Your Time

Chapter 44

{May 2030}

Emma's softball team made it to the district championship. If they won that, they would qualify for the state playoffs.

Harrison and Carrie watched in the crowd as proud parents as Emma jogged onto the field as her name was announced. First she ran behind home plate and gave a fist pump to the four umpires before giving high fives to all her teammates.

She wore number 2 just like her father did in high school. It was also the number of her favorite baseball player; Derek Jeter. Although Derek Jeter had been retired for a long time now, she still idolized him as a shortstop. During the summer, Emma played shortstop a lot for her travel team. It gave her legs a break from everyday catching.

Today she would be catching. As they played the national anthem, Harrison and Carrie watched her to see if she was nervous. It didn't look like it. Emma had her game face on.

They were the home team which meant Emma would be catching first. When she jogged onto the field wearing all her catchers equipment, Harrison and Carrie couldn't of been more proud of her. She battled through a few injuries this year. One being a concussion after repeatedly taking foul balls to the mask during games. The other was knee pain after some girl slid into her.

The pitcher threw a few warm up pitches before the game started. The first girl up was left handed. And she stood towards the back of the batters box, which could mean one possible thing, she was a slapper.

Slappers were hard to defend against. Sometimes they would pound the ball into the outfield, and other times they would lay down a bunt.

Emma set the defense up in slap defense. That meant the first baseman played back behind the base, while the second baseman and pitcher were responsible for any hits on that side. Shortstop and third base also played in.

The first pitch thrown, the slapper laid down a bunt. But Emma was faster. She popped up, fielded the bunt, and threw the slapper out at first base by a lot. As Emma walked back to her spot behind home plate, everyone applauded.

Later in the inning, the other team had a runner on second with two outs. The girl up to bat hit the ball up the middle to the center fielder. She threw the ball all the way home as the girl rounded third. Emma caught the ball as the girl began her slide. The ball took a high bounce to the right of Emma, but she was still able to catch it. As the girl slid by, she dove at her and tagged her. All Harrison and Carrie could see was a big puff of dirt and chalk from the foul line. But they heard the cheering from the girls as the runner was called out at home.

The bottom of the first inning, their team scored a run so they were up 1-0. Emma had the RBI. The first batter on the other team popped up a bunt behind Emma. She turned and dove behind her, catching the ball at the very tip of her glove. It was a snow cone catch.

For the first three innings, the score remained 1-0. That was until the bottom of the third. Emma's team had a big breakout, scoring four runs in the inning. Again, Emma had all the RBI's with a three run triple.

Whatever the opposing pitcher threw to her, she could hit. They were now up 6-0. During the bottom of the fourth, the other team intentionally walked her. But one of her teammates came through with a two RBI single.

•••

It was the top of the fifth when things really started to get interesting. The opposing team had runners on first and third with only one out. The runner at first would most likely be stealing on the next pitch to advance into scoring position. With the team working for outs with a six run lead, the coach might let her take a shot at throwing the girl out at second.

When the pitch was delivered, the girl attempted to steal second base. When Emma popped up to throw down, everyone including the runner at third, thought she was attempting to throw the runner out. But she didn't.

The runner ran towards home, only to stop and turn around once seeing Emma with the ball in her hand. She was already two thirds to home plate. Emma chased her back to third base. Instead of throwing the ball to the third baseman to tag the runner out, Emma decided to take this one herself. As the girl neared third base, Emma dove and tagged her on the back. She was called out. It was a hell of a play.

It was now the top of the seventh. Their pitcher was struggling a little bit getting the second out that would put them even closer to win the district championship. Emma called timeout and went and talked to the pitcher.

With the bases loaded, the infield was playing in to get the force out at home. The ball was hit to the first baseman who threw it to Emma covering home. It was a wild throw. She had to leap over the sliding runner to catch it. Somehow, Emma was able to tag the girls helmet before her feet touched home plate to get her out. Only one to go.

The last girl stuck out. Emma stormed the mound with her teammates. They'd done it! They won their district and were moving onto states!

It wasn't long before they had their trophy and each player had their own medal. Emma, being the captain of the team got to carry the trophy off the field.

She was immediately caught by her family who congratulated her in hugs. "Emma you did it! Great job!"

"Thanks mom!"

Emma then took a picture with her parents holding the trophy. "Emma we're so proud of you."

"Thanks dad!"

It was a sweet victory. They'd upset the team everyone thought was going to win. "Now, let's go get something to eat," Harrison suggested.

Guess which one is me in the pic at the top of the chapter😏