Jennifer+Abney

<> **__ A Baseball Miracle… Well, not for me that is. __**

As I loosened my grip on the bat, I felt a force on my bat then looked into the air and saw a baseball, now brown with dirt, soar over the fence. “I did it! I’m the first girl who hit a homerun in Midtown! I did it!” I cheered as I ran around the bases. I took a quick glance over to my dad and saw his proud, smiling face. “Great hit Jenn! You’re amazing!” I heard from my teammates as I ran back to the dugout after an exhilarating hit. I walk into the dugout to high fives and compliments on my homerun. “Thanks to you Jenn, we won the game!” vaguely I heard my coach say. Overwhelmed by excitement, my smiling face glancing at teammates and a proud dad. “BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!” Trying to hit the “snooze” button, I sat up wearily. “Wake up Jenn! You have to eat before your game!” my mom told me eagerly. Rolling out of bed, I lingered down the staircase in hope I wouldn’t fall. It felt like any normal day. I ate breakfast, brushed my teeth took a shower, and got ready to go to my game. “Hurry up Jenn! We’re going to be late! Dads going to meet us there!” my mom yelled out of the car window. “I’m coming!” I replied with shock. As we pulled into the parking lot of the field, I noticed my team playing catch. Not one miss. “We are amazing! How did we lose last game?” I asked in astonishment. “Coach Jim said it was because you weren’t there. Everyone asked where you were.” I wasn’t sure what to say next so I raced out of the car to see my team. “Jenn! Where were you last game? We missed our best first baseman!” my coach greeted me. I was welcomed with high fives from every one of my teammates. “Jenn, your back!” my teammates yelled with excitement in their voices. After we warmed up for a little while, we were read to play. My coach went to home plate to do the coin toss which determines whether or not your team is home or away. “Okay guys. We’re home. John your pitching, Joe your shortstop, Jenn your first base as always.” My coach gave me a quick smile and sent us to play the top of the first inning. “Strike three your out! The umpire yelled. “Okay. The line up is Andrew, Steven, john, Jenn, and Joe. I’ll tell more people when the time comes so be ready!” “Come on Andrew! Woohoo!” the crowd was cheering him on. “CRACK!” the ball flew past he first baseman and into the outfield. Andrew sprinted to second base. “Come on Steven! You can do it! Hit it hard!” the fans cheered him on from the bleachers. “Ball three. He count is two-three. No outs.” The umpire informed everyone. My team noticed my coach take off and put back on his hat. Also known to my team as steal the base. Andrew darted for third base. “Ball four take your base,” the umpire replied solemnly to the pitch. “Come on Jenn! You can do it! Don’t think just swing the bat!” vaguely hearing my dad say. //I can do it. If I hit this ball I can get Andrew and Steven home! Just relax.// Unsure and nervous, I continued to stagger out to the batter’s box. My knees were shaking, my hands were trembling, and my heart was pounding. I gave my coach a quick smile and got ready. The milliseconds it took for the ball to reach home plate felt like forever. //Just bend my knees and swing as hard as I can. Elbow up! I can do it!// I watched the ball as it came closer and closer to home plate. Swinging with all of my might, I felt the force of the ball throughout my whole bat. I watched the ball as it flew into right field. A right fielder that was trembling more than I was looked at the ball in shock as it was soaring towards him. He straightened his arm, stuck out his glove, and closed his eyes. As I rounded first base, I chuckled at the sight of a boy trying to catch the ball that a girl hit tremble more than me. Rounding second base, I checked to see where the ball was. Just as my eyes locked where the ball was, it landed into his glove. Jaw dropped and dead silent the umpire yelled “OUT!” Sighing in confusion and amazement, I slumped back to the dugout. “Great hit Jenn!” my dad greeted me back into the dugout. Greeted with comments, I was a little confused. “What are you guys talking about? He caught the ball. I’m out,” I sighed back. “We have never seen a girl hit the ball that hard or far before. Only a few more feet and it would have been a homerun.” I thought about what my teammates said to me. //Maybe they’re right. I did hit the ball the best I ever did. It was an amazing hit. Best I ever heard a girl hit. Maybe the fielder just got lucky.// Now I was going to play better than ever. I knew that if I got another turn at bat I would have hit a homerun. The game ended just before my turn at bat. Thinking back to my baseball years, I always thought it was weird to play baseball on an all guys team and be one of the best ones. Thinking back, it was the best decision I ever made. It taught me so much. It taught me that girls are just as good as boys if not better. It also taught me that I can do whatever I want to if I tried hard enough. It gave me most of the confidence I have today and I haven’t had one regret playing since.

By: Jennifer Abney

I have a few inspirations for writing this memoir. My first inspiration is my dad for coaching me through five years of baseball. He gave me the confidence I needed to do whatever I want. Whenever I made a decision, my dad was always there, by my side cheering me on. Intentionally, I want my readers to be shocked about my memoir. I also want them to learn that they shouldn’t be afraid to do whatever they ant to no matter how big their goal is. Even if you’re different, or you’re going to be the first to do that, you shouldn’t be afraid to try. I love playing baseball because some people think that boys are better than girls at sports. I showed those people that girls are just as good as boys if not better. I loved playing baseball for so many reasons. I loved the feel of it hen you hit the ball and make it on base. When you win the game, the feeling is phenomenal because you know you helped your team and your teams good enough to move on in the games. I love the feeling of when you get an out. Catching the ball from the third baseman is amazing when you jump to catch the ball he threw just a little too high. I loved playing baseball and I hope people learn to shoot for the stars when they want to do something.
 * __ Authors note: __**