No-No

by CC

The first game I pitched that day was a humiliating experience; the final score was 14 to 4. But game two was a whole different story. Game two I came confident and strong, full of revenge and ready to strike. I wasn’t ready to be humiliated two times in a row. I was pumped, full of adrenaline. It is a rare feeling that I get, so I knew this game would be a special one. I didn’t mess around in the first inning; three up, three down. The first kid I faced was easy, three fastballs in a row. Next batter I also struck out, but this time I finished his at bat with a nice Uncle Charlie (curveball). Next batter was their third hitter; he ended up grounding out to first.

My team came up to bat, and fortunately, we had good luck. We started off with a walk. Then the next batter hit a blooper to short right. Then I came up to bat. This pitcher was throwing about 80 miles per hour, and it was a bit intimating, but I wasn't scared at all. My coach gave me the bunt sign, and I was willing to do anything for a run. The first two pitches, he came real close to hitting me, which shook me up a bit. Then the next pitch was a hard fastball, right at my butt. I went limping all the way to first base. As I got to first base, my coach put in a pinch runner to run for me. Then one of our smallest hitters on the team came up to bat, and he came through in the clutch. By the end of that inning the score was one to nothing.

As the game went on, I wasn’t really paying attention to what I had done. In my eyes, I was just pitching a good game, and I was determined to keep doing the same thing. Usually I only pitch about three innings a game, so I won’t throw my arm out, but that Sunday, I went the distance. For some reason, I didn’t feel any pain in my arm, like I usually do, so for a long time I was just cruising through the game. It seemed as if I wouldn’t have any problems.

Then in the sixth inning, I got into a small problem, but I knew it would be an easy fix. The first batter I faced, I walked him on four straight fastballs. Then I threw a wild pitch, and the runner took second with ease. I wasn't going to let that run score. The next pitch, the kid hit a high fly ball, and it seemed as if it was going over the fence, but when I turned around, the ball was in the center fielder’s glove. The next play, I twirled around, acted as if I was going to pitch, and got the runner out at third base.

When my team came up to bat in the sixth inning, we scored again. Our fifth hitter came up to bat, and he made good contact, which ended up being a double. Our next hitter hit a line drive to left center, which made the score two to one.

After that I was pulled out of the game, and I went to talk to a longtime friend who had come to see me play. I was telling him how well I pitched, and then the team Mom told me that I threw a no-hitter. At first I really didn't pay much attention to it, but then I realized what she had said: I threw a no hitter! It was the greatest feeling in the world to know that not only had I done that, but that it was to the number three ranking team in the nation! There is no doubt in my mind that that game will go down as one of the best games I’ve ever played in my life.