Thursday, May 15 — To find motivation to get out of our dark, cozy, air-conditioned rooms early in the morning requires the promise of a good hearty breakfast.

We're softball players: That's the way to our hearts.

Our hotel set up a breakfast buffet exclusively for us. I went straight to the fruit platter and picked out every single blackberry I could find. Those things are expensive at home, so I made sure I got my complimentary breakfast worth of berries.

When we met downstairs to leave for practice, the hotel also set up a table of water pitchers and lemonade. How did they know that's what we wanted? Many of us filled up our glasses to hydrate us for practice. Only on the way out did I read the sign on the table that said, "Welcome USC Track Team."

We then had a short practice at the Arizona State field in which we crammed a three-hour practice into one hour.

Just being on the field pumps my adrenaline. I just stood there and imagined how each game would go — tomorrow it will all be reality. Everything we have practiced for ... all the time we have put into making ourselves the best we can be ... and for some of us, like me, our last collegiate run at the World Series will all be put to the test these next three days. Who will step up and conquer the challenge?

After our practice the next big question — or more realistically a small debate — is what are we going to eat for lunch?

Of course, we can't try something new. My van, consisting of 90 percent local girls just have to eat food we can easily get at home — Panda Express Subway. ... Me, I like to try new foods from someplace unique or different from our local restaurants. I've given up arguing and just hope there are other options nearby, which to my luck today there were.

Three hours later we met for dinner.

Good thing we play tomorrow or I'd probably eat my way through the day again.