Crash and Burn

Last night, Vanderbilt played Michigan for the right to advance to the Super Regionals, which would take place this weekend at chosen sites across the nation. Saturday afternoon, Vanderbilt lost to Michigan, sending Vandy to the losers bracket. Winning a game against Austin Peay and beating Michigan once Sunday evening, forced the if necessary championship game re-match Monday night.

As the number 1 National seed, Vanderbilt was expected to win hands down and show up in Omaha two weeks from now. Well, as in any sport, anyone can beat anyone on any given day. Monday night, Vanderbilt fought back in the 8th inning to tie the game at 3 runs apiece and forced extra innings. Well, Vandy lost in extra innings bringing their season to an unexpected screeching halt. The city of Nashville, the Vanderbilt faithful, and the college baseball nation were stunned.

I feel for that entire team. I know what it feels like to have the rug pulled from right under your feet when you are expected to win a championship/tournament/game. In my 20 years of playing softball, I played on a championship team every season. We were expected to show up at the national tournament every summer and either win or play in the championship game. The pressure that goes along with those expectations is unbearable at times. One of the greatest accomplishments in my life was winning that national championship with my amazing teammates down in Texas. We beat Cat Osterman twice during our rout to the championship and people kept asking who those "girls from Alabama" were? Yes, we know how to play softball in Alabama and we know how to play it well.

Every year we started, our expectations/goals were as high as they could get: have less than 10 losses in a 60-game season, win the state championship, win the regional championship, and win the national championship. In all my years of playing travel ball with my teammates, we never had more than 10 losses in one summer. Never.

So, I can always relate my own experiences to what the Vanderbilt baseball team is feeling, but the expectation to reach Omaha is unlike any other. Being so close to meeting those expectations is what hurts the most. As a spectator, I loved watching every game this season and the respect they had for the game of baseball. They have nothing to be ashamed of.

Now, I guess i'm going to have to root for those damn Owls. Shoot.