The opportunity to share this experience with all eighteen of the players and the families that made the trip will be a highlight in their lives for many years to come. This was such a great group of student-athletes to be a part of and the department, Campus, and College are very proud to be represented by this group. It has been my honor to spend the better part of the last three weeks with them and am glad to have been able to be a part of this also.

Opportunities like national tournaments do not come along all that often and I have been very fortunate to be a part of about twenty during my years as a student, an athletic trainer, and now as a Director of Athletics. These are memories that will be shared any time these young people get together. It will be the reason they sometime get together, and it will be the topic of many conversations and stories throughout their lives at work, home or play.

This has also been a fun experience for me to share some of the thoughts as they happen, or soon after they happen with anyone who would look. It added to my experience and I want to thank the web team at FCCJ for getting this in order, especially Sara Turner.

Blinn is a solid team that plays great defense and really tries to push the envelope and make you make plays on defense.It seemed as though every time we hit a ball good or were in a position to make something happen offensively, Blinn would come up with a good defensive play and shut us down.

On offense, they ran a lot and played small ball and because we did not handle the ball well, their style resulted in a 4-0 win for the team from Texas. This loss meant FCCJ was eliminated from the 2009 tournament and that the fairytale season was over. It had been a spectacular run and this was such a great group of girls, that it will be difficult to see them go. Many will return and hopes are strong to get back to this event and go further toward a National Championship in 2010.

The first opponent was Spartanburg Methodist College from South Carolina. The team came ready to play and really took care of business in posting a 7-3 win highlighted by a grand slam home run by freshman Brittany Eppley.

After a short break, it was time to play Seward Community College out of Kansas.The team played a really flat game and just never seemed to take advantage of any of the hits we got. We entered the 7th inning down 4-1. After putting together a series of hits and hard hit balls, we entered the bottom of the 7th ahead, 5-4, which is how the game ended.

To this point, we have three wins and one loss in thee tournament, and have to play our third game of the day in about three hours. Such is the challenge of coming out of the loser's bracket, but I think we are ready for it. The next game is a rematch with the team that beat us last night.

We had a great crowd. Over half of our 18 players had friends or relatives come out for the tournament. From Mom and Dads, to sisters and brothers, and grandparents, aunts and uncles, FCCJ had a rowdy crowd of 40 or so all cheering the team on in the 11 a.m. game. It really made for a special atmosphere and a chance to share such a wonderful experience with the student-athletes and their families.

After the game, the team traveled back to a restaurant for lunch. The Egg and I is a local establishment that our team host had recommended on Wednesday. The girls liked it so much, they asked to return there on Thursday. This was okay as long as they won the first game. The return to The Egg and I was greeted with excitement and the staff was happy for the extra business from the parents and families.

The team then traveled back to the hotel for a little rest before the second game. In between the games, we had to return for the opening ceremonies of the tournament. Each team and their hosts were introduced and marched onto the field with their State flags and college banner. We entered in front of the other Florida team, Gulf Coast Community College, and the two Florida teams were able to stand together and represent the state and region together.

After the ceremony, the team drove around a little before returning to warm-up for their game with Blinn College out of Texas. Game two was not as kind to the Stars and Blinn won 2-1. Everyone is disappointed but still very focused on the task at hand and feel good about our chances to be successful.

Game three is Friday at 11 a.m. MDT (1 p.m. EDT) and our opponent is Spartanburg Methodist College. If things work out, we will play at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 8 p.m. (all MDT) Friday, but we must win against Spartanburg to have a chance to worry about the 1 p.m. game.

Almost to a letter, they all stated that their teammates had told them horrible stories of plane travel. All were told that they would crash and die in a fiery accident, that the landing gear would not work properly or that the wings would fall off. One was even told that because of the Orange security alert, each passenger would have to be strip searched before being allowed entry onto the plane. These fears were brought up on numerous occasions over the last week.

The fears that these three experienced were mostly due to the harassing comments from their teammates. This was compounded by the fact that one of the first timers sat next to the one player who absolutely hates flying the most. A little turbulence, a friend’s teddy bear, and a challenging seating arrangement made for an interesting trip, but all in all, all three of the first time fliers are excited about flying home and cannot wait until they get the chance.

As many of you know now, the airlines are packing people into every flight and every seat, and our two flights were no different. Each student was worried who would sit where, who sat next to them, and if they had a window, aisle, or middle seat.

The first leg went well and most were okay with the assigned seating. Also, it was only 50 minutes long. Of course, going to Atlanta to make a connection is always an adventure, and Tuesday was another one. We landed at Gate B-16 and had to make our way to A-21 in about twenty minutes. After quick trips to the bathroom, we all made it to A-21 and were able to board immediately.

This is where the seating got a little exciting. Two of the girls could not find their boarding passes, so we stood in line to show the tickets and identification. I boarded as the last person allowed on. I had arranged for a window seat at the last minute since I had been assigned a middle seat and was feeling pretty good about the chance to change from a middle seat.

As I was approaching my seat, the player who I was going to be seated next to, asked me to change with her friend since she had a window seat also. I agreed since the one girl had never flown and I was trading window for window.

I moved to the new seat only to realize that I had been duped and now had a middle seat again.It was also between two women that were both as wide or wider than I am. Now, I am not a small person and going three wide with me on an airplane is alot like going three wide at the Daytona 500, something has to give. I wound up holding my travel pillow in my lap and reading a book the entire flight to Las Vegas, four hours, give or take a minute or two.

We landed in Las Vegas, collected our bags, and made our way to the charter bus for the two hour trip to St. George, Utah. After a brief stop for dinner, we got on our way and made it to the hotel at about midnight mountain daylight time.

Our next blog entry will have input from a few of the girls who had never flown before, so come back soon!

Friday, May 1

Miami Dade College 4  FCCJ 1

Game one against the Sharks of Miami Dade College (MDC) got off to an ominous start as Crystal Chesser hit what appeared to be a three run home run with two out in the top of the first inning but the Sharks centerfielder ran back and dove over the fence to catch the ball and was able to hold on to it as she came down on the other side of the fence to end the inning. Alona Personius hit a solo home run to put the Stars up 1-0 in the third but Dade put together a couple of fisted hits, two bunts and one good shot to score four runs for the final margin of victory. FCCJ had some opportunities but could not get the timely hit and fell into the loser’s bracket of the double elimination tournament, 4-1.

FCCJ 6  Santa Fe College 4

In what many people at the tournament said was the best junior college game they had seen all year FCCJ prevailed over their biggest rival, Santa Fe College (SFC) by a 6-4 margin of victory. The Stars took the lead 1-0 in the top of the second inning as Jamie Brooker, Crystal Chesser and Kortney Passmore recorded successive singles and Brooker scored on Tara Richardson’s ground ball. A line drive was turned into a double play allowing the Saints to keep the damage low. Santa Fe answered right back with two runs in the third and one more in the fourth to move the margin to 3-1. In the top of the fifth a one-out walk to Kate Vanderham was followed by Brittany Eppley’s single. After a strike out, Chesser doubled to plate one run. Passmore then hit a rocket to left field that SFC left fielder, Lawna Hunter, turned into another running, diving catch, landing over the fence to rob the Stars of another three run home run. In the top of the seventh, down one, Vanderham was again walked. She was forced out on Eppley’s ground ball to second but the attempted double play throw was errant, going into the dugout opening to move Eppley to second. Jessica Byrd came in to run and moved to third on Brooker’s deep drive to right that was caught just short of the fence. That out put the Stars one out from elimination, setting up Chesser’s heroics against Santa Fe’s ace, Jacksonville Trinity Christian grad Kim Squires, who came in to try to end the threat. Chesser took ball one, then drilled a deep line drive over the centerfield fence to put FCCJ up 4-3. Chesser had started on the mound but gave way to Kate Vanderham. Chesser came back to pitch and allowed a home run to the ninth hitter, tying the game. Then a dribbling, ground ball turned into an infield single and a bunt moved speedy runner Brittany Cannon to second. In an attempt to pitch the next two batters tough, the Stars walked them loading the bases to set up a double play. The next batter hit a shot that looked as if it was going into right field when second baseman, Alona Personius came out of nowhere to pick the shot off and doubled up the runner at first to keep the game going. Both teams went down in order in the eighth inning. Vanderham led off the ninth and reached on an error. Eppley came up next and hit a massive home run to right field to put the ladies up 6-4. The Saints would not go away though as the nine-hitter again led off the inning with a fisted bloop that fell just beyond the reach of the shortstop and third baseman. The next batter was hit by a pitch and a bunt that fell between the infielders again loaded the bases. Chesser caught a soft line drive back to the mound and the got a hard ground ball to Personius at second who tagged the baserunner and flipped the ball to first to end what was truly an epic game. Chesser paced the attack with a single, double and home run while picking up the victory on the mound. At game’s end, a huge crowd had gathered and cheered the Stars on and when it was over applauded the effort of FCCJ.

Saturday, May 2

Friday night’s heroics against Santa Fe set up a day of three games against conference foes Central Florida Community College (CFCC), Seminole Community College (SCC) SCC and Daytona State College (DSC).

FCCJ 6 Central Florida Community College 1

The action started at noon against the Patriots of Central Florida Community College. They had not scored on the Stars in four games this season and didn’t until a meaningless run in the seventh inning. The Stars got a quick start as Alona Personius was hit by a pitch and Kate Vanderham doubled to put runners at second and third. Jamie Brooker’s soft fly ball fell in just behind the infield to score one and that was all the team got in the first. Brooker got the nod on the mound as she had no hit the Patriots just a couple of weeks ago in conference action. She didn’t allow a baserunner until a one-out double in the fourth but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat. FCCJ picked up another run in the fifth as Personius singled, moved to second on a walk to Brooker and scored on Crystal Chesser’s double. Personius again led off the seventh with a single that was followed by a walk to Vanderham and a single by Brittany Eppley. Brooker’s fly ball was not deep enough to score the run but that set up a grand slam for Chesser to put the Stars up 6-0. CFCC picked up one run in the seventh to break their drought against the FCCJ pitchers.

FCCJ 9 Seminole Community College 1

Game two was a match up with the Raiders of Seminole Community College. They had one of their best years in recent history and had tied for second with FCCJ in conference play. Both teams had finished a game behind SFC. The FCCJ bats that had been so hot late in the year started to heat back up against SCC. Kate Vanderham got the call on the mound. After the first two batters were easily retired, Ashley Frost was hit in the helmet by a hard riseball that got away. The helmet cracked and Frost fell to the ground and EMT was called. It was later found out that Frost was ok, much to the relief of everyone there. Vanderham reached in the top of the first on a one-out single and Brittany Eppley’s hard ground ball to third was mishandled, putting two runners on. Jamie Brooker singled to load the bases and set up another grand slam by Crystal Chesser, staking the Stars to a four run lead. The Stars picked up one run in the second, third and fourth to open the game up. Kortney Passmore had a two-out home run in the third to keep the streak of runs alive. The Raiders got one back in the fourth on a single and a double by McCleod, who had replaced Frost. A single brought in one run but Vanderham minimized the damage to keep the team ahead 6-1. The Stars picked up two more in the fifth, ending the game by the run rule. Vanderham, Passmore and Tara Richardson each had two hits to pace the balanced attack.

FCCJ 7 Daytona State College 3

Game three victory was against Daytona State College who had pulled two big upsets to start the tournament. The Falcons had come in with a 22-24 record but knocked off Santa Fe 7-2 in round one and Miami Dade 6-1 in round two. Chesser got the start but appeared tired as she gave up a home run to her former teammate, Kayla Denham, and then a long fly ball to start the game. The FCCJ coaching staff wasted no time in going back to Jamie Brooker. She hit the first batter, then got a strike out for the second out. A single followed, then a strike out on a drop ball in the dirt. The ball scooted away and catcher Kortney Passmore had a tough angle and hit the batter/runner in the helmet as she ran to first. The ball bounced into right field scoring one run, but right fielder Sarah Albino threw home to stop a second run from scoring, ending the threat. Three hard ground outs in the first were well played, allowing no baserunners, but the ladies were swinging the bats well and got one of the runs back in the second as Brooker, Chesser and Kortney Passmore had successive singles with Passmore knocking Chesser in as Brooker had been thrown out trying to go to third on a pitch in the dirt. The third inning was quiet but the Stars put together one of their patented big innings in the fourth as Chesser started things with a one-out single. Passmore singled right behind her and Sarah Albino was retired on a ground ball to third, but it moved up both runners who scored as Jessica Anderson came in to pinch hit and delivered the two RBI single, giving the Stars the 3-2 lead. Tara Richardson was hit by a pitch bringing the top of the order up and Alona Personius singled for an RBI. Kate Vanderham followed with a double to pick up the last of the six-run, two-out rally. DSC picked up a run in the seventh for the final 7-3 score. Brooker picked up her second victory of the day. Those victories brought the team to Sunday and Brevard Community College (BCC) who was the lone undefeated team in the Atlantic District. FCCJ would have to knock off BCC twice to advance to nationals.

Sunday, May 3

FCCJ 5 Brevard Community College 4

FCCJ had been rained out twice with BCC during the regular season so neither team was real familiar with the other. FCCJ won the toss and was the home team. Kate Vanderham got the start and shut down the Titans in the first two innings. In the home half of the first Alona Personius and Kate Vanderham were hit by pitches. After a strike out, Jamie Brooker drew a walk to bring the hot hitting Crystal Chesser to the plate. Chesser had an RBI single but two pop ups kept the score at 1-0. After two outs were recorded in the third, BCC had two singles and double to score one run, tying the game. The Stars came right back as Vanderham was walked. Brittany Eppley forced her out at second but back-to-back singles by Brooker and Chesser scored Eppley to put the Stars back ahead. Eppley came on to pitch and and allowed only two hits through the next three innings. FCCJ picked up an insurance run in the fifth on a Vanderham single, a Chesser single, a walk to Kortney Passmore and then Sarah Albino’s RBI single. It looked like the Stars could put the game away in the sixth as Richarson was hit by a pitch, and a Personius double and a walk to Vanderham loaded the bases with no outs and the heart of the order coming up, but a strike out and two ground outs to the pitcher kept the score 3-1. In the Brevard half of the seventh the eight hitter reached on a soft single to left field then a bunt was thrown away, putting runners on second and third with no outs. A ground ball single scored two to tie the game and a bobble put the go ahead run on second. A pop up and strike out looked as if the score would remain tied but a single put the Titans up by one. Again the Stars were down to their last at bat. Kortney Passmore walked to start the inning and moved up on Albino’s bunt. Jess Anderson was again called on to pinch hit and came through with a single, putting runners on first and third. Richardson singled to tie the game and the Stars had a chance to win it but could not convert forcing an extra frame. Chesser came in to pitch and allowed a single but no damage was done. Brittany Eppley hit a one out double then Jamie Brooker had a long at bat, eventually drawing a walk and Chesser walked as well on a full count, setting up Passmore’s single to end the game.

FCCJ 14 Brevard Community College 5

That lead to the “if” game, a winner take all affair for a berth to the national tournament. This time BCC won the toss and scattered four hits through three innings while allowing no runs. Jamie Brooker got the start and also shut down Brevard but made two uncharacteristic errors in the third, allowing two runs to score and give the Titans a short lived lead. As they had done all weekend the Stars answered the bell. Jamie Brooker started the third and hit a towering shot to centerfield which was caught by the outfielder as she fell backward over the fence yet held the ball, taking a third home run from the Stars. Crystal Chesser was hit by a pitch then Kortney Passmore and Sarah Albino both singled bringing Tara Richardson to the plate where she was hit by a pitch, forcing in one run. Kat Cameron had an RBI single and Alona Personius knocked in two more with her shot down the left field line. Vanderham was walked and Brttany Eppley doubled bringing Brooker back to the plate and she responded with a deep, sacrifice fly for the second out of the inning. At that time seven runs had scored but the Stars were not done yet. Chesser’s ground ball was misplayed, scoring another run and Passmore got her second hit of the inning. Two walks were sandwiched around a hit batter to plate another run, then Personius had a double for her fourth RBI on the inning. Once the final out was recorded in the fourth FCCJ had put up 13 runs. The Titans added two in the fifth but in the sixth Albino singled to start the inning and she moved up on a Personius single and scored as Brigette Kirschmer had a hit in her first appearance in the tournament. BCC added one more run to make the final score 14-5, as there is no mercy rule in the championship games. The victory had a quiet celebration. Even though it sent the Stars to nationals, the team had its eye on Gulf Coast Community College (GCCC) and the prestigious State Champion title. They also wanted to avenge an early season one-run loss to the perennially strong Commodores who had waltzed through the Gulf District winning four straight games and dispensing of Northwest Florida 10-0 to clinch their berth to the NJCAA National Championship.

FCCJ 5 Gulf Coast Community College 4

The coaches were a bit worried that the team may be out of gas after the great mental and physical effort required to clinch the national championship berth but the team surprised everyone but themselves in the game. GCCC was the visitors and came out firing against Kate Vanderham. Following a close call on an infield single the Commodores had four straight hits to score two runs. Two outs were recorded and a another single followed to Tara Richardson who charged the ball from left field and nailed the runner at the plate to keep the score 2-0. The Stars came roaring right back as Alona Personius doubled and Kate Vanderham’s triple was thrown away at third tying the game. Brittany Eppley singled and Crystal Chesser did the same. After a fly out, Sarah Albino’s single put the Stars up 3-2. Vanderham settled in on the mound and set GCCC down in order in the next three innings. FCCJ also went quietly until the fifth when Personius singled and Vanderham followed with a two-run home run to extend the lead to 5-2. The first two Gulf Coast girls went quietly in the sixth when they had two singles. The next batter dribbled the ball just out of the reach of the catcher and Vanderham made an unbelievable play at first, but with the runner and ball arriving nearly together the ball went off Eppley’s glove cutting the lead to 5-4. The Stars were not able to answer and Vanderham took the mound in the seventh, pitching on pure guts and adrenaline. She had to face the two, three and four hitters for GCCC to record the victory. The first batter grounded to Eppley at first base, then the next batter hit a laser like line drive to left field but Tara Richardson got a great jump on the ball and made a diving catch for the second out of the inning to bring Alanna Hadley to the plate, one of the state’s leading home run hitters. She worked the count full when Vanderham threw a great change up that was swung on and missed by about three feet to ensure the Stars their first ever fastpitch state championship.

The team ended up in a huge dogpile on the pitcher’s mound with Vanderham and Kat Cameron at the bottom as they have talked about all season. After many hugs and tears of joy the team accepted their championship plaques. Many individuals were honored as well. Jamie Brooker, Crystal Chesser, Kate Vanderham, Kortney Passmore and Alona Personius were named to the All Atlantic District team and the All State Tournament. Brittany Eppley also earned All Atlantic District honors and head coach Jami Lind was named the state Coach of the Year. The team’s great conditioning (due mainly to assistant coach Lauren Redfern) and the four deep pitching staff, whose collective team ERA is 1.01 (due to pitching coach Jay Redfern) had a lot to do with the team’s victory as they were built to make this run. The team will take two days off then prepare for the national tournament.