PLAY BALL!!!!

Tonight was Ian's first baseball game of the season. This year, instead of playing Bolivar YMCA, Ian is on a traveling (all-star is probably a better word) team playing in the top competitive level Springfield 2nd graders league. We, the coaches, thought we had a pretty solid team, but you never know until they hit the field. This evening we found out what type of squad we have... FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!! They won 12-1 (and no one can remember how the other team even scored the 1) and two innings were stopped as a you are only allowed to score 5 runs per inning. Pop flies (to include our catcher getting one in foul territory with gear still on), grounders, force outs, it was all pretty effortless. The other team was hitting good, but our 'D' was silky smooth. On the offensive side everyone was hitting and running great. Jake, who watches, but is not always impressed easily, was stoked for his little bro's team and said he would like to come to all the games this summer as "these guys are no joke". This is going to be a fun season.

***Picture of Ian with Grandpa and Grandma Jones (they hardly ever miss any of Jake and Ian's meets/games***

Now to the little man's stats hitting and playing of 3rd base (because he has an accurate cannon for an arm): 3 for 3 batting (all singles with a couple runs driven in), three caught pop flies (one in foul territory), one force out on third and a great stop and rocket throw to first that was just a little late to get the runner. Interesting thing I have noticed about E-ball (Ian's common name at home as it originated from us calling him E for short, then after we found out he is great at any sport with a ball it was a natural addition) is that all of a sudden he is a quick little runner. Before he was OK, but now we has got some fire to his legs (see below video). Below are some clips of him in action (of course one shows his need to slide and dirty up the gear).