Pratt Wood Bat Tournament

Jon here, filling in for Karren. First time "blogging" for me, so I hope this works...

Quite a weekend in Pratt, to say the least. Not sure where you might have been, but it was 100 degrees + all weekend. We started off with a tough draw in the bracket, playing a team from Wichita. We came out a little flat and lost. (only our 4th loss of the season...). We won our next game and were done for the day on Saturday. Our first game Sunday was 9am vs. Salina. We got the bats going and won. Immediately played again vs. Pratt and won again. After a one game break, next up was a re-match with Wichita team that beat us Saturday. Our bats stayed hot, and we won again. No break, and we play Garden City. Bats got really hot and we won 15-6. Again, no break, and we play Dodge City for the championship (we have to beat them twice, since we're in the loser's bracket. Also, DC had only played one game Sunday, we'd played four...) We got a great pitching performance from Landon and won the first game easily. Next game (6th of the day...) got started and we had a fluky (some would call it dirty) play at the plate in the top of the first, and our catcher, Gage, got run over and hurt his knee. There shouldn't have been any contact, as there was no play at the plate, the put out (third out) was at first. Gage was out of the game, and this inspired the boys to play on emotion and adrenalin after five games in the heat. Izzy pitched great, everyone hit the ball, and we won easily again. As I said earlier, we started our first game at 9 am. We left the parking lot at 9 pm. 12 hours of baseball. But what a day!

Evan hit the ball great all weekend, and did his best to keep everyone up and inspired to keep going all day long. So much fun to be in the dugout and watch the boys interact with each other. They are a special bunch...

Thanks to all the fans that stuck it out in the heat all day. I can't put into words how hot it was all day long... I do have to say, it was entertaining to watch the crowd move with the shade in the stands...

Not to leave you hanging on Gage... As of the time of this writing, I don't have any direct info from his family, but the best info I have is that he has a fractured knee cap, and possible damage to his ligaments. Our prayers are with him.

Karren, Evan and Haley are at church camp all week. Sophia and I are missing them...

(Other teams) stay away from the Purple Panthers (they're good...), and (Larned fans) run to the Purple Panthers (they're good...)


UPDATE ON GAGE - as of 6/28/11 3:40 pm - I talked to his mom, and the initial read of the x-rays was incorrect. Nothing cracked, broken or torn. He has a deep bruise, and a knee strain. He can play as soon as the pain goes away. So happy for him not to have to go thru any extended rehab... Praise God!!!