Way to Go Aggies!

Since University of Georgia softball team was rained out at its tourney at Columbus, they had to come home on Saturday without being able to play a game. Consequently, our weekend softball watching schedule was simplified. This afternoon Gerry said they had already gotten four inches of snow at Athens.

Geri Ann had to stay home for a basketball event, but Vickie was in the stands at College Station braving the winds and cheering Erin and the Aggies on. Vickie’s flight out of Houston was at 5 today, so she may be driving in slick conditions right now as she left her vehicle at the Atlanta airport. She is excellent driver, but we hope she will pull off and check into a motel if roads get too slick down there.

Texas A&M were not only hosting Monmouth on Friday and Saturday, they had three home games scheduled against University of Arizona, who was ranked tenth in the nation. As expected they won over Monmouth, but I don’t think too many predicted they could win two out of three games against Arizona. But they did.

After playing Monmouth Friday afternoon, the Aggies faced Arizona, It took us until the eighth inning, but we won 5-4 when Erin’s housemate and fellow senior Holly Ridley hit the winning homerun. So I am sure there was much celebrating in Aggie Land that evening. There was at Woodsong. We were suddenly very excited about the next game on Saturday against Arizona.

Gerald and I met up at the junior high gym in Marion to see Samuel play with his Upward basketball team on Saturday morning. It was fun to see how far these kids have come with their skills. Since Upward does not promote winning, score is not kept. This oldest group has only two teams this year, so they keep playing each other. Wanting to shake things up a bit, suddenly at half time, the coaches had some of the boys turn their jerseys inside out, and some of the guys on the black team were now members of the silver team. And vice versa. This was a first since the teams had played with the same players all year without such a switch-a-roo. The players did not seem a bit fazed having to remember who their new team mates were.

I learned the hard way four years ago that Upward basketball has six quarters. Sam kept trying to tell his grandmother this—but I assured him that there are only four quarters in a whole. Was I ever wrong! There are six “quarters” in Upward ball. This insures that every team member gets to play during the game. In fact, if you score too much, you may be taken out to give someone else the opportunity.

Since his friend Josh was staying with Sam this weekend while Josh’s parents went to Chicago with his sister and a pom pom group, David took the two boys to McDonald’s for lunch after the final three “quarters.” We went on to Fazoli’s for lunch, and then I ran by Katherine’s before the Monmouth game.

I also needed to go to the library, and I missed that game. But I carried down cups of soup for our supper and we settled together before the computer screen for the televised game against Arizona. I was pumped as we listened to Coach Jo Evans in the pre-game show saying how much it would mean if A&M beat Arizona twice this weekend. We rapidly got ahead only to have Arizona pull ahead as the game progressed. We lost that game 9-4, and we went to bed discouraged.

When we got back to the farm from church in the village this morning, I hurriedly fixed sloppy joes while Gerald got the game going. Arizona soon pulled out ahead, and it looked as if the game was theirs--until the 7th inning, that is. Then A&M loaded the bases, and Alex Reynolds hit a fly to center field and brought in three players to tie up the game. Arizona didn’t score in the 8th, and A&M loaded the bases again. Erin came up to bat. As much as she wanted that game-winning hit, she was patient, and the pitcher walked her. That brought A&M across the plate from third base, and the game was over 5-4. The 21st ranked Aggies won two out of three games with 10th ranked Arizona.

I can’t wait to see Holly Ridley’s blog tomorrow. She and Erin are taking turns writing the team blog each week. After last week’s good showing at the Houston tourney, Erin wrote on Monday: “Now that we have our confidence and swagger back, we are looking to come out on top this weekend.” Swagger some more, girls. You’ve earned it.

Gerald had to make some phone calls to discuss that game, and also he was busy checking the TV to see if Lucas Hileman, freshman at Baylor was getting to play today. Luke’s dad is our area representative for the University of Illinois Farm Management Association and so visits our farm regularly. Gerald followed Luke’s football and baseball career at my alma mater Anna-Jonesboro High School, and he is eager to see him play at Baylor. Gerald keeps noting that so far Luke is batting a 1000. (That may go down when he gets to play more.)

We had a regular meal at the kitchen table for supper as I'd thawed a steak, and we have talked to all of our adult children this weekend on the phone or in person, so we are feeling smug at Woodsong.