Tatum was super excited to start her softball season this year at Heritage Academy. The season started in January with month-long grueling try-outs. There was NO Jr. High or JV team...ONLY Varsity. So this little 7th grader had a LOT to prove.
She gave her 110% at every practice. She has an interesting throw--she kinda "side-arms" it but is very accurate in her placement. So even if an older girl didn't know her name, they knew her as "the girl with the crazy/good arm."
Tatum's BEST qualities in this sport is that she is SMART--she understands the game better than most other girls her age--and she stays COOL and rarely gets flustered. She proved it again and again in practice. She made it past the first cut, then the second cut, then...SHE MADE THE VARSITY TEAM!!!
So her first game was Wednesday, March 4th, 2020. She was supposed to be the starting 2nd Baseman. But due to ineligibility affecting a few of the other players, she was asked to play 3rd Base. I did not make the game but Chris did. He kept sending me text after text of how Tatum was playing:
Text 1-"Tatum just got an unassisted double play and then threw the girl out at first. Triple play baby!!! Unfortunately that was after they gave up 4 runs. It's 4-0. We are up to bat now."
Text 2-"She's up to bat...Single! Drove in a run. made it to third on an overthrow."
Text 3-"Caught another line drive. She's pretty much the best. We are down 4-3. We are up to bat again."
Text 4-"She just got a two run double!!! We are up 8-4"
Text 5-"Okay. She's freaking awesome. Just caught another off her shoe tops."
Text 6-" Last inning. We are up 8-6. Not looking great. Fingers crossed."
Text 7-"8-7. We need one more out."
Text 8-"WE WIN!!!"
Tatum really proved herself--not many players can say they were the main part of a triple play. The school athletic director saw her make this play and he later told Max at school--"Your sister was ALL business. She made that play and then went right back to position like it was no big deal. She wasn't cocky AT ALL. I really respect that."
She has played so long with her friend Chloe V.--who is an AWESOME pitcher and mostly strikes batters out at the plate or gets them out at 1st Base with Tatum covering that base. But on this team, the pitching is lacking so she had to make things happen in the field. Tatum's best game ever. Chris took her out for milkshakes afterwards to celebrate.
I had my schedule all worked out so that I could make more of her after school games but then...CORONA VIRUS HIT and all HELL broke loose. So what was supposed to be her busiest softball season--playing Rec AND school softball--ended up with everything cancelled. HUGE BUMMER! This is what I was most sad about during this time. But oh well. She'll prove herself again next fall I'm sure. At least she can say they had an undefeated season.
