finalized, umpires were ready and the boys looked GREAT ! ( that #34 kid had the wrong game shirt on-- who in the world gets that kid ready ) ?One side note-- WOW ~~ we sure had an impressive amount of fans especially in the GiGi, Grandma, Grandpa, Pop-pop, Mimi , Nana & Papa department ! Very impressive !
~1st inning ~
Those Lookouts came out DRILLING the ball ! Someone slipped some extra mojo in their pre-game snacks ! They really were hitting great . That in combination with our first game jitters resulted in the Lookouts scoring 3 runs on us quickly!
Braden& Jackson came up with some awesome hits but those Lookouts were just as impressive in the field. Channing got the first hit (and it was a DOUBLE)  of the 2014 Spring season!  Cameron drove him in for our first Mudcat run !
we would end this inning 1-3
~~2nd inning ~~
For lack of creative wording, just duplicate the 1st inning ! Lot's of Lookout hit's and a few Mudcat errors. A few of us Mudcat Moms decided the boys just had to get the errors over and done with at the beginning of the game.
Again, the boys had some solid hits but the Lookout defense was solid !  We would end this inning 1-7
~~~3rd inning~~~
Grandma GiGi called this inning 3 up, 3 down in the 3rd !
Inning ended 1-8
~~~~~~4th, 5th& 6th inning summary ~~~~~~
I have never blended innings together for a recap, but in this situation it is just easier to come to the reality that the many cancelled practices from snow, ice, rain and freezing cold just caught up with our Mudcats.
Building a great team is going to happen!
The boys looked good, they just need the fine tuning that only time together, practices together and teamwork together will build.
" TOGETHER" they will achieve success"
It was just small throwing errors that advanced some runs for the Lookouts. It's hard for any baseball team to overcome a 1-8 run deficit.  The brighter side of this is the Lookouts scored 8 runs by the end of the 2nd inning and only 2 more by the games end.
As for hitting, EVERY MUDCAT had solid hits! WOW watch out West Raleigh-- Tino-- you drilled it ! Braden, Jackson, Channing, Trey & Cameron all came out from the beginning ready to get on base ! Jake, Jay, Sean, Grey, Nick, Marcus all rounded out the line-up with confident hitting !  
So we put this one in the books Mudcats 3- Lookouts 10 !


                              ********PROGRESS before PERFECTION******** 


P.S. Will "The Thrill" we missed you ! Being sick is the pit's ! See you on the field for game #2 !
P.S.S ! We need some EYE BLACK ! Maybe that is the mojo the Mudcats need ! Oh, maybe some for the players too ! LOL

Let the games begin...

Just one more week until the West Raleigh Mudcats kick off another exciting spring with the first game of the season against the always dangerous and hard hitting Lookouts… that is as long as we don’t have another rain/sleet/snow/ice event, followed by another week of trying to figure out how to keep our boys occupied while we come up with new explanations for them as to why they don’t have school when the roads are nice and dry… but I digress.  With about ten practices to our credit and just two more to go before the first official at bat, our boys have come a really long way, but they are only just beginning their journey toward our goal of becoming the best team in all of West Raleigh.  To get there, our boys will continue to work hard individually while playing for the teammate beside them, not for themselves.  They will continue to encourage one another to do their best at all times, especially when things seem to be the toughest or when they feel like they are playing their worst.  They will seek always to learn as much as they can at every moment, from the coaches, from each other, from their parents and even from the other teams.  They will listen to what is said and then think about how to apply it.  They will leave it all on the field every time they step inside those white lines and be able to tell their teammates at the end of every game that they gave it 100%.  But most importantly, they will have the time of their lives while they have fun on the diamond and develop a passion for the game of baseball.  And though we will work hard to win every single game, the true test of whether we are the best team in all of West Raleigh will be determined not in wins and losses, but in terms of character and spirit.  When our opponents are scared to play against us, but at the same time wish they could play for us, we will then have the best team in all of West Raleigh.
So it’s about time for the Lookouts to Lookout… because WE ARE THE MUDCATS, THE MIGHTY, MIGHTY MUDCATS. 
Let’s all make this a season we will all never forget