Well, I would like to start off by apologizing for the delay in an update..the wireless internet has been down here since sunday so I havent been able to use the internet on my laptop which sucks. Since everyone is gone at work or school right now I have the internet hooked into my laptop so that I can update you all on the past week or so.
Last tuesday Amanda and I went to Amsterdam for the night. It is only about an hour train ride so its really not bad at all. Our hotel is literally five minutes from the train station but we of course managed to get lost and walk half way around the city before finding our hotel while we were dragging all of Amandas luggage around, which was not an easy task at all. Our hotel was a restaurant downstairs and then the rooms are in the back. We were so glad to finally get to our room, until we opened the door and realized we were staying in a jail cell. The rooms were literally so narrow you could barely do anything next to your bed and our beds were lined up along the wall. We named our room "The Dungeon". Our hotel was inbetween the red light district and a main strip of souvenir shops so we were pretty local to most things. We went out to get a bite to eat and a few beers and then went back to our hotel restaurant to have a few more drinks before we decided where to go that night...well a few tequila shots with the bartender later and we were not going anywhere. So we spent the night at our hotel and woke up the next morning not feeling so hot. On wednesday we just walked around and did souvenir shopping and then later that night we walked to the train station where I said goodbye to Amanda and came back to Rotterdam. It was a nice short trip and although it was sad to say goodbye to Amanda, I will be seeing her in less than 3 weeks when I go down to homecoming at Redlands. Here are some pics from our last Amsterdam trip...
On Sunday we had our last 2 games of the season against the 1st place team in league. It was the first hot day in at least a month. I had to change out of my underarmour into my coach's orange shirt (under my jersey) before the games even started at 11am. I was thrilled for the heat, I play much better when its warm. I pitched the first game and we won 2-1. The run they scored was unearned..the girl bunted it and our catcher overthrew first base, giving the girl a triple by the time we got the ball into the infield. Then the next batter hit a sac fly to left field and our left fielders throw into home was way off. But at least we won. The last inning was a little tense as we had bases loaded and 1 out..similar to the last inning we had at Wassenaar. But we got out of it and I ended my pitching season here with a strikeout for the 3rd and final out of the game.
The second game I played right field and hit in the 6th spot. In the first inning we had a chance to score..there were bases loaded and 2 outs and I came up to bat. I got jammed inside with foul balls and then she threw me an outside pitch and I just froze, so I struck out with bases loaded. I was not happy with myself. I had decided that since with 2 strikes I usually just swing at everything that I wasnt going to swing at an outside ball because usually they are way outside and not a strike, well of course this one gets called but oh well, I tried to let it go. I didn't get much action in right field and in the 4th inning I came up to bat again and again it was bases loaded with 1 out this time. I swung at the first pitch, which was way inside, and hit a blooper behind second base which scored our first run of the game putting us ahead 1-0. We didnt score again that inning, and Zwijndrecht came back and scored 2 runs the next inning putting us behind 2-1. With 2 outs in the 5th inning my coach made a public change, taking me out of the game during the inning so that I would be recognized and the applause would be for me. It was very nice and my whole team lined up in the field to clap my hand while everyone clapped for me. Kim went into right field for me and came up to start off the top of the 6th inning with a bunt that turned into a triple. We scored 2 more runs that inning and beat them 3-2. With those 2 wins we ended 1 point behind Zwijndrecht. Too bad we couldn't have won one more game this season and then we would've finished first. But it still felt really good to sweep them, they were not happy. Margreet took pictures for me of the 2nd game so here they are..
Well, I only have 6 days left. I cant believe how time is flying. I feel so blessed to have had this experience and to meet these people who have become my family. My team finished with a record of 28-7-1 and we did not lose a game from May 29th-Oct 3rd. I love every girl I was able to play with these past 4 1/2 months and it is going to be very hard for me to say goodbye this weekend. On friday I am going on a speed boat tour of the Rotterdam Harbor with the family and then friday night is a going away party for me at the Orioles. My family gave me my going away gift on sunday, it was an orange blanket that has been embroidered with all of their names, including the dogs. As well as my whole team, and The Orioles, Bergschenhoek, Holland. It is very nice and I love it. Its starting to get emotional this last week here and you can feel it from a lot of people. I was able to spend the day with Margreet last thursday and we had a moment in the car while we were talking about me coming back next year and she was telling me she loved me and started to tear up, so then I did. So there we sat at a red light both of us trying not to bawl our eyes out. I am very happy to come home to my family but I am also sad to say goodbye to my family here. Who knows what the future holds..I may be back in March! So for now..Doei!
xoxo-Olivia
