Bandits Baseball!!!

Gabe #5 sliding into home....SAFE!

Gabe is a baseball playing machine this Spring!  In January he was asked to be on a traveling team from the Augusta area, and he happily accepted!  He started practicing in the end of February and has played in 4 tournaments so far with the Bandits.  They are a young team with a majority of the boys having never played together....so there are some kinks to work out, but all in all they are a great group of boys and a blast to watch!  Gabe mostly plays first base and from time to time in the outfield.  He has also tried his hand at pitching a few times and has done very well there as well!  He has really improved in at bats....the fall ball instruction he received definitely didn't hurt!  The teams he and his team are facing are some of the best at the age group....so, they are getting a lot of good experience!  He is also doing League ball here in Augusta...so between the two teams he is at the ball field every night with practices and games!  Thank goodness the boy loves baseball.....and us too!  His league team has a good mix of boys that have a lot of experience and some that this is their first or second year....they have lost 2 games and won 1.  Gabe has been playing all over the infield with his league team....most surprisingly is probably catcher!  He has been rocking at catcher!  Last night, Gabe made a rocking out at catcher....he settled in right in front of the bag, caught the ball from the first baseman...after he had made an out, and tagged the scoring runner!  He looked like a pro!  He may not be facing the same caliber of player in league, but I think it's important for him to play league.  He is gaining a new appreciation for the rest of his traveling team...while he stands at first with his glove out ready to catch the ball...the other boys are fielding the ball all over the place...something he has had the opportunity to do in league!!  So, if you are looking for us or are itching for a little baseball...come down to the field most any day...and you'll find us!

 

  And yes, this wintery picture was actually taken at one of Gabe's tournament games....in MAY!  We were freezing...we had all of the ski gear out...can you say RIDICULOUS?!