Bringing Home The Gold!

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Adelman was named Best Pitcher of the Maccabi Games at their Gold Medal Ceremony finishing with a 3-0 record with 26 strikeouts in 17 innings, giving up only five hits and one walk with no earned runs.

July 23, 2009

We'll be coming home with the Gold Medal!!! Tonight we beat Argentina, again, to win the Gold. Michelle Moses, who recently graduated from Brown University, pitched a shutout. I pitched the semi final game to get us to the finals, also against Argentina. Michelle and I did not give up an earned run in the entire tournament. The brackets were run a bit different, the first and second place team played, and then the third and fourth. The loser of the third and fourth place game was eliminated from medal play. The loser of the first and second place teams played for the opportunity to play for the Gold. Argentina beat Canada after we beat Argentina in my game. Argentina had 4 players from their National team on the roster. Canada won the Bronze.

I'm leaving fo home in San Diego tomorrow after the Closing Ceremonies, which will be held in the Amphitheater at the Israel Defense Force Tank Museum, which honors Israel's Motorized Defense Forces. I'll be home for a month before heading back to Storrs. I was asked to join a San Diego team playing in the 23U Nationals but I'm not sure if I'll do that or play some friendlies with my travel team, the Artesia Punishers. I already have a busy workout schedule getting ready for fall ball.

Israel is a really beautiful country with so much history, and I love it here. It's also a fun place with all the beaches on the Mediterranean Sea and clubs which are open till 4 AM. It is true that Jerusalem prays and Tel Aviv never sleeps. I didn't get much either! I will definitely be spending my first couple days home catching up on sleep. I'll miss being here and the friends I made from all over the world, but I can't wait to get back to UConn and hopefully, instead of a medal, win a BIG EAST Title!!

GO TEAM USA!!!!

-Ali

July 20, 2009

So far we are 6-0 in pool play. On Sunday afternoon we beat Canada, after beating Israel 6-0 in the morning. I pitched in the early game and struck out 12 batters! We had a 1-0 lead going into the 7th when we broke it open and scored five more runs. No one reached base until the 6th when I gave up a single. Michelle Moses of Brown, and I are doing most of the pitching so far. Two of my teammates are from Brown, and others are from, Indiana, Washington U, U of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Lockhaven (which won the Division II Championship this year, and Brandeis.

We are staying in Jerusalem, about an hour from the fields which are at the Baptist Village, in a community run by the Baptists that settled here in Israel centuries ago. Tel Aviv is about an hour from Jerusalem, but only about 15 minutes from the fields. My family is staying in Herzliyya on the Mediterranean Sea about 15 miles north of Tel Aviv and about 15 minutes from the fields. I have seen them at the games and was able to have dinner with them a few evenings.

We have a game against the second seed tomorrow at 4:00, which I am expecting to pitch in. If we make it to the final game, it will be Wednesday.

I will update you all about it then!

-Ali

July 17, 2009

The last couple days have been very busy!! The 13th (of July) was Opening Ceremonies and it was amazing. Every athlete competing in the games was there and we all walked in together. Team USA, about 900 athletes, were all dressed the same and we walked into a huge stadium filled with tens of thousands of people. It was awesome. All of the other countries were also introduced there just like the Olympics opening ceremonies with speakers and performers.

We were supposed to start our games on the 14th at the Baptist Village, but it turned out the games had to be cancelled because we didn't have a proper permit or something. Our first three games we were supposed to play got cancelled, but we finally played two games Thursday! We beat Argentina and Canada. I pitched against Canada and gave up only one hit as we won 10-0 in run-rule shortened 5 inning game. On Friday, we are scheduled to play Argentina again and then we are off for Shabbat on Saturday and play Israel on Sunday.

Wish us luck!

-Ali

July 16, 2009

Greetings from Israel!

I have been in the country a for a while now and have gotten to see some amazing things. The first week of my trip we spent touring around the country. We went to Masada, the Dead Sea, the Western Wall, Latrun Tank Musuem, the Underwater Caves and Tunnels, and other sightseeing places like that. It was really cool. I have seen Cara (Silverman, Field Hockey) and Jessi (Foreman, Track) around and they seem to be having a good time too!

On the field, my team and I have been practicing a lot and have had one practice game already! We have been doing well coming together as a group and won our practice game against Israel.

The official games start on Tuesday, July 14 and I am excited to see how we do!

-Ali

University of Connecticut Athletics

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