South Carolina is Hot in the Summer - Chick Fil A Edition

Charleston, South Carolina is really hot in the Summer.  I mean really hot.  Think about how hot it is where you are right now.  That is nowhere near how hot it is in Charleston in the Summer.

With this as a backdrop, C had his annual baseball field trip for his AAU team.  Three years ago, it was Flemington, New Jersey.  Two years ago it was Omaha, Nebraska.  Last year it was Reading and Hershey, Pennsylvania.  This year, we were on our way to the Lowcountry.  At least it was an interesting area outside of baseball.

Day 1.  The team won handily in its first game, beating a team from North Carolina (or South Carolina, I get those places mixed up) at the College of Charleston's baseball park, which is actually in Mount Pleasant.  C played LF and walked a couple of times.

No Bueno

In the second game, C was scheduled to pitch.  It was what I was told to be the best team in our pool.  C came out firing the ball.  An uncatchable pop up was the only difference between a goose egg and one run.  We were down 1-0 after one half inning.  As we're warming up to hit in the bottom of the first, a storm cloud appeared out of nowhere.  The oppressive heat was shoved aside by 40 mph winds.  Not long after came the downpours.  And Jesus did it rain hard for a couple of hours. It didn't stop us from making a sprint for the car after the game was cancelled.

Day 2.  For some reason, C was brought on to pitch the following game on the following day at a high school field on Daniel Island (where I will retire one day).  Questionable decision making by the coach since C was telling me about his dead arm that night.  The game did not go well after the first couple of innings.  Usually throwing the ball in the low to mid 80s, C's fastball was more of a batting practice fastball.  After 3 runs in 2 innings, C was taken out.  Although we rallied toward the end of the game, we ended up losing 4-2. 

In the second game at Charleston Southern University (A division 1 school that I had never heard of), we played arguably the worst team.  C was playing CF this game so he was hitting this game.  After two more walks (or maybe a HBP, who knows) and 4 stolen bases, C hit a deep fly ball to Left Center.  It was well struck and it is.....Caught a few steps from the fence.  We ended up winning this game a lot to a little.

College of Charleston - Brett Gardner Territory

Day 3.  For some reason, C was brought on to pitch against the team he pitched against on Day 1 back at College of Charleston.  Serious deja vu right now.  The Coach was so pissed at another kid for screwing up a bunt play that apparently he didn't notice that C was barely getting the ball over the plate yesterday, and when he did he was throwing it about as hard as a 10 year old.  Maybe he thought this team would be flummoxed by change up after change up?  Regardless, C gutted through a tough outing, giving up 4 total runs in 4 innings.  The coach ended up giving up the game and we lost a lot to a little. 

Now the waiting game was upon us.  We were 2-2, and gave up 15 runs.  Runs allowed would determine whether we made the playoffs or not.  At the end, we were found to be the 8 seed.  While the playoffs are nice, we would have to win 4 more games to win the tournament.  With our pitching in shambles, this was not going to work out that great.  Unfortunately, I was right.  We ended up getting a mercy rule game in the 8-9 play in game.  Tournament over.

Jesus, its Monday early afternoon and we don't go home until Thursday.  Well at least C had a good time with his buddies for most of the time (I forced him to go to dinner with me once and forced him to go to Fort Sumter as well).  Me personally, I spent the next tow days walking around in the oppressive heat and humidity and then went to dinner with friends.  All in all an enjoyable time.

Next weekend?  That's right, G on the Cape.  Or is it playoffs in New Hampshire and Maine?  I can't keep track.