[Yes, the thermometer read 110!  And the glasses read either dandruff or head lice.]

It was a hot and not stormy night as I made my way through Alexandria rush hour toward Woodland Elementary School and the Cardinal softball game v. St. Cloud Tech.  The car thermometer read 87 degrees – this came out of nowhere (we were 20 degrees cooler the day before and subsequently the day after).  I was ready to hit the showers by the time I had lumbered from the parking lot carrying my lawn chair and camera bag.  I’m going to lobby for roofed, air conditioned fields at the new high school – and possibly a moving sidewalk to get to them!

Anyway, as a result of Alexandria’s increasingly cumbersome rush hour, I arrived at the park just as Hall “Buzz” Miller, PA announcer and class of ’66, was introducing the starting lineups.  Unbeknownst to me, “senior night” festivities had concluded.

[Taylor continued her winning streak.]

[“Senior night” honoree, Quinn Kragenbring, in leftfield.]

[Sarah @ 3rd.]

[Jess @ 2nd.]

[Amanda in center.  As you recall from the basketball season, she performs best when emulating Michael Jordan!  😉  ]

[Quinn]

[On the left, last year’s coach and this year’s political candidate – on the right, the athletic director.]

[“Senior night” honoree, Lauren Trumm (3), slides into 3rd base – and the Tech basketball point guard against whom she has played lo these many years!]

[The Tech defense suffers from lack of sun visors – don’t recall the “braided” Cardinal?]

[Dani Strater (14) on 3rd, Amanda (5) cheering her arrival there – the Cards scored 10 runs in the 1st inning.]

[Quinn]

[Go 10!]

[Jess (1) – another runner on 3rd.]

[Another celebration of teammates crossing home plate – it was 11 – 0 after the 2nd.]

[The Bruzeks!]

[Quinn laying down a bunt.]

[Finally figuring out I can see the Card dugout from beyond the visitors’ dugout – plus, there is a small chain link void to shoot thru!  🙂  ]

[LT was conference player of the week for collecting about a thousand hits, several hundred doubles, double figures in triples, homers, and rbi’s, and for being kind to small people and old animals.]

[Yup, she’s just a pretty decent all-around athlete!]

[On base, again.]

[Sarah digs in.]

[Like her two sisters before her, she has a great swing.]

[My guess?  Another line shot to left.]

[Taylor’s not too shabby with a stick in her hands.]

[Our JV team playing next door.]

[Dani’s on 1st – probably as a courtesy runner for Taylor.]

[Amanda]

[Then Amanda hit something that produced a distinctive sound.  The ball arced high into the outfield.  And from there we learned of the shortcomings of “eye witness” reports!  Jim Pohl was at the game and said the ball went over the fence in left center; Greg Trumm was at the game and said the ball went out dead center; I was standing along the 1st base line, saw the center and right fielders tracking the ball, and said it went out in right center!  In any event, the bases were loaded so it was a grand slam – and her teammates were delighted for her!  🙂  ]

[Mom shoots . . .]

[ . . . daughter!]

[And she’s on base!]

[“Senior night” honoree, Mikayla Lucas (9), who has been hitting great out of the 9-hole.]

[And Mikayla’s on base again.]

[Danielle at lead-off.]

[Another player with a great swing.]

[Her quick bat produced a lot of long foul balls.]

[Jess]

[Quinn and Mikayla score.]

[Rachel (12) gets a piece of the action.]

[And Rachel’s on.]

The score was 21 – 0 after three innings.  I don’t believe Tech even had a base runner yet.  The game has to go 5 innings.  The Cards gave everyone a chance to play – and at different positions.   The final score was 21 – 5 after 5.

[Proud senior dads.]

[Thank you, ladies!]