Stretch Run Begins in Japan

Hello everyone. I hope that you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend. My Japanese team, Leopalace 21, got back to work with a pair of important games Saturday and Sunday.


We started off the second half of our season with a win over Honda, 8-1. I started the game and threw five innings before Yamane came in to close it out after a great performance by our offense. Sunday we faced one of the teams tied for first in the league, Renesas Takasaki. Ueno pitches for them, so we knew it would be a hard-fought contest, but unfortunately we came up a bit short.


We were able to get off to a fast start in Sunday's contest thanks to a walk and a bunt, followed by a timely hit by our right fielder Nagayoshi, that allowed us to take an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, the lead didn't last long, and Renesas came back to score two runs in the bottom of the first.


Yamane started, but I came in to relieve her during that inning. Since we are nearing the end of our season, the innings are adding up for the foreign pitchers, and we have to be careful to manage them wisely. We are limited to 99 innings for the entire year, so we try to save any extra innings that we can when there is a chance. I left the game in the sixth inning since Yamane could reenter.


Renesas tacked on two more runs in the sixth, but we answered with another of our own in the top of the seventh. With another baserunner on and two outs, our center fielder Misato hit a long fly ball to the warning track. It was so close, but unfortunately didn't quite have the distance, and we fell, 4-2.

After 13 total games, the standings in the league are as follows:


Renesas 11-2

Shokki 11-2

Toyota 11-2

Denso 9-4

LeoPalace21 8-5

Hitachi Software 8-5

Taiyo Yuden 5-8

Toda HP 5-8

Sagawa 4-9

Shionogi 3-10

Iyo Bank 2-11

Honda 1-12

We play Toda and Denso this coming weekend, so the Denso game will be especially important for us as we try to work our way into the top four. I'm also excited for this weekend, because Natalie, Yamane, Miyako (our interpreter) and I will be traveling to the games via the bullet train, or 'shinkansen.' We are playing in Okayama, which is about a 10 hour drive, but will be less than five hours on the shinkansen.


I'll report back to let you know how the games go and tell you about the train ride. Enjoy your week!

Big Day Today!

Just a quick update from Venezuela...it's getting exciting for us!

Won both our games yesterday, and Venezuela got crushed by Canada, so we play Venezuela this morning, and if we win we play Canada for the championship. Wish us luck!

I'll let you know how it goes...enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Angela

Undefeated in Venezuela ... So Far

Hey everyone.

So far we are 5-0 in Venezuela! I pitched in our second game against Brazil, after Monica Abbott threw 3 innings as the starter. We won 7-0 in 5 innings. On day 3, we faced Ecuador, and Nikki Nemitz split time in the circle with Brandice Balschmiter as we won 21-0 in 3 innings.

Yesterday was our first doubleheader; we first faced Panama in the tournament's opening game of the day at 9 AM. I started and threw the allotted three innings as we won 22-0 in a game shortened by the run rule. Megan Langenfield and Kaitlin Cochran hit back to back home runs, and Ashley Holcombe also hit her first home run of the tournament. In game two we faced the Netherlands Antilles, with Monica Abbott and Nikki Nemitz splitting pitching time. Langenfield added another pair of home runs during that game, and Andrea Duran blasted a long home run over the wall in left field.

We've been enjoying our time in Venezuela, and have been lucky to have great staff supporting us for the tournament. We have a few translators with us at all times, and our guard Miguel has been great. They take care of anything we might need help with and make the transitions from the hotel to the field and back run smoothly. I know we can be a lot of work, but they have been great!!

We found a great deli near our hotel and were able to have a nice meal after our game yesterday, complete with gelato for dessert! I'm sure we will be making several trips back there before the week is over. We went to TGIFriday's for an American-style dinner last night and had another fun outing with the team. It's been interesting trying to keep the time difference, which is only 30 minutes from Eastern Time, straight. Since its so close, I keep forgetting whether I've set my clock to right time time or not!

Today is our second doubleheader, so were trying to get a little rest last night before another big day. We play El Salvador first at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Dominican at 3. We round out the week vs. Belize at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, and Cuba at 4:30 PM on Thursday. Medal rounds will start on Friday and run through Sunday.

Wish us luck. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!

Photos with Lauren Lappin

In between shots and just wanted to post this photo of me with Lauren...you can get this stuff soon at www.3N2Sports.com!