Bigger and Better Things

Two days ago was by far the saddest day of my 18 year life.  It was officially the last baseball game I every played.  We lost to Viewmont 6-2 which ended our season for good.  I did go 1-3 with a single but that was it.  We just couldn't hit the ball.  The feeling I will never forget was when there was 2 outs in the top of the 7th inning.  So many thoughts were going through my head such as "this is the last time I will ever play" and "that was my last at-bat ever in a baseball game."  I've never cried so much and for so long than after the game.  By the time I walked from home plate to right field for the team to meet, I was crying way hard.  Just hearing the coaches talk and the things they said about us seniors made me cry even more.  Coach Ron then met with just us nine seniors and even he started to choke up.  The team later came out to right field and gave everyone hugs.  Of my 3 years, I've never seen the younger kids crying that much.  Even the little sophomores were crying.  That shows that we seniors set an amazing example to them.  One of the freshman, whom I said five words to before, said that he looked up to me the most and that it was great watching me play the game.  That made me cry so much harder because it told me that I made my time playing the game my hardest and that I also set an example of how to be a person to at least one of the kids.  That is so much better than being told you're way good at something or of the sort.  Another great feeling is when I walked up out of the stadium and my close friends (such as Taylor Durrant, Connor Petersen, and my girlfriend Brittney Newland) and family were up there waiting for me.  It choked me up again knowing of the support that I have from the close people in my life.  I started bawling when I gave my dad a hug because he has been the man behind my success in the game.  He has taught me everything from swinging the bat to sliding correctly.  Tough night but it is now time to move on to bigger and better things in life.  I've decided to forgo pursuing college baseball and focus on my mission and education.