“Nicole hustle!” my coach yelled from the dugout.  I knew it was time for the biggest game yet. 

The sun was setting and the sky looked like cotton candy.  Dark clouds were moving in our direction and the sky turned from day to night.  The tall trees swayed in the cold breeze that came every once in awhile. The softball field sat there in perfect shape.  All the softball players were in the outfield passing around the softball and waiting for the inning to start.  Everyone was huddled in their blankets watching me on the mound.

We were ahead in the game, the batter had two strikes on her and there were two outs.  The lights blared down on the field.  I shivered as the wind whipped around me. Both of the teams were yelling cheers, competing to be the loudest.  The excited parents, clapping and cheering. I could feel the pressure starting to get to me. I wondered if she would strikeout, or if I would mess up.  The ump who was bent down, glared at me from beneath the mask.  I looked at my coach who nodded and gave me a thumbs up, but I could tell he was just as nervous.  I was worried about messing up under all of this pressure.

I stepped back onto the mound, my body felt frozen from the cold wind.  I quickly glanced at our catcher, who was squatting  behind the plate smiling. I looked at the green softball that was now covered in dirt that I had held so many times. I realized at that moment, right before I started my wind up, that even if I messed up it wasn't the end of the world.  I began to feel more confident in myself, so I started my wind up. The softball whipped by my head and I finally felt it leave my hand.  I watched it fly through the air. I was so nervous. The batter stepped, ready to swing. Her bat came around right under the ball, she missed it! The ball landed right in the catcher's dirty, brown glove. I couldn't believe it! We had won! I felt the pressure slip away from me.  I had done my job.  I looked over to see my whole team sprinting towards me. I was suddenly smacked by a wall of hugs.  I was smiling like crazy when I walked off the field that night.  It was a great moment I will never forget.