sixteen years of baseball down and one year to go for my son. Season over as they got eliminated fro their conference tournament. School set a record for victories this year which was nice. Son's year was up then down. Got in a rut mid conference with three bad outings in a row where he was wild. Had a couple of decent follow up appearances later in conference. He is committed to going out with a bang next year - to work hard in the summer to be read for next fall camp.

Well, my son's high school baseball journey has come to an end. We were knocked out of the playoffs today. It was a pretty emotional day because it always ends sooner than anyone wants or expects. My son went out with a good last game - 2-3 with a double and a sac fly RBI. He ends the season batting .511 with 6 HR and 40 RBI in 29 games. Final record 25-4. I could not be more proud of him and his performance this season. I'm proud of his team and the success they had. It was a hell of a year. Now, he takes his next step and moves into college ball next year. It'll be a big step up, but I'm looking forward to him developing at the next level.

I might continue to update this thread from time to time, but for now, the journey is complete.

Never posted much on this thread, but I'm going to get to see my son play his last high school game at Round Rock in the state tournament!

Pretty cool experience to watch a group of boys put years of work into a goal and make it happen!

Wish I had seen this post earlier. My son has also completed his high school baseball career about a month ago (knocked out of 2nd round). It was very emotional for mom and dad. Not as much for him because high school baseball was such a grind. But he will miss his teammates. We will be headed out in about a month for his new journey into College Baseball. No one understands how Summer Ball is a lifestyle unless they've had the same experience. How we will miss driving at sunrise for tournaments and spend summers with fellow baseball parents. All of a sudden it's gone. I had never missed a game he pitched, and only missed about 3 games total. Now I will inevitably miss games but watch streamed. Congrats on your son's journey and wish you continued baseball bliss.

A quick bump on this thread because my son got his first college start at DH on Saturday and went 2-4 with an RBI. Got a hit in his first ever college AB and followed that up with his second hit and first RBI in his second AB.

He's behind a 3 year starter at catcher so his innings behind the plate will be very limited. But he's shown that he can compete at the plate, so it looks like he will get some ABs from time to time. I gotta say I'm proud of him to see some success so early in his college career.

Can I join?

My son finished tryouts today with team selections announced tomorrow. Like many on this thread, this will be the first year I haven't coached him. I'm looking forward to seeing some ball from behind the fence this year.

I have senior HS baseball player and our coach has relayed the same message of a shortened season followed by playoffs. The baseball parents are hoping for this.

I'm afraid that they are using extreme wishful thinking. I don't see any more HS baseball for these seniors. College baseball is cancelled, the NBA may be as well, Wimbledon, etc and we are going to get folks to congregate for a HS sport in a month from now? I just don't see it happening. Really stinks. I doubt school will open again (why open in May just for a few weeks?).

What's more, lots of the players are trying to get scholarships which is hard this year as many college seniors will be allowed back.

Like most baseball parents, I have spent a huge portion of the last nine years planning my life around baseball. Tons of travel and great friends, life lessons etc. Its likely all over and it is less than ideal how it ended (some a-hole ate a bat and robbed my son of his senior year baseball). I am trying to simply be thankful for the journey. It's been a heck of a ride and I am grateful.

One day in May of 1990 I went out with my team to play Arlington Martin, led by Todd Van Poppel. Van Poppel wasn't pitching that day, and I wasn't in the lineup. The game went really fast. They had a lefty who was pitching to contact, and our guy did the same. Sometime in the middle innings, we got a rally going, bases loaded, nobody out, and scored a run on a double play ball and then hit the next pitch for the 3rd out. It was a 7 pitch inning. Never seen anything like it. That run held up, and we won our last game 1-0. It took 1 hour and 7 minutes. There were no playoffs. No pinch hit appearance. Just the end of the season, the moms giving away leftovers from the concession stand, and going home. It's been 30 years, and I've never been in another baseball game. 10 years of my life and just like that, it was over.

You know what? The sun came up the next day. Life had other lessons to learn. For those who've played their last games, remember that it ends for EVERYBODY at some point. Hope you had a good ride.

My son was a senior at a D3. He broke his wrist (pitching hand) in January so he was on the DL for the entire season. Got his cast off the week COVID panic hit. They had a double header vs a team from Iowa and it became very apparent that was the last games of the season and his career. First game got cancelled due to fog. Finally got the second game started. My son had not thrown a competitive pitch all spring but told his coach under no circumstances was he not going to pitch. He pitched the 9th inning. Struck out the first two. Next beater hit a fly ball to left field which our left field ran in circles a few times and couldn't catch (coach called me later and said it was an error) - should have been a clean final inning. Next guy hit a double, then he hit a batter, next guy hit a homer, he hit the next batter, next guy hit a double. I could tell he was exhausted on the mound - did I mention he had just gotten the cast off his wrist that week! Got the last batter to a 3-2 count and struck him out. So three strikeouts his last inning ever. Needless to say I was bawling watching it on-line.

He technically still has a year of eligibility left, but D3 doesn't give schollies, so 17 years of Little league, all stars, summer travel, High school, and college ball ended that March afternoon. It was a helluva run and I'm a richer Dad from the journey with him. All the best to all of you who still get to enjoy watching your kids play ball.

My son and his fellow seniors after their last game