This was it. This was what it all comes down to. Right here, right now is my time to prove myself. They say in aspects of life that you either make it or break it. Well, this was my time to decide which would happen. I guess you could say that I revolved around softball my whole life, and usually I put my heart and soul into the game. Today was different. I had very ounce of myself in this game, but in this game my mind had to be in it too. It was the bottom of the seventh inning. My knees were trembling and my hands were shaking as I felt the gritty laces of the ball underneath my fingers. Standing on the mound I always had a sense of importance. Everybody is important on the team, every person has a contribution. However, today felt abnormal. It was our last game of the season, or should I say the last game of our unsuccessful season. Every team member's mind was focused on the idea of actually winning a game this season. We were tied 8-8, there were two outs with a girl on third waiting to steal home. I was sweaty, I was tired, and for the first time I could not wait for this game to be over so I could crawl into my bed. My mind was set …show more content…
on getting this batter out, not for myself or the stats, but for my team. We needed this. I couldn't believe what was about to happen. I wipe my hands in the dusty sand to try and manage to get some of the sweat off of my palms. I look up and wince. The next batter is one of the home-run hitters on the opposing team. Our coach yells from the sidelines. "Back up, ladies! Be prepared!" All I can focus on is the sound of the opposing team. Their intentionally high, squeaky voices chanting, over and over again. I tell myself to block them out. Then I come up with a better idea. How about I give them a reason to stop chanting? I wipe my forehead and look at the catcher's glove.
All of the unnecessary thoughts in my head actually left. It is as if they knew I wasn't paying attention to them and I didn't want them there. I look down at the mound and fill in the crevaces that I've created with my old broken apart cleats. I look at my coach and all he needs to do is shake his head up and down for me to know what to do. I brought my hand into my worn out glove and gently grinned to myself. I brought my arm around in a kind of motion that I never knew I was capable of. I needed this. I needed her to strike out. My mind kept replaying over and over again that I can not let her hit this ball. If she hits this, we lose. I flick my wrist and let go of the ragged ball and watch is speed into the batter's box. I quietly pray to myself, until she nails my
pitch. Within about two seconds the ball was in my glove in front of my face. All I remember was lifting my glove and feeling like somebody pounded the inside of my glove. I caught it. I couldn't believe my eyes. I got her out. We won. The team screamed loudly and the fans on the sidelines shrieked with joy. I was so in shock that I felt like I couldn't move my legs. Coach comes out onto the field and I try to hand the game ball to him. "Keep it," he says, "you deserve that more than I do."
It was our last game of pool play on the second day of the tournament, and the other team’s pitcher was a friend of mine so I was excited to go against her. It had been a long day so I wasn’t in the field, but my coach left me in the batting line up. A few innings in it was my turn to bat, so I jogged out on the field, calm and confident that I would do well. After a few pitches I ended up with two strikes on me and I was getting nervous about the outcome of my at bat. The next pitch came and I made solid contact, so on instinct I started my sprint towards first base.
As I lay on my bed, that night I could still hear the umpire calling “ballgame” and solidifying victory and our mark on Mountain Grove Softball history. The adrenaline and excitement of the moment were still running through my veins as my mind started to drift. I soon found myself thinking of
I looked in their faces and knew mine mirrored theirs. I didn’t want it to, but it did. Just ten minutes ago, we all were so jubilant. We were so sure we were going to win. We had all wanted it for so long, but we finally felt is as our destiny just a few moments ago. But as our opponent threw the ball in the air, I knew she was just about to serve another ace. However, when the ball landed three feet in front of our best passer, something snapped inside of me.
The announcer began announcing our team to start the introduction for the game. Since I was the lead-off batter, my name was echoed over the park first. It was at this time that the feeling elevated; the feeling that makes every baseball field so special. As my teammates yelled for me, while I ran to the nearest baseline and faced the crowd, the feeling gave me goose bumps and raised the hairs on the back of my neck. The feeling is so amazing that it will keep me playing baseball for as long as possible because it makes my love for the sport that much more. I can't even begin to explain the complex feeling I get when I walk on a baseball field, but that feeling will always be cherished and hopefully when I pass on my love of baseball to others, they will too understand what that special diamond makes me feel like.
The horn blew and the game started, Dedham won the face off and is running down the field at a faster pace than I was used to. They shot the ball! I couldn’t move my stick quick enough to save it, so I threw my body in front of it and got hit right in the shoulder. It hurt a lot, but what I hadn’t realized was that it hit my shoulder and reflected ten feet away from the net where my player caught it and ran down the field and scored. The other team didn’t know what hit them. It was the half now and the score was three to nothing in our favor. Our couch told us that we needed to keep up the good work.
With seconds to spare I arrived at batting practice and began to prepare for my game. I hear coach call out my name and as I he acknowledged that I was there he told me I was pitching. My brain shifted and went into a whole new mode, I was more focused and more determined than I have ever been. This was the biggest baseball game of my career and I 'm starting on the mound. Honestly it couldn 't have turned out any better, the fate of the pin and my team lied in my hands and I loved the pressure. The pressure made me thrive and before I knew it our team was marching onto the field for the national anthem. During the singing of the national anthem I peeked into the crowd and first row down the first base side was the little boy I met on the cart and his dad sitting right next to him. This game was for that little boy, I needed to impress him. I pitched six strong innings and my team ended up winning the game. It was the most exciting game of my career and the best part was being greeted with the best pin in the tournament after such a spectacular win. The little boy ran out into the middle of the field where we shook our opponents hands and in front of everyone in the stadium handed me the only thing I cared about besides winning. I was in the best mood for the rest of the day and I rewarded myself with a nice long sleep. I could only image what the next day had to
My days began with going to the gym early in the mornings and going to the park to practice my batting swings and catches in the evening. I even managed to save up some allowance money to spend on the high school’s softball summer camps. However, my time fell short, and the day of the infamous tryouts had begun. My rambling thoughts were running bases through my head. How will I try out in front of hundreds of other girls? Will they laugh at me? Would I even make it? Will my friends make it? While my anxiety got the better of me, the head coach yelled out my name, and I slowly and steadily walked up to the batting box, and got ready for the pitcher to toss a fastball at me. Time slowed down as I anticipated the pitch; my fingers almost lost the grip on my bat waiting, but then, I saw the softball coming my way. I took a deep breath, and I hit it as hard and as fast as I could; it made it all the way to the outfield. I stood there shocked that I could do that, grinned ear to ear, and did a little happy dance on my way back to the line. My friends were celebrating and came up to high-five me when I got to the end of the line, and the varsity first basemen, a celebrity in my eyes, came up and complimented me on how far I hit the softball. A varsity member had spoken to me.
The entire was almost ready for the game. We had already won two games before to get to the championship. The second one was embarrassing. We had an enormous lead and gave it up. Our 2nd batter, Jack had to hit a walk-off single with 2 outs. We were ready for redemption. Our coach had a big talk with us after that game. He wanted us to go 3 innings and 15 run rule the other team (if you are winning by 15 at the end of 3 inning, you win, if you are winning by 10 at the end of 4 innings, you win). He was saying this to get us fired up, we usually played 6 innings. We were all very upbeat
One of our best pitchers Masin are on the mound and we are up 6-5 top of the ninth two outs two strikes bases loaded. We could get an out or lose trying. Coaches, parents and players from each team are on their feet as this one pitch determines if we hit one more time. The ball is pitched and it was the most satisfying thing to hear, “Strike three, batter out!” and, “Ball game!”
The catcher pelted the ball as I cut the corner to second and bam I got hit right in my… The day of my last baseball game just so happened to be on my birthday so I really wanted to win so I did all of my power to not lose. The rest of the team was on the same exact page. So we did everything to win just like the golden state warriors.
Softball was pretty much my life, until one day, that changed. My perspective towards everything would never be the same. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breathes. It was almost time for me to compete in a competition call PitchHit&Run. (The name pretty much explains itself.)
The blinding lights beat down on us as we run onto the field. Butterflies start to fill my stomach and my palms begin to sweat. The crowd falls silent. The adrenaline starts to rush through my body and I wait for the cue, “1, 2, 3, 4…” I hop forward into my bases’ hands and push off their shoulders, I feel a breeze against my cheeks.
The Last Pitch “Take your base,” exclaimed the umpire. My coach told me I was up to bat. I grab my helmet, put it on my head, got my bat, and ran onto the field. My heart was racing so fast I felt like my heart was going to explode.
The Big game! As we arrived at the softball field I could already smell the runny nacho cheese and buttered popcorn coming from the concession stand, but I also smelled victory coming. As we neared gametime my nerves kicked in and my adrenaline began pumping, my heart raced faster and faster as time closed in. As I started to get nervous I started to drop balls, make bad throws, and it was just what seemed like error, after error, after error.
As I already began to start my motions, I gave my next pitch all of my strength, the ball was TRAVELING down from the mound to home plate, WHISTLING through the air, SMACKING the catchers glove with a tremendously loud pop that sounded like an explosion, “STRIKE THREE” the umpire screams at the top of his lungs. I gained back all of my confidence since the game has started, and my defense was throwing the ball around the horn while I was getting my breath back. I couldn’t believe that I had just struck out the number two player in the country. The next two batters were both ground out hits almost through the gaps to the third baseman, and shortstop.