The Purple Panthers went on a rampage after the Pink Sox defeat, winning five straight games, and pushing away from the pack in the American League. The regular season was more than half over and the league standings showed the Purple Panthers two and a half games ahead of the second place Diamond Divas, with eight games left.
The Lady Bandits in the Lake Forbing National League were far ahead of the other three clubs in the four-team league, undefeated in nine starts and looking to clinch their pennant soon.
With the regular season schedule winding down, the Purple Panthers prepared for another game against the second place Diamond Divas, who had won three straight and were not yet willing to concede the American League pennant to the Purple Panthers.
Coach Wilson started Maria Rodriguez against the Diamond Divas because Madelyn Taylor had a slightly sprained her ankle from tripping over a curb while texting on her smart phone. It was an ignorant mistake and embarrassed Madelyn. However, she was lucky she did not fall into the street into the middle of traffic.
Madison Moore said before the game got under way, “If we beat these girls once more we’re practically in, and I feel pretty sure we will beat them.”
“Let’s not talk that way,” Emilee warned her.
“All right,” the redhead said, grinning. “We beat them twice already, didn’t we?”
“Today’s another day,” Emilee observed, “and the Diamond Divas know they have to stop us if they want to stay in the race. Besides, have you ever heard of the revenge factor?”
“They have about as much chance of winning as they do stopping a freight train,” Madison said. “We’ll roll right over them.”
In the first inning, they looked as if they were going to do just that. Hitting the Diamond Diva pitcher at will, they chalked up four runs, Jasmine Brown hitting a home run with a runner on base.
“That’s it,” Madison said, laughing as she raced out to third, the Diamond Divas coming in for their turn at bat.
The first Diamond Diva dropped a bunt down the third-base line, catching Madison sleeping. She grinned sheepishly as she picked up the ball after fumbling it a few times.
“She’ll die there, Maria,” she told the pitcher. “Don’t worry about her.”
The next Diamond Diva pushed a bunt down towards first base and both Jasmine Brown and Maria Rodriguez went after it. On a bunt to first, Emilee needed to race over from second to first and cover the bag for Jasmine, but Emilee, like Madison, was not paying attention either. Because first base was not covered, both runners were safe at first and second.
Maria Rodriguez looked at Coach Wilson on the bench and Emilee could see that Maria was worried. She walked the next batter to fill the bases and then the Diamond Diva clean-up batter doubled off the right field fence, scoring all three runners. She came in herself, on another single to right center field and the score was tied 4 to 4, with no outs and a runner on first.
Coach Wilson came out to talk with Maria Rodriguez while the Diamond Divas whooped it up in their dugout. Maria stayed in the game, worked hard on the next batter, and got her to hit a roller down to third.
Madison Moore stormed in fast to pick up the slow roller. This time, the ball bounced over her glove and went through her legs. The next batter hit a high fly to Hannah Miller and Hannah got under it like a big leaguer, and then lost the ball, which allowed the fifth run to cross the plate, putting the Diamond Divas in the lead.
It was 5 to 4 at the start of the second inning and Emilee could see the worry and concern on the faces of the Purple Panthers as they sat in the dugout. They had thought of themselves as unbeatable, yet the Diamond Divas were pushing them around as if they were the last-place Eagles.
The Purple Panthers went down in one-two-three order and in the Diamond Divas next half inning at bat, they chased Maria Rodriguez off the field with two hits and another error by Madison Moore. Madison let a hard grounder go through her legs with two runners on base and both runners scored, the batter going to third. It was now 7 to 4, the Diamond Divas on top. Destiny Johnson came in to pitch, but Destiny threw a home run ball to the Diamond Divas clean-up hitter and it was 9 to 4, just like that.
“Let’s get started,” Emilee called worriedly.
That was easier to say than do. The Diamond Diva pitcher was very effective after the first inning and the Purple Panthers had not gotten any runners past second base since.
It was 11 to 4 for the Diamond Divas in the fifth with only one inning remaining. Coach Wilson called for a big rally in the fifth, but it was the Diamond Divas who rallied, chasing four more runs across the plate, making the score 15 to 4 and it stood that way when the final Purple Panther out was made.
A soundly whipped Purple Panther squad left the field, none of them with anything to say. It was not a game lost because of bad breaks or because of a single misplay. The whole team had played poorly and the Diamond Divas had played well.
“One of those things,” Coach Wilson said, trying to be cheerful about it. “We had a bad night. Next game we will do better. We are still in first place. Learn from the mistakes we made in this game, okay?”
Looking at the Purple Panther coach, Emilee had the peculiar feeling that coach was happy because of the loss. She did not say that, but it was in her body language.
“Every club has one bad game in its system,” Coach Wilson said. “Now, we have gotten rid of ours.”
On the way home with her father in the car, Emilee mentioned her observation and Mr. Davis said quietly,
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Coach Wilson was glad you lost, Emilee.”
“What?” Emilee gasped
“You girls were getting too arrogant and cocky,” her Dad told her. “You were beginning to think nobody could beat you. Why even the best teams in the pro leagues lose many ball games over the course of a season? I think Coach Wilson realized your arrogance and cockiness and felt you were due for an adjustment. You will all play better ball next week. Just hide and watch.”
“I hope so,” Emilee muttered. “We really would like to go to the play offs. Can you imagine going to the championship finals, Dad, and playing in the Little League Softball World Series?”
“The Purple Panthers didn’t look like a World Series contender this evening,” her father said with a smile. “However, you do have a fine young team. I think you’ll get back in stride pretty quickly.”
They did get back in stride three days later, with Madelyn Taylor in the pitching circle against the lowly Eagles. A quiet, subdued, and grim Purple Panther team took the field. They made no errors all evening. It was the first time since the season opened that they played a perfect game in the field. They focused on one thing, winning the ballgame.
At bat they scored eight times as Madelyn shut out the Eagles with three hits for an 8 to 0 victory. They were still in first place. The following evening the Pink Sox stopped the Diamond Divas, helping the Purple Panthers consolidate their hold on the top rung in the standings. With two-thirds of the games played in their regular season schedule, the Purple Panthers now had a two game lead on the Diamond Divas and it seemed safe.
However, the Purple Panthers were not yet complete for they did not play together as a team should. Madison Moore and Isabella Lopez had nothing to do with each other. Lopez did not care for Madelyn Taylor, either. Madison had no use for Sarah Anderson, even though Sarah was developing into a very fine fielder and hitting consistently.
Hannah Miller was jealous of Jasmine Brown because Jasmine was challenging her for the league home run crown. Both girls had hit six home runs each as the end of the regular season approached. Then Hannah hit two home runs against the Pink Sox as the Purple Panthers soundly trounced Melissa Williams’ team by a 12 to 3 score. Hannah clinched the title with another home run against the Diamond Divas in the final league game, giving her the home run championship and the Purple Panthers the Lake Forbing American league pennant.
Emilee asked Destiny Johnson the evening they won the pennant,
/> “How far do you think we will go, Destiny?”
Destiny shook her head. “Hard to say,” she smiled. “We have to beat the Lady Bandits of the Lake Forbing National League to go to the district tournament and then to the section tournament and then the regional tournament…”
“Wait a minute,” Emilee said. “Let’s keep the Lady Bandits in mind first.”
That same evening when they won the pennant, Coach Wilson had hesitatingly asked Emilee about her parents letting the team use their basement or patio for a pennant victory celebration the following night.
“My place isn’t big enough,” Coach Wilson explained. “Of course I’ll bring all the party favors; you know the soda pops, the hamburgers, the ice cream, and cake. You think it will be alright?”
Emilee grinned. “My mom and dad already discussed it with me,” she said. Then remembering Coach Wilson’s old car and the kind of clothes coach wore she said, “Of course you’re not supposed to bring or pay for anything, coach. I think most of the parents…”
Coach stopped Emilee right there, shaking her head vigorously. “My team,” she stated. “This party is on me, Emilee.”
The party was a huge success and all of the parents and players turned out for it with the exception of Madelyn Taylor’s folks, who were out of town. Ashley Jones’s father called upon coach for a speech as they were cutting the big cake and Coach Wilson said a few words, red-faced, fumbling, telling the parents what good kids they had and how she hoped they’d go far in the big tournament playoffs. She talked about their determination and the effect it had on their play.
While watching the tall, gaunt, homely woman she called coach, Emilee got emotional. She remembered how she felt after tryouts when she learned Coach Wilson had selected her to play for the Purple Panthers, because Emilee had hoped, like everyone else, for Melissa Williams to be the coach.
Sarah Anderson’s father, the tailor, was there. Mr. Hernandez, the Mexican restaurateur and Isabella Lopez’s father, a banker, were laughing and talking it up. Jasmine Brown’s father was sitting at the end of the couch, shy, aloof, but only briefly as Mr. Davis went over and spoke to him, breaking the ice, and making him feel right at home. You could tell both men were proud of their girls. The mothers were already planning another get together, this one without the men.
Mr. Hernandez, a short, chubby, shiny-faced man, made a speech, saying how wonderful it was that this Purple Panther team of kids was bringing together so many adults from all over town to an affair like this. He offered his sincere appreciation for the celebration.
Emilee watched Coach Wilson sitting in the corner, smiling, taking it all in. Coach Wilson, who did not have a family, evidently had found one here with this Little League team and she looked very happy.
ANOTHER ROUND