Okay, I've talked about this particular little girl before in a previous blog, and, because it's my blog, and I can do anything with it that I damned well like, I'm going to talk about her again.

Her name is Hannah.  She is ten years old. She lives in a little, rural town in Tennessee with her mother, her father and her older sister Kate (of whom I am going to write a blog post about also). 

Although I have heard about Hannah and her exploits for a year, I only met her in the flesh just the other day, (She is the daughter of Mary Ellen's cousin Mike), and she is just the sweetest and cutest little thing that you could ever imagine. Not only that, but she pitches a regulation-weight softball in excess of 45 miles per hour!

The semi-final game for the 10-year-old softball championship was played this afternoon in Portland, TN, and Mary and I tagged along with the family to watch Hannah pitch.

Her daddy warmed her up before the game, and then we all plunked our folding chairs down right on the other side of first base line fence. Hannah's team won the toss and was designated as the home team. So they took the field first.

I watched as this little sixty-pounder with the blond ponytail dancing out from behind her oversized baseball cap strode confidently out to the mound.

Before she threw her first pitch, I saw her shoulders heave up and down with heavy sigh, then she glanced sideways over to where her father was sitting. He gave her a silent signal, and she threw her first pitch.

By the time Hannah retired the side, two runs had scored. 

The bottom half of the first inning was uneventful; three up, and three down.

Hannah fanned the first batter in the second inning handily.

The second batter was a bruiser. She solidly connected with a fast ball, and drilled a smoking line drive right back to the pitcher, smashing the ball into Hannah's right kneecap. A time out was called. The umpire and coaches from both teams rushed to the mound. Hannah turned her back to us, but, by the way her shoulders and head were moving, it was apparent that the little girl was crying.

After a few minutes of Hannah's hobbling around the mound, her coach asked her if she wanted to be pulled from the game. She wiped the tears off of her cheeks with her glove, looked him squarely in the eyes and declared, “No!”

After two warm-up pitches, she was ready to go, and she proceeded to strike out the next two batters.

The game progressed, and in the top of the last inning, with the score tied 4 – 4, Hannah worked her magic and got out of the inning without the opponents scoring a run.

At the bottom of the inning, Hannah was to be the third batter.

The first batter struck out.

The second one was called on a technicality. (Her coach had failed to inform the umpire that she was a substitute.)

So, Hannah came to bat with two outs and nobody on.  The first pitch to her was high and outside, and she let it go by for a ball. The second pitch she soundly smashed over the pitcher's head, past the second basemen, and into center field.  When the dust had settled, Hannah was standing on second.

The next batter rocketed the first pitch into orbit, sending Hannah into motion. As she came upon third base, I jumped to my feet and started screaming, “Home, Hannah! Home!” Mike was on his feet next to me shouting, “GO! GO! GO!” Hannah never hesitated. She rounded third base and drove for home like a runaway freight train. She beat the throw to the plate by a mile, and suddenly, the game was over, and we were victorious!

I sat back down in my chair and looked at my legs. I literally had goosebumps! Mike and Mary Ellen noticed them too, and we all burst out laughing.

Who would have thought that watching a bunch of ten year old girls play softball would be so exciting!

I was exhausted!

What a game!

To my way of thinking, biased as it may be, Hannah won that game. She never lost her composure. She never became distracted, in spite of all the pressure that was on her. She stayed focused and did what she was supposed to do, and her team rode to victory on her little yet sturdy shoulders.

She was the hero!

On the softball field, Hannah is a fierce competitor.

However, off the field, she is just the sweetest little girl that you'd ever want to meet. Shy and unassuming, she is just a complete delight. When you ask her a question, it's always, “Yes sir” or “Yes ma'am.” She calls her mother “Momma” and her father is “Daddy.”And when you compliment her, she blushes, puts her head down and quietly says, “Thank you.”

Hannah, your Momma and Daddy are raising you right. They love you as much as you obviously love them.

And, little girl, you, your sister and your parents give me hope for the future of the human race.