So I am playing softball again this year at work and we have gotten off to a very ... very slow start. Currently we are 0-4 (with one game still pending). I don't know what it is. Our veteran players have all played good. And our new regulars have played well as well. But there always seems to be an inning where our opponents get a few lucky breaks and some solid hitting and we are done.

In yesterday's game, we were solidly tied going into the fourth. And then the flood gates open. I pussy out of running into the fence to catch a foul ball. The batter flied out but a throwing error by our right fielder let some runs score. At one point I go over the back up a play near second and the pitcher doesn't cover first. I wasn't solid at all. On standard put outs I was fine.

So I was playing standard spots depending on the batter. Even with the base path for female batters about 10 feet back of that for male right handed batters. This was during the run away inning. With a runner on first and one down, the ball is hit sharply towards me. I run up to make the catch but it drops right before my glove. I should have picked up the ball and threw out the runner going to second. But no, the "sportscenter" mentality kicks in. As I kind of dive for the ball barehanded and get tag the base before the runner gets there. As I tag (or more correctly milliseconds afar I tag) the runner who couldn't pull up slams into me. I got kicked in the head and shoulder. In the confusion the runner from second went all the way to third and eventually scored.

Ani was at her first game of the season, and had a perfect angle of the collision. I stayed in the game. But as we went home my shoulder felt worse and worse. I went to the doctor to make sure it wasn't separated. I strained a muscle in my neck. They gave me an anti-inflammatory and I'll try to swing a bat over the weekend. I'm sure I'll be ready to play on Tuesday.