Today is the day I’ve been waiting for my whole life. Softball is the game I was born to play, and today is the biggest tournament that has ever been held in the softball world. My team has never been to a tournament even as half as big as this one. We work our butts off every week, just thriving to improve. We put our heart and sweat into this game each and every day. Now it’s time for all that hard work to show.



We’ve played 3 games, and won all but one so far. We’re tied for first and this is the game that will determine the champions. It is the last inning, bases are loaded, there are two outs, the other team is ahead by two points, and I’m up to bat. The pressure is on. Batting has never been my strongest suit, but my team is depending on me. My body starts to shake as I walk up to the batter’s box, thoughts are racing through my mind, and I feel as if I might pee myself at this very moment. I have never been so nervous in a game before. All I can think about is disappointing my team. I get to the batter’s box, get in my stance, and watch the pitcher’s arm start to go around. Next thing I know, the ball is flying right over home plate.

“STRIKE ONE!” the umpire screams.

I get back in my stance, preparing for the next pitch.

“STRIKE TWO!” the umpire yells as the ball sails over home plate.


My stomach starts to feel nauseous and I can’t feel my hands. All I hear is the crowd cheering me on, distracting me. As I step back into the batter’s box, I block out everything going on around me, focusing my eyes on that big, yellow ball. The pitcher is fast, but if I time it right I could have a chance. As I look up right into her eyes, challenging her, a slight smirk crosses her face, as if she thinks I was going to give up without putting up a fight. Her arm starts to go back, then around, and the ball is coming to me. It is another perfect pitch. I start to swing, and a second later my bat meets the ball, forcefully pushing it away. The ball is soaring high in the sky and goes right over the fence. Everyone starts calling my name, when I realize I haven’t even taken a step. As I start to round the bases, the pitcher gives me a cold face, when she starts to walk away. Next thing I know, I hear the snottiest voice ever, and I automatically knew who it was.

“That’s not fair! We were leading them throughout the whole game. It shouldn’t count!” the pitcher yells, as if she was throwing a tantrum like a two year old in the store.
“I’m sorry miss, but those are the rules. I’m sure if it were your team who had done that you wouldn’t be complaining to me, would you?” The ump responds calmly.


The pitcher sighs and stomps off the field. Meanwhile, my team all gathers around me and hugs me. They didn’t see what had happened with that girl, but I had, and it made me feel like someone had stomped on my pride. We deserve this win. We worked out hardest for it, and we earned it.

I was the last one out of the dug out. I was putting my bat back in my bag, when the pitcher comes up to me. Her teeth are clenched, her face is blood red, and she looks as if she could just bust at any given second. She says to me “You cheated and I know it. Just admit it. You guys shouldn’t have won. I deserve that trophy, not you! Now if you don’t go and say that you guys cheated, you’ll regret you ever came here.” She threatens.

“What am I supposed to say? Tell them I cheated, but how exactly did I?” I wonder.

Right then, she really did burst. Her fist harshly connected with my right cheek bone just as her knee went up my stomach. I instantly fall to the ground and cry out in pain, seeking help.

“Now get up, and go tell them you cheated!” She said harshly.
“I can’t. I will not lie and do that to my team. Not for you.”

You can see the anger building up in her eyes, and the fear in mine. She clenched her fists, and kicks me right in the gut, repeatedly. She hovers over me, and punched me right in the jaw. Blood instantly fills my mouth, and tears cover my face. She looks over at me, with not even the slightest hint of sympathy, and laughs.

I lay there, on the blazing hot, hard cement just waiting for someone to come and find me. The heat is unbearable; as my throat is growing parch. I see someone in the distance, but I can’t seem to find my voice. Breathing is starting to become harder as the time passes. I then see the pitcher walk by, and ever so slightly smile at me. After that, my world went black.



Hours later I wake up in a cold, blank room, with nothing but monitors and supplies all around me. I instantly feel the pain in my abdominal section. I open my mouth to talk, but no sound comes out. I can see my mom sleeping in the chair across the room, so I try and talk again. She wakes up, but my voice still isn’t working. She looks at me, and her lips are moving as if she were talking. I don’t hear a thing. She comes up to my face, and kisses my forehead, when a nurse walks in. Her lips, like my mother’s, were moving, but I still heard nothing. Maybe like mine, their voices weren’t working. The nurse walks out, but within the same minute, comes back in the room with a pen and paper. She writes on the paper “Can you hear us?” I take the paper and write back “No.” She looks at my mom, says something, and leaves the room. My mom looks at me, and tears fill her eyes. Reality finally hits me… I lost my hearing. I lost my hearing all because that girl was a sore loser.