Strange weekend - softball

[JSPhoto]

Wow, what an odd weekend, starting with last nights (Friday) 7 1/3rd innings of shutout baseball and then this game this morning. The game was between the 4a #3 and #8 teams in the state. The local girls being ranked 3rd struggled with the bats, whilr the visiting team seemed to get lots of hits but some just weren't placed too well and they got caught twice without a score while having the bases loaded. It began as a pitching duel between each teams number 1 pitcher, but that ended in the third when "our" number 1 was hit in the pitching hand by a rocketing line drive. After the game my fears were confirmed, her hand was broken. The number 2 pitcher stepped in and before she got warmed up had the bases loaded but somehow managed to get out of the inning unscathed. The next inning saw the visitors get two runs across the plate for a 2-0 lead. The home teams silent bats were not helping matters. In the 6th the home team suddenly seemed to wake up and got the bases loaded and a hit knocked in the the tieing runs. Suddenly things shifted and it was the home team with the hot bats. Two more hits and they took the lead, and a couple insurance runs to take a 5-2 lead. In the bottom of the 6th the visitors fought hard and on two consecutive hits had runners thrown out at the plate. They did get one run in the inning but it wasn't enough as the home team pulled off the come from behind victory.
The number 1 pitcher who's hand was broken refused to leave the field until after the game was over, she stayed and supported her teammates and finally went to the hospital after the game.
The team showed a ton of heart after loosing the number one starter, then going down two runs and still managing to pull out the win with their last three outs.
Here is one shot as the shortstop miss handles a bouncer while the base runner jumps past her. And the second is one of two consecutive plays at the plate, it was a force out so no need for a tag..

BTW, these were shot through the fence, the only school I have to shoot through a fence at.
JS

[Old Timer]

Wow two great shots!!! I love the runner jumping over the ball, super timing to get that. And that catcher looks like she might have logged some minutes down on the first base bag. Nice going all around. I didn't get shot any sports from Thursday on we have had nothing but rain. I had a forced time out.

[MonkeyWrench]

Nice shots John. I've noticed now in two Girls Softball postings that the batters are wearing some type of face guard. Is this new, old, standard? I don't remember this from our oldest daughter games when she played many years ago. BTW I cannot tell that you shot these through the fence. I tried it myself a while back because I just could not believe it would work. But to my surprise no fence.

PS I also like the way you shared the game along with the pictures. Nice touch. Hope the pitcher's hand heals okay.

[Myshell]

Hi, I am new at this....I love your photos! I am looking to buy a Digital SLR camera to take some pictures of my kids baseball and softball games. Right now I am looking at either the Canon Rebel xti or the Nikon D80. Any suggestions?? and where do you think I should buy them? This would be my first SLR Camera. Myshell

[JSPhoto]

Wow two great shots!!! I love the runner jumping over the ball, super timing to get that. And that catcher looks like she might have logged some minutes down on the first base bag. Nice going all around. I didn't get shot any sports from Thursday on we have had nothing but rain. I had a forced time out.

OT, if you saw the full photo you'd see the third base coach and third baseman, I got the shot between them, it was a very lucky catch. I think this catcher has played every position. For as big as she is she is very athletic, but most of all, shes a good kid.
This job is feast or famine....and right now I'm in the feast mode, so busy the past week I havn't had much time for anything else.....you should see the grass in my yard, before long I won't be able to find the cat....I need a break already!

JS

[JSPhoto]

Nice shots John. I've noticed now in two Girls Softball postings that the batters are wearing some type of face guard. Is this new, old, standard? I don't remember this from our oldest daughter games when she played many years ago. BTW I cannot tell that you shot these through the fence. I tried it myself a while back because I just could not believe it would work. But to my surprise no fence.

PS I also like the way you shared the game along with the pictures. Nice touch. Hope the pitcher's hand heals okay.

face masks are mandatory in Indiana and have been as long as I have been shooting the girls, I wonder when it will be required in the field, and when the boys will have to have them. Sheesh, it would drive me crazy and I played goalie for years.
As for the fence, it all depends, I shot a game a couple weeks ago and the fence was obvious, sometimes you get lucky, and I did on most of these.

Yeah, sometimes I tend to get a bit involved in the games, and writing too much here. From what I heard the hand should heal OK, just not before the playoffs begin the end of the month. This could be a huge blow to this team who has made it to the state finals 2 of the last three years and won it last year.

JS

[JSPhoto]

Hi, I am new at this....I love your photos! I am looking to buy a Digital SLR camera to take some pictures of my kids baseball and softball games. Right now I am looking at either the Canon Rebel xti or the Nikon D80. Any suggestions?? and where do you think I should buy them? This would be my first SLR Camera. Myshell

Welcome to the forum! And thanks, I am glad you like these. As for advise on cameras, I use Canon myself so I am a bit biased In my opinion I would say Canon is still ahead in sensor technology, service and overall performance. We have a lot of people who use Nikon here as well though. There are a number of threads on both cameras so you may want to do a search for both cameras and compare the comments and photos. As for where to buy, Adorama or Roberts Distributors are the two places I deal with but B&H is OK too. I have bought from hotbuyselectronics.com as well and got very good service.
If you will doing night sports or indoos you'll need some fast glass, f2.8 or f1.8 and a good flash as built in flash doesn't work well at all.

JS

[Old Timer]

Hi, I am new at this....I love your photos! I am looking to buy a Digital SLR camera to take some pictures of my kids baseball and softball games. Right now I am looking at either the Canon Rebel xti or the Nikon D80. Any suggestions?? and where do you think I should buy them? This would be my first SLR Camera. Myshell

John is steering you right here either is a great camera to break in on. I'm a Nikon shooter so I would go with the Nikon. But I've seen great images with both the XTi and the D80. i have bought my last two Nikon the D2h and the D200 from Cameta on their EBay site and have been super pleased with price and service. The glass you buy will probably be more significant as far as sports is concerned than the camera body. Get good glass to start with and you will eliminate a lot of growing pains along the way.