Last night Leyden had a softball game. When she was up to bat, the pitcher threw a wild pitch and as Leyden stepped out of the box to avoid getting hit, she turned her right elbow toward the plate just enough for it to get hit by the pitch. As the nasty slapping sound resounded in my ears, Leyden's helmet started to wobble and I knew she was crying. The umpire and coaches surrounded her and examined the point of impact - the inside of her forearm, just below the elbow. After a few seconds, she jogged to first base. But after that horrible slapping sound, I knew this wasn't going to be just another hit by a pitch. The next girl up to bat struck out for the third out, and Leyden went to play in left field.
So, Mom got up and got a bag of ice from the concession stand and I called Brad and told him Leyden got hit. As the girls came in the dugout, I gave Leyden's coach the bag of ice and he made sure Leyden put it on her arm. I tried to get a peek at it, but all I could see was an angry red spot. Leyden kept the ice on it until she had to go back in left field. (They only had 10 players, and they really need 10 in this league, so she played.)
When she came off the field, it was her turn to bat. Leyden started crying before she got in the dugout. I went to see what was wrong. She said her arm hurt and she couldn't hold a bat. Coach Andy tried to talk to her and tell her all she had to do was stand in the back of the box and hold the bat, but she kept shaking her head "no" and saying that she wasn't going to bat. There was a lot of "NO!" and a lot of "Just hold the bat, you don't have to swing." I finally told her that her team needed her and she had to bat. (Mind you, the umpire has said "Batter up!" and is waiting for Leyden.) Coach Andy promised her again that all she had to do was hold the bat and she didn't have to swing. So she gave in and headed for the plate.
She stood and watched three go by, all balls. One more and she could walk. Her head coach was at third base and was giving her signals. He made a signal, and Leyden stepped out of the box and started crying and shaking her head "No" as she walked toward him. He said something in her ear and she went back to the box. Turns out, the coach had given the signal for "bunt" that her coach at school uses, and she was confused. She was upset because she knew she couldn't hold the bat to bunt. Mind you, the head coach was already at third base while Coach Andy was telling Leyden she didn't have to swing. So Leyden went back to the plate, and the pitcher threw another ball. Leyden ran to first base.
The pitcher threw a ball to the next batter and Leyden stole second. The pitcher threw another ball (which the catcher missed) and Leyden stole third. The pitcher missed the ball when it was thrown back to her, so the coach sent Leyden on to steal home plate... she scored the run that tied the game!
In the next inning, one of Leyden's teammates stole home to win the game by one point.
So after the game, when I finally got a good look at the arm, it wasn't pretty. The stitches on the ball made an imprint in her arm. (And it's still there today!) I'm sure it will look worse before it looks better.
I told Leyden that if she had not taken her turn at bat, things might not have turned out the same. EVERY player is important. And it was important for her to face her fear after that horrific hit. I think she was proud of herself for working through the fear and facing it head-on. I know I'm proud of her. She's a tough one, for sure.
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