Bigger Than Baseball

Last night I was involved in the most outrageous, incredible, stressful, thrilling, and utterly draining game of my entire life. I truly believe I will never play in a game that will mirror that (lets hope) for the fact that I’d rather take care of business in a more common fashion. There are two things I want to hit on though so stick with me.

1: We played a game last night that lasted 14 innings and took nearly 5 hours. We were leading in the game for 3 innings out of those 14. We came back in the last inning to push another inning 4 separate times. 18 roster players were used in the game. Miss College had 1 past ball all weekend, and it scored a tying run to push another inning. We made base running mistakes, defensive errors, missed spots pitching, didn’t get bunts down, the list goes on. We won the entire series by a score of 32-31. You can name off things I left out I know, but you think about this, we STILL won the game, and won the series. This TEAM was on its last pitch numerous times, this TEAM could have given up down 3 runs in the 9th, a run in the 11th, or down 2 runs in the 12th and 13th, but we didn’t. That’s not normal, teams don’t win a series the way this team did. Team’s don’t play games like that to advance, if I’m wrong please tell me what team and when (don’t even think about bringing up the Red Sox down 3-0, that’s old news and weak on so many levels). But you tell me if you have ever been apart of something like last night (for those of you there-thank you by the way to all the fans/supporters of HSU Baseball). This TEAM is special, this TEAM has something other team’s don’t. I can’t put a finger on exactly what it is but I do know this, God was at John J. Hunter Field last night watching over the Cowboys, and He wasn’t done with this TEAM.

2. You can believe what you want, you can tell me that “that’s baseball” and “miracles can happen” or “anything is possible”. Frankly, I’ll agree with you, but only to an extent. I do believe that in the great game of baseball that I love anything can happen, and anyone can win on any day, and crazy things can happen. But I do believe in a higher power. Last night I looked at guys in the dugout and we agreed, something bigger was taking place (long before the 14th inning). Something bigger than the men in the dugout was there last night. We talk about playing for a higher glory, the eternal glory, His glory. Talk is cheap, we’ve all heard that, and last night there was more than talk that happened. Don’t get me wrong here, I am not saying that it was us that won the game, however it was Him, in us. Him, in our team, in our dugout, in our purpose. God wasn’t done with the HSU Cowboys last night down 6-3 in the 9th inning. He wasn’t done with the baseball that we are going to play for His glory, He wasn’t done getting his glory through us.
Last night in Abilene, TX, God showed up to Hunter Field at Hardin-Simmons University for more than just 14 innings, he showed up at 12pm when we took the field to run/stretch/throw. He showed up and carried us for over 10 hours of baseball that up to this point, has defined our season. Phil 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Cliché? Maybe. But last night, I don’t think we can disagree that God was with us all, and He carried us to a victory when it looked (plenty of times) that the clock had struck midnight on our season.

This team isn’t done yet, the best is still yet to come, can’t wait to see what we do in Dallas! “Blessed is the man who perseveres”


Much Love