State Softball Tournament & Preparations

This was from the 8-10 Year Old
Baseball game on Sunday Night in
District 28, Not Softball.

From Saturday, July 10th to Friday, July 16, I worked every day but Sunday at the Southern California Softball State Tournament. It was a roller coaster ride of bad softball, great softball, nervous umpiring on my part, a game of quicksand wondering why I'm doing this, to one of my best games of the year. I feel, after 6 days of umpiring 8 games, I am ready for San Bernardino now.

Looking at the list of umpires, there are a lot of umpires I have heard about, a couple i have worked with, and all of them are known around the region. This is a great group of umpires of which I feel like I belong but also have that self-doubt that I can't afford another game where confidence wanes. 

One of the best things about the state tournament was the opportunity to work with Tori. I recruited Tori back in 2016 to umpire with me at Bloomington as a teenager. This year, she told me that she worked the entire Softball season at Bloomington. During the district's 8-10 Softball tournament, we worked 2 umpire and she worked her first All-Star game behind the plate. She was nervous but worked it. She did the loser bracket finals plate for the State tournament and did an excellent job. The growth between that first game and her last plate was impressive to see. I'm glad she's sticking it out because she is the future of umpiring. I consider her career my success as UIC of Bloomington.

Let me recap the state championship from my Facebook post:

"Little League Softball Majors Southern California State Championship: La Verne (visitors) vs West L.A. (Home): this was the if game with La Verne forcing it yesterday with a rub in the bottom of the 6th. Today La Verne scores one in the first and West L.A. scores 3 in the bottom of the first. La Verne ties it up 3-3 in the third. Scoreless 4th. La Verne scores one in the 5th and West L.A. gets runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of 5. A couple of fly balls to center and a 6-3 ground out gets La Verne or of a pickle.

6th inning, La Verne has 7-8-9 up and 8 gets on base. 9 gets the second out. 1 gets intentionally walked and 2 hits a dribbler to the third baseman whose throw beats the batter by half a step.

West L.A. also has 7-8-9 coming up in the bottom of the 7th. 8 gets on. 9 out for second out. 1 hits and now there are runners on first and second. 2 hits a dribbler to the shortstop and we have a third out, 6-3.

La Verne played every day during this tournament, 7 days. And I'll see them again in a week."

So now the state tournament is done and I am getting the final preparations done for Regionals. My pants are at the cleaners getting pressed. I'm cleaning out my car from all the extra umpire stuff. I'm hydrating today for games on Saturday. I've read and reread the rule book and tournament rules. I'm ready for San Bernardino.

Friday is Rebecca's 18th birthday. I get to hang out with her in the morning and then head up to San Bernardino for our Umpire meeting the night before games start. First game starts at 9 AM on Saturday. I don't know if I'm on that game yet or if I'll be on the noon game instead. Here is the schedule of all games:

https://www.littleleague.org/world-series/2021/llsbws/tournaments/west-region/

I'll guarantee I won't be on the plate for any game that Southern California is on (La Verne) because that is the way they do it. No home state umpires doing the plate for their home state team. I understand the reasons for that (and after doing 6 games for La Verne during the state tournament, it is definitely a good idea to avoid the perception of impropriety.) So no plate Sunday at noon.

Looking at the tournament, it looks like Idaho is not sending a team this year but the other 11 states (2 California) are sending one. 19 games. It should be a fun tournament.

I'll let you know my opening day schedule as soon as I know it myself. 

State Championship

So last night was the State Championship game for the Southern California Major Softball tournament. The winner's bracket team was South El Monte and the loser's bracket was Westchester Del Mar. Having seen both teams on Tuesday, I thought Westchester was the better team and would probably force an if game.
So first 2 innings went real quick. 3rd inning South El Monte dropped 5 in the top of the inning. Westchester returned with 1 in the bottom. No score in the 4th. Top of the 5th, S.E.M. scores one more, making it 6-1. It looks at this point that they are going to pull off the not-upset and make sure an "If" game is not necessary. Bottom of the 5th, W.D.M. gets the bases loaded with no outs. Batter hits a ball to the second baseman who looks home for the force but doesn't do it, instead throwing to first to a first baseman who is not looking. Ball passes her, 3 runs score. Long story short, W.D.M. scores 6 in the bottom of the 5th, making it 7-6. Top of the 6th and S.E.M. goes down 1-2-3, meaning that there is an If game tonight for the whole ball of wax.
There were a couple of really close plays at the plate. Both could have been called obstruction which I probably missed but on the first, the runner hooked a leg around to the plate before the catcher tagged the tucked left leg. Safe at home. Parents start going crazy. This was in the 3rd inning.
In the bottom of 5, ball comes in from 1st, runner slides, catcher blocks plate completely, I rotate to look at the foot and the runner shuffles it after the tag to touch home. Out call at home. Of course, the call is against the same team that was on the defense on the first play. Coach comes out to talk. I tell him what I have. Not pacified but knowing he isn't going to get me to go talk to my partners because neither of them have any angle on a call I have 4 feet away with a shift, he huffs away.
So when W.D.M. wins, they are ecstatic that they forced an If game, especially coming back from 6-1. As umpires, you always go out the winning side because winning pacifies a lot of complaining. To hear good game from these parents who were yelling, screaming, and nigh cursing earlier in the game really rubs wrong. Empty platitudes.
I had one of the dads of Idaho post a picture on Facebook from 4 years ago when they were about to go to the Intermediate Regional, saying it was the start of the best week of their life. I replied that it was one of mine too and I was glad to share it with them. He turns around and says that I'm the best umpire ever. 4 years later and I made a positive influence on some kids from Idaho. That is a great memory. That is the type of memory I hope I make again next week in San Bernardino. Umpires, coaches, and players are not adversaries. We are all on the same team to get the best game out there and to teach players the tenants of Little League, Character, Courage, and Loyalty. I can do that by calling a good game but by also being a good guy, giving it my all, and doing it with a humble attitude.
The best game I ever worked behind the plate mechanically was Arizona/Hawaii at that regional. The best game I ever umpired behind the plate because the teams were such good sportsmen was the Hawaii/Idaho game. That Idaho team is my favorite team I ever worked with because they were a team of all heart, even when they were outclassed from the mound and the batting boxes. They stayed positive, never quit, and were so grateful just to be part of the whole experience. That's who I work to be every game. I'm glad I ran into them to remind myself that it is possible to live my core values even in the face of insurmountable odds.
Last night was my last game until next Friday. I don't know which games I will be working yet, but I'll let you know when I do. The schedule was released yesterday though and we will be having games at 9 am, 5 pm, and 7:30 pm on Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday are 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Friday, the championship, is at 6:00 pm. Since 3 states pulled out this week, they had to totally revamp the schedule and quite intelligently got rid of the 11 am and 2 pm games. Having the Alaska girls playing in 110 degree heat last year was ludicrous. This is a boon for me too as I won't have any 110 degree games behind the plate. Unfortunately, with 3 teams pulling out, we will have 17 games and 9 umpires, meaning one guy will only have 1 plate. If it is me, I will be ok with that because I got to be in San Bernardino umpiring with another chance to have one of the best weeks of my life. (I hope to make a good enough impression to get one of the semi or final plate though. Umpire dream.)
Next 5 days is family time though. I haven't had enough of that the last month and I'm so looking forward to it. Already turned down 3 request for this weekend. Being in a softball frame of mind is important going into next week.  I can't wait :)

Just a quick note

Just a quick note from my phone. Tonight I get to work with 2 other umpires who I'll be working with next week at regional for the Major Softball Southern California state championship game. The game is up in Hesperia at 7:00 pm, meaning I'll leave right after work to get there in case there are all kinds of traffic again. Tuesday, my crew who went up (Dave Burt, John Rodino, Ernie Hinojosa, and myself) was an hour late for game time because it took 2 and a half hours to get there.  Of course some of the girls were stuck in traffic too so we were ok. 

I'm pretty excited. This should be tons of fun tonight - Westchester Del Rey (losers bracket) against South El Monte. Saw both teams on Tuesday and they are both ready to play ball. 

I'll let you know how everything goes tomorrow.