Last One, Best One
Lots and lots of pictures here. Sorry, not sorry. Nick and Gracie left for the last tournament of the season very early Sunday morning to make it to practice in Indiana the coaches deemed necessary at the last minute. They got there on time, only to be delayed a couple hours because of rain. Go figure. They watched the all-star game, which included three of our players, Alyssa, Lexi, and Sid. Alyssa also won the homerun derby earlier in the day.
Pool/Bracket games for seeding began on Monday and our team was seeded #3 for the whole tournament (over 90 teams), so we had a first game bye and played later Monday. Just one game, which we won. A couple more wins on Tuesday put us in the Tier 1 super regional that began on Wednesday. I don't have many pictures from the first 4 days, but they did well.
Gracie playing 3rd
Team dinner after a game
I think this was at Red Robin
And.... They did it!
After making the Tier 1 Elite 8 Thursday afternoon!
I wasn't there for this, but shortly before, I realized I would have a very early Friday morning.
Addie and Gracie are pretty excited!
Gracie and Lexi
Gracie and Alyssa
Gracie and Sid.
and her dad. 💜
These three will get to play in college together!
Like I mentioned, I left really early Friday morning after attending Owen's football scrimmage the night before. I made it to their first game, which they won! One more game a little later in the afternoon, which was delayed by a pretty massive thunderstorm. Of course we were all at the fields already so took shelter under a tent with another team.
First Game of Elite 8 = W
Meeting in the circle
Ready at third
3rd again
After making the Elite 8!!
Catching
Getting signs
Final Four
Win to make it to Final Four
We won both games Friday and had one more against Stith on Saturday morning before reaching the Championship series that began on Saturday evening against the TX Bombers.
Writing our Team into the finals
After the semi-final win
Semi Final win
Walking off with teammates
Post game with Batbusters.
Their girls were really great people.
Pic with the parents
There was quite a bit of time in between games on Saturday. Gracie wanted a clean uniform - it was so hot. So we went back to Katherine and DJ's for a little bit to freshen up before the Champ series that evening. Had a little down time to rest, then back at it.
It was so crazy, but right after our semi-final game, Brynn's Iowa Premier Team had just lost their last game and they were having their final team meeting when we walked by. Wow. I can't even explain how the timing worked out and how happy this made me that they could see each other one more time at the softball field.
Gracie and Brynn
Brynn has ended her time with travel ball.
Georgia State is next for her.
There might have been some tears from both of them.
Driving to Kokomo for the finals.
They're both awake!!!
This was before it stormed.
My dad even went and bought a purple shirt! You can kind of see it.
Our game was delayed by about 2 hours because a pretty bad storm came through.
Here we are. Just waiting.
That was three days in a row of storms for me. One in Missouri, two in Indiana.
This brings back memories from 4 years ago when ESPN aired the Little League World Series.
The competition level has increased exponentially since then.
We won on Saturday night, so only needed one more win on Sunday to take the series. We didn't end up finishing the game until almost midnight, then played again at noon Sunday.
Lineups during the Championship game.
And they did it.
They won the whole dang thing.
I have so many pictures, and I'm sure Gracie has more.
In front of their team trophy
Alyssa was interviewed after the game.
She was MVP of the tournament.
Gracie and Kali
Gracie and Ella
This one gets me.
I hope there are more of these, but you just never know.
Team celebration
The real pic for Alliance
Gracie with her individual trophy
These three will get to play together at Mizzou!
I am really looking forward to seeing more of Sid and Addy this year!
Of course, my parents were so excited and loved every hot moment of it.
Family pic
My mom took this one, I think.
We were waiting on the field for the girls to get their trophies.
It's a little blurry, but I'm glad the moment was captured.
That's a big one!
They won it all.
Owen had another week of summer football and wrapped it up with a scrimmage on Thursday. Gracie came back on Friday, then Owen left for Camp Rockies on Saturday. It never stops. Now a week off from sports before we pick it up again. Less than 4 weeks until the first football/softball games for SBC! School starts in 3 weeks!
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