Snapshot Moment Memoir- By Courtney (sample '07)

Murray All Stars

As the batter twirled the bat in her hands, I started my wind up. As I did, I could hear my dad yelling “Come on 24, you got this!” The count was 1 strike, 1 ball. I could smell the snack shack food and the smell of my mitt. I could see only the mitt. I was focused. The cheers of the crowd and my teammates engulfed me as I let the ball fly, spinning from my hand. “STRRIIKKEEE!” yelled the umpire.

“Way to go Court!” my teammates yelled. “Okay guys,” I yelled to them “play to one! Coming your way!” I did my wind up and bit my lip. I always do that when I pitch. I let the ball shoot from my hand. But it was a ball. “That’s okay! You can do this!” the first baseman said to me.

“You forgot to finish that time,” yelled my coach to me. “Don’t forget next time.” “Got it!” I yelled back. I took a couple deep breathes and walked around the circle a few times. Then, as I walked slowly back to the mound, I glared at the batter. The catcher gave me the signs, I nodded, and let the ball fly. “STTRRRIIIIKKEE THREE! YOUR OUT!” screamed the umpire so loud, I thought our catcher was going to be deaf. “Way to go!” we yelled as we ran to our dugout. We did our cheer and we were up to bat. First to go was McKenzie.

She slammed a triple and we were screaming our heads off. Up next was Marissa. She got a single and brought Kenzie in. Alexi was up next and she bunted a double. Marissa got in and we were tied. Sami was up next and as she went to swing, the ball went whistling right by her bat. She came in, looking dejected. “That’s okay,” I told her as Alexi scored. “We’re wining!” I hurried off to go bat. I hit a pop fly right to the center field, but she missed. “Eight run rule!” yelled the ump. We ran in to get ready for the field. It was the last inning and I was in the outfield, center to be exact. The first girl got out at one, and then the other struck out.

The next, and hopefully last batter, was a big, muscular girl who looked like she could hit. “Be ready 24,” my dad yelled to me. “Coming your way!” and sure enough, after one strike and two balls, she slammed a high pop fly about three feet in front of me. I called “I got it, I got it!” and ran full speed and at the last few seconds, I stretched as far as I could and … I caught it!

As I stood there, not knowing what to do, the crowd flew to their feet and cheered so loud, it was like thunder. Alexi, who was also in the outfield, came sprinting at me and we collided and I flew to the ground. As she helped me up, my team crowded around me and they all kept congratulating me. “We won the game thanks to you!” they yelled. I saw the other team walking away, their heads hanging. We all laughed and screamed and had so much fun.