Personal Narrative-Play Ball

It was a hot summer day in Hammond, Louisiana and I was pouring down sweat like I had just jumped in a pool. The game was just about to begin, me and my team was eagle eyeing the bomb squad. It was so quiet that you could hear your own sweat hitting the bench. The umpire broke up everyone’s concentration by saying, “play ball”! The defense had ran out on the field and I started rolling ground balls from 2nd to short-stop to third base. They had all made good throws back to me and then I threw the ball into the dug-out because the game had begun.

The second championship game began much like the first. By the seventh inning the score was seven to one in favor of Waterloo Valley. Being the home team, we had one more chance for survival in the bottom of the inning. The inning started with one hit after another, raising the team’s spirits with each one. The hits just kept coming until we finally found ourselves only down by only one run. The excitement in the dugout was soaring, and so, with a runner on third base and two outs, Coach Sullivan put in Jakob Crampton for what could be the final at bat of the season. After strike one the anxiety became overwhelming. With the second pitch on its way, Crampton swang the bat, and the dugout exploded into cheering as the ball found its way between the third baseman

I could feel the pitcher’s stress from 200 feet away in the dugout. We were up five at the top of the eighth, but the win was not secure. I could tell the pitcher was struggling to keep his composure. Suddenly, the coach calls me to warm up in the bullpen. I was excited and nervous to enter the game; I knew my warming up would add pressure to the pitcher and this was the Legion Sub-State Semifinal game, which determined our chance to advance to state. By the time I got to the mound, the bases were loaded with two outs. I noticed the packed stadium, felt the sweltering 90 degrees, and sensed the crowd’s tension. I had never pitched against this team, so I relied on communicating with the catcher. I threw a knee high fastball--STRIKE ONE. Next, I threw low and away curveball--STRIKE TWO. The catcher signaled a high fastball, knowing the batter was expecting another curveball. The batter chased the ball--STRIKE THREE. We won the game and moved on to finals. Two hours in the dug out, five minutes in the bullpen, and thirty seconds on the mound--not to mention fifteen hours a week, ten months a year for fifteen years--all culminated in a few seconds to advance

We were not expected to be in this position after starting the season with two wins and six losses. With the bases loaded, I stepped into the batter’s box for my second at bat in the 2017 PA District 2 AAAA High School Championship game. Our opponent was stacked with three prospective Division 1 pitchers. I was nervous to say the least, but then my “moment” arrived. I saw my pitch, and launched a bases clearing triple that added to a lead that would eventually produce a victory for my team. We moved on through the playoffs, and eventually landed at Medlar field in State College, where we delivered our first baseball State Championship in school history.

This is it. The championship game is in the last quarter, down to a minute and a half. The line of scrimmage is at the 10-yard line. Jeffery, the quarterback, fields the snap, and he looks for an open receiver. Tommy, his best friend and the tight end, is unmanned in the end zone. The throw is perfect. The crowd roars in excitement that Thomas Jefferson High School won the State Championship.

It was a Thursday evening when it all happened. Lady Titan Softball was at Tecumseh high school playing a conference game. Of course, this was my freshman year so varsity wasn’t exactly in my range. Winning the junior varsity game though, was just as important. We all knew this conference game was going to be a tough one, but we were willing to do anything to win.

Have you ever watched a game of T-ball? You’re watching kids with hats far too big for their heads, or bats too heavy for their arms to swing; it is adorable. I was one of those kids, and during a T-ball game the first signs of an issue that would haunt me for years to come appeared. In the dugout during a t-ball game, I was sitting on a bench waiting to go up to bat. A teammate asked me if the player currently up to bat was my brother. I turned to him and said, “That is my brodder.” He looked confused and responded with “He is your budder?” “No,” I countered, “He is my broffer.” With an even more confused look he asked me again, “He is your buffer?” Now I was annoyed. I thought I sounded normal, but he was looking at me like I had a third eye. “He. is. My. broffer!” I said, exaggerating the word slowly and condescendingly. That is where the memory cuts off. I don’t remember whether he finally understood what I was trying to say, or if I just gave up in frustration. Although this casual conversation may seem like a one time thing, it was not. My mispronunciation problem would follow me into fruition.

It was 7:00 in the morning when we arrived at the Johnston City High School. Once everyone arrived at the high school, we got on the bus and headed off to Benton. As we stepped foot on the bus, we all sat there quietly, nervous about the results of this game. This was the game that determined whether or not we went on to state. Coach Simon and Coach Shane gave us one of their what we like to call "before the game warm-up talks". We were all nervous of course, but we were all determined to win this game. We had been looking forwards to winning regionals and going to state the whole season and that day was the day that we gave us the opportunity to go to state. After the thirty minute bus ride, we finally got to Benton and once we got there,

It was a dark thursday night in April. The sky was clear enough to see the moon shining brightly along with many small circular diamonds. I’m in a dark blue Avalanche, being driven to a baseball diamond. I play for the MIlwaukee Brewers on a little league level. It’s my last game of the season, and I can’t wait for the umpire to say the words “Play Ball” (which states that the game has begun).

The bus ride down to Peoria was long, but because of our anticipation we felt like it flew by. The tournament directors threw a banquet for all the participants. Each team had a half an hour practice and then were asked to come to the banquet. The next day after the banquet was our first game. We played Hall in our first game, it was a tough win. We were overcome with excitement and happiness. My team and I were moving on to the championship game. The next day we all were up bright and early with excitement and anticipation. We made it to the fields early so we could practice before the game. the game began with the national anthem giving us a new hope for the game. The other team was tough, the pitcher was striking out all of our hitters. The pitcher also hit four home runs during the game. My team and I lost the championship game, but we still made

It all started at the beginning of tryouts. The week of excitement and nervousness. Everyone was already making guesses on who was gonna be on the team. Then so it started, the first day was pretty easy and so was the next. The third was conditioning day, which was the worst. Then the last two days were fairly easy too. But those days were the most nerve racking. Those were the days when the cuts were made.

As the crowd was cheering as the game went on I was on the edge of my seat. At the time my family was visiting California for the first time. We all had a blast and before we wanted to leave all of us wanted to go to a baseball game. As we were walking to the stadium all of the hard core fans were getting hyped for the game. All of them playing games in the parking lot.It felt like I was meant to be at the game. I was rooting for the angels at the time because the rest of the crowd was. My dad was taking pictures of the players throwing,catching,and making plays. I remember as the game was getting close to the end that I had to get cotton candy. Cotton candy was one

Our sixth seed team was up to bat against third seed Carlisle. Everyone was nervous, but equally as anxious to play at the greatest ballpark in the state. The feeling of being at home plate of Principal Park was one I will never forget. Looking up to myself on the big screen with the capitol building in the distance, while being surrounded by a sea of gold in the stands was so surreal. It was the fifth inning, and we were up 5-0. Ask anybody on the team at that point, and they would all tell you it was over. We all got comfortable with such a lead, and it came back to haunt us. Carlisle was the best hitting teams that year, and they proved it. In back to back innings they brought in 4 runs, and before we knew it we were down 8-5. We refused to give up, we had worked so hard to get to this point we weren't quitting yet. We put up a couple more runs in the seventh inning, but not enough. We lost that first Saber baseball game at Principal Park in six years, 8-7. It was the worst feeling in the world, knowing we were so close to advancing and getting to stay for the whole

“Taylor!” yelled coach, “get your head in the game. We are about to face off the Vikings. We haven’t lost to this team in years. We will win! We can win! Ready boys, hands in. One! Two! Three! MUSTANGS!”

Megan and I decided to play outside. As we approached the backyard we spotted a group of ladybugs, but we had a problem it didn’t seem like they were moving at all. We both knew what to do, help them. It was all ready. We were going to try and wake them up. The two of us tried everything from shouting to tickling but it did not work. Megan said that we should try and play with them. As we were playing Megan had a great idea”we should put them in 10 by 10 array because there are 100 bugs’’. After we finished putting them in the array something amazing happened the ladybugs woke up and just looked at us. It didn’t last long because after about 10 or 15 minutes of staring they walked away in the arrays. 5 days later we were swinging on the play