That summer seemed to fly by very fast. I had baseball almost every day in June. It was the most fun I have ever had in my life. I got to hang out with my friends during the game after the games. We went and got “ I Scream Larry’s” after almost every game. Sometimes after the game I would go to their house or they would come over to my house.
I was the pitcher for the team. I loved being the pitcher because I got to be the person that decides whether or not we will win the game or will they get a bunch of hits and score and we lose the game. The game was on my shoulders. I was getting an average of about 10 strikeouts per game. I loved getting super hyped up when the count was 2 strikes and 0 balls because I knew I was doing my job correctly. Every time I struck someone out I get excited because I knew I didn’t let the team down.
It was the last game before the playoffs and if we won we got into the playoffs. They didn’t start me as the pitcher. I was a little disappointed because I was the best pitcher on our team and we needed the win. After the first inning, the score was 1 to 0 and we were losing. Thankfully the pitcher got 3 strikeouts without giving up a single hit. Later on in the bottom of the second, we ended up tieing it 1-1. It was the top of the third inning, the pitcher walked somebody. I was scared something was going to happen and they would take the lead. The next batter ended up hitting a homerun and put them up 3-1 with 0 outs in the inning. I was very nervous we were gonna lose after that. The coach called me in to pitch for the team. I was very nervous then because we were already down and we needed a win to go to the playoffs. Luckily, the nervousness didn’t bother me too much. I got 3 strikeouts in a row and it was our turn to bat. The first batter hit the ball all the way to the fence but it wasn’t a homerun. He got to second. Our team was so happy after that. Our batter, our second baseman was up. He wasn’t very good at hitting, but he was really good at playing defense. I was up after him. He ended up getting walked. I was up after him. We had people on first and second base. I thought to myself “ if I hit a homerun, that will put us back in the lead.” I walked up to the plate ready for the first pitch. He threw it so high that the catcher had to get up and run for the ball. Our guy on first and Second base stole. They were now on third and second base. I thought to myself now “ if I can just hit the ball for enough for them to get home we can tie this game up.” The next pitch came, it was right down the middle. I knew this was my chance hitting the homerun that we needed. I hit the ball so hard that it would have been a homerun on the major league stadiums. That put us back in the lead 4-3. The next 3 batters on our team ended up striking out.
The top of the 5th inning the last inning in the game and we were leading 4-3. All we had to do was stop for 3 more outs. The first batter came up, it was their best hitter on the team, I knew if I can strike him out, we should win the game. He was known for hitting home runs, so I was kind of scared. The first pitch, A home run, but it was foul. I knew if I kept pitching to him right down the middle he would hit a homerun. The next pitch, bottom left corner he didn’t swing but it was strike 2. The count was 0-2 1 more strike and their best hitter is out. I knew a curve ball to him, and he hit the home run they needed tie the game. I was very disappointed with myself after that. The next 3 batters for them I struck out. The score was tied going into the bottom of the 5th inning.
The first batter was our 3rd baseman. He usually gets at least a single. This was not the case. He ended up striking out. Our 2nd baseman was up again, which means I was next. The second baseman tried to bunt the ball just to get on base. It didn’t work so well and he got out as well. The team has to rely on me to get on base or we have to go into overtime. I didn’t think if we went into overtime we could win, our players were very tired.
I walked up to the plate and got into position to swing. The first pitch came, it was in the top right of the batter’s box. I didn’t swing and the count was 0-1. The next pitch was a slider. I didn’t know how to hit sliders very good but I tried and missed. 1 more strike and we go into overtime. The last pitch right down the middle. This was the chance to win us the game. I swung the bat so hard I broke it when I hit the ball. The ball went flying way past the fence. We won the game and we are going to the playoffs.
The crowd was going crazy after I hit that home run that put in the playoffs. My teammates came and picked me up and started carrying me. The coach came up to me and said “be ready for our playoff game you’re gonna be our pitcher again.” I was in shock when he said that because we had just won the game and the playoff game was in 3 days and I needed to rest my arm. I told him I would be ready but I wasn’t completely sure how rested my arm would be.
Later that day me and my friends went to Dairy Queen and we got ice cream for us all. Then I went home and took a shower and I went over to his house. His parents gave me a high five and congratulating me on that home run that I hit. I said “thanks but it couldn’t have done it without the support of the fans and the team.”
It was playoff day and the we were away, so we were batting first. The first inning went by very fast, both teams struck out the first three people. The bottom of the second and I’m the 2nd batter in the line up.  Our first batter got onto base with a single hitting it down to the line to left field. I was up and there was someone on base with no outs. The first pitch, right down the middle. I swung at it as hard as I possibly could. It was way over the fence, but it went foul. The next pitch, a curveball. It looked foul to me but they called it a strike. The count was 0-2. The last pitch slider. There was no way I was going to be able to hit his slider. He struck me out. The next 2 guys on our team also ended up striking out. Bottom of the 2nd inning and the score is still 0-0. The first batter, I struck him out looking. The second batter, their best hitter came up to the plate. The first pitch right down the middle, he hit the ball high but not very far. Our shortstop couldn’t see where the ball was going to land so he made an error and the guy got on base. The next batter, their worst hitter on their team. The first pitch was a fastball to the bottom at the bottom of the box. He swung and hit it right to me. I grounded it as fast as I could and threw it to second getting him out and getting it to first in time to make the double play.
Top of the 3rd and the score was still 0-0. Our first batter was our worst batter and he ended up striking out. The second got hit by the ball which means he gets to go to first base automatically. The third batter ended up getting walked. So now there are people on first and second base with only 1 out. Our next batter, the right outfielder hit the ball very very deep, but they caught the ball. The last batter the 2nd baseman, he tried to bunt the ball and missed getting the 3rd out. It was the opposing team's turn to bat. The first batter came up to the plate. I threw him a fastball right down the middle and he took the swing. It was a homerun. I couldn’t believe I just gave them the lead. I got very discouraged when that happened and thought I was going to do bad for the rest of the game. That wasn’t the case at all. The next 3 batters that were up I struck out with a count 0-3.
Our last chance at moving on in the playoffs. Our first batter hit a line drive to center field and made all the second to second. The crowd was cheering for us hoping that we were going to score. The next batter didn’t do so well and ended up striking out at a slider. The next batter also struck out but it was to his fastball instead. The next chance at winning the game I was the batter. The first pitch a fastball right down the middle, I took my chances and I hit it deep into center field, but he caught getting 3 outs, We lost 0-1. I couldn’t believe it, I gave up the only run they had and I got out 2 times.
Even though we lost, we still put up a good fight until the end of the game. The teammates, coaches, and crowd were very happy that we got to the playoffs. My parents were especially proud of me for starting in the playoff game.