Each fall, Spring Hill’s baseball team has an off season competition called the Purple and White Series. Half of the baseball team plays the other half for a best of 7 series. This comes at the end of fall practice and helps determine who will start in the next season, which begins in February.

Danny landed on the purple team, which I figured was better if only because it involves more color. He was hoping to get to start a game, but was sure he would at least get to be a reliever. The series started on Friday night. Saturday night was Kelly’s chorus performance in Athens, but Kathy, Grandad, and Gramlie were all ready to head down early on Sunday if Danny was called up for the Sunday night game. (Gramalie and Grandad would drive down the next day as reported here.)

Late Saturday night the word came in from Danny. He would be starting the Sunday game pitching against his friend Mike Scanino, but the coach wanted to move it to a day game, so he would start at 3 p.m. That was just too early to drive down, so I sent instructions for Danny’s roommate, Patrick, to get some good photos. I let it be known there would be a bounty of brownies.

Danny was stiff for the first inning and pitched 29 pitches, but only one run scored. He was able to settle in the next four innings and keep the White team from scoring. He had a total of 71 pitches for a total of five innings before a reliever came in. Scanio did not fair so well, the Purple team scoring 6 runs in one inning against him. The final score was 8 to 3, Danny taking the win. Although he felt bad about it being one sided, he still enjoyed his first official trip back to the mound. The Brookwood playoffs seem like a long time ago (and 20 less pounds ago.)

Danny was able to play in two more games. He came in as first reliever in the 6th inning on the Wednesday game. He had 8 pitches and no one got on. The Purple team won the series 4 to 1, but the coach wanted to play one more game. Danny was the starter for the last game on Friday. While it did not “count”, he still had a good showing pitching 4 innings. He did not allow any runs and had several strike outs.

Meanwhile, Patrick has some camera problems, so the only two known photos are seen here. One is just after Danny pitched on Sunday. That’s ice on his arm.

I’m glad we got these two photos, though. It’s good to see DC back in an official uniform… and a Purple one at that. Patrick will get his brownies.