Army dad surprises girl as she throws out first pitch

Alayna Adams, 9, threw out the first pitch at Thursday night's Tampa Bay Rays baseball game in honor of her father, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army.Alayna's father had been serving in Afghanistan.Earlier in the day, Alayna thought she was in trouble when she and her mother had to meet with the principal of her school, Westlake Christian School, according to the Tampa Bay Times. They were then told they had been chosen from a group of military families to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Socks game at Tropicana Field on Thursday night.Alayna threw the ball, a prerecorded video of Will offering good luck played on the Jumbotron. "Stay focused, throw the ball and I love you," the army dad told his daughter, notes Tampa's WTSP. But when Alayna threw the pitch, the catcher took off the mask and it turned out to be her father.According to a report from the Tampa Bay Times, Lt. Col. Adams arrived on Wednesday and stayed in a hotel that night to keep up the surprise. He told the Times: "That was the hardest part. Being back home and not being able to see them." Dad's return would have been memorable anyway it happened, but this sure had style points.