Sahel Academy Track and Field Records

The Winning Season
by Julie Schmidt

The tension's high. It's the top of the 7^th and the Suns are winning by a stretch. This being the finals, the crowd is filled with excitement!

The first batter for the Suns steps up to the plate as the cheers of people calling out his name echo throughout the ball field. The first pitch soars through the air and lands on the plate with a thunk. Strike one! That's ok. Never swing at the first pitch, some say. The ball gets back to the pitcher and he loosens up and throws another one. This time you hear a ting. Contact! The ball goes bouncing along the ground and under the second baseman's legs, giving the runner just enough time to get to first base.

The second batter steps up to the plate. The pitch comes. He swings and swish, he misses. "Come on, wait for the right one," someone says. The next pitch comes. This time he doesn't swing. It lands a little too short. "Ball one," the umpire calls. I hear "good eye, good eye" resounding all around me. Another pitch soars through the air. This time it's a little too high. "Ball two," the umpire calls. Yet another chorus of, "good eye, good eye". The pitcher throws the fourth pitch, this time a good one, but the batter swings just a bit early and just barely nicks it, sending it straight up. The catcher puts out his glove and catches it. Batter's out. "Good try," I say as I watch the batter walk off.

The third batter pats the second on the back and then walks up to the plate. The first pitch comes, he swings and misses. The second time he swings and misses yet again. "Come on," I scream, "you can do it!" The third time the pitch soars through the air. It's a beautiful one. The batter swings and hits the ball right over the infield. He runs as fast as he can, touching first base and then sliding into second, just before the second baseman catches the ball.

The next batter steps up to the plate. The outfielders converse among themselves and then all move back. They know he can hit. The ball is pitched. The batter swings and hits the ball deep into the outfield. Everybody watches expectantly. "Please don't catch that," I whisper. Swap! The ball lands in one of the outfielders' gloves. Batter's out. That is the second out.

The next batter steps up to the plate. The pitch soars through the air and hits the plate. Strike one. The second time the batter makes good contact sending the ball bouncing along the ground to the second baseman. The second baseman picks up the ball and throws it to first getting the batter out. The third out, but it doesn’t really matter since we're winning anyway, and there isn't much of a possibility that the other team, JICA, can catch-up now.

"You can do it guys! Show us some good defense!" I shout as I watch the Suns move out in the field. Various other shouts are heard around me as the players reach their positions. The first batter steps up to the plate. The ball flies towards the batter but lands too far to the side. "Ball one," the umpire calls. The ball comes again and this time lands a little too short. "Ball two," the umpire calls. The pitcher sends the ball soaring towards the base once more. This time the batter swings and hits. The ball goes flying into the field but lands in foul territory. "Strike one," the umpire calls. The pitcher regains the ball and pitches it, this time a little too flat. "Ball three," the umpire calls. Yet again the pitcher throws the ball and yet again the batter does not swing. The pitch is too high. "Ball four," the umpire calls, as the batter walks to first.

The next batter is at the plate. The first pitch soars through the air and hits the plate. The second pitch flies toward the batter. He swings and misses. Then the fourth pitch comes toward the batter. He swings and hits the ball straight into the second baseman’s glove. Batter's out.

The next batter approaches the plate. The ball is pitched. He swings and misses. The second pitch he swings and hits right between the right fielder and the center fielder. He takes off, as the right fielder and the center fielder run to get control of the ball. Finally one of them does and throws it to their cut-off who then throws it to home. Swap! The ball lands directly in the catcher's glove, holding the batter at third base and getting the other runner out just before he could slide into home.

Another batter is ready at the plate. He swings at the first pitch and sends it deep into the outfield. "Mine, mine," one of the outfielders shouts as he runs forward watching the ball all the way into his glove.

A cheer goes up as the Suns all run into the field patting each other on the back. "They did it!" I say shaking the person next to me. "They really did it! The Suns won the finals!" I run to the field to congratulate the players. I say "good game" to many of the players on both sides and then hug one of my friends saying, "I knew they could do it! I just knew it!"

Even as I watch all the people celebrating around me, I think of the other Sahel team that I had been on. The Comets was the girls' team. We had come pretty close to winning sometimes, but had lost all our games in the end. That wasn't what mattered though. What mattered was that we had come off that field better than we had gone on, and we had kept up a good attitude of joy, team spirit, and good sportsmanship.

As I watched the Suns line up for their team picture, I smiled. Sahel would always have a winning season, no matter what the final score was, as long as the players continued to have a good attitude, to show fair sportsmanship, and most importantly to trust God in all things.