Semi-Finals
What an exciting game! The semi-finals of the 2008 little league provincial championship. The North Vancouver Central team (NVC hereafter) had just defeated the Mount Seymour team (MS hereafter). It was a spectacular victory. They just won it in the bottom of the sixth inning by a score of 7-6. In little league the games are only six innings long instead of the usual nine innings. MS was winning for the greater part of the game but, a hero rose up from the NVC bench and announced that it was time to inspire his team. That hero was me. I went out to the pitcher’s mound in the top of the sixth inning. I stared at the MS bench to intimidate and examine my opponents. As the music played from the grandstands my heart beat rose rapidly as I wiped the sweat from my brow. Three challengers came up to the plate against me. Each of them met their ends against me as I swiftly struck each batter out. One by one they walked solemnly to their dugout. When I sat back down on the bench I noticed more excitement, more energy, more heart, and more courage in my teammates’ eyes. I looked in my coach’s eyes and we both knew. It was time to win the game. Going into the bottom of the inning we were down 6-5. Our first batter hit a double off the wall. The second batter sac-bunted to bring the runner to third base. After him, the next batter did a squeeze bunt and it worked out beautifully. The pitcher was confused and ended up holding the ball so that both the man on third and the batter managed to be safe. Now with 1 out and a tie game the next batter couldn’t handle the pressure and he struck out. Then, the time came. It was pure pandemonium. I walked out towards the plate. It seemed like it took twelve years as the noise and chants kept pounding in my ears. I dug into the batter’s box. Slowly but, surely I stared at the pitcher. It was like a dance had begun between us. Move for move I matched him. When he breathed I did as well. As he began his wind-up I loaded up all my power in my back leg. The ball came like a meteor towards a planet. That didn’t faze me. I unloaded all the power I could muster and I swung my bat at the ball. POP! The ball soared high and straight. It kept going and going and it didn’t stop until it was passed the fences on the other side of the field. HOME RUN! Screamed the announcer. The crowd along with my team burst onto the field to embrace me. As I rounded the bases I felt the blood rushing through my body. The crowd hoisted me up and carried me off the field. For the next few weeks I was praised as the hero of North Vancouver. That’s the legend of Ilija Janjanin.