Baseball Season

“My vision is blurry…wug…ouch dog, get outta my way.” I wander around the room without any purpose at all. I look out the window and wonder why it is dark. I see the clock and realize that it is 5:00 a.m.. Why am I up this early? Then my eyes settle upon something and I am snapped into focus.

As I pull on the freshly washed uniform my mind starts to race. Today our team will be fighting for a spot in the championship game. The pressure will be on us while we battle at the plate, waiting for the right pitch that allows us to crush the ball into the left-center-field gap. Yes, there will be pressure, but pressure is why we succeed in playing the game. The pressure will improve our hand-eye coordination, giving our infielders the chance to make a highlight-reel diving catch, and then the adrenaline will increase their arm power so that they can impress the stands with an all-star throw to first. Today, we have one goal: to win.

By now, the one hour drive to New Braunfuls is over and the sun is just rising above the horizon. The early morning sunlight and dew covered grass gives the field a watery sheen–a holy sight for any baseball player. The ballpark is crowded, but the only noise being made is the pop of a ball in the glove and the crunch of metal cleats on concrete. Our team takes batting practice in silence and each player thinks about how they will perform in the game. Warm-ups never seem to end but, soon enough those glorious words manage to escape from the umpire’s mouth; PLAY BALL!!!

At 9 in the morning, most people are still asleep in their beds, but today at 9 in the morning, our baseball team advanced to the semi-finals of the Cinco De Mayo classic.

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