St. Cloud Blue Sox vs. Champlin Park Rebels

  
   It was a great day for baseball.  The sun was out and glimmering, the birds were singing, and the St. Cloud Blue Sox were getting ready to play their first game of the tournament against the Champlin Park Rebels.  Champlin Park had won many tournaments before this one, and they were determined to get another first place trophy.


   As our team was throwing the baseball around, John Quinlan is warming up to be the starting pitcher of the game.  He was being very unaccurate that day.  He was pitching way off to the left, off to the right, and even over the catcher's head.  One of the last pitches he threw zoomed right by the catcher at full speed, bounced- getting a lot of backspin, and hits me right in the mouth.  I was in a lot of pain.  I had to just walk it off and get ready to play in the upcoming game.


   St. Cloud was the home team and Champlin was away.  The Blue Sox hit the field right away with confidence.  The Rebels came out quick with a 4-0 lead after their first at bat.  Now it is our turn to come back with some runs.  Our leadoff hitter strikes out swinging. It's my turn up to bat.  My lips are swelling up.  It comes out to a full count right away and I had fouled off about fifteen balls after that.  The next pitch that was thrown was right down the pipe.  I had made hard contact with this one and I started sprinting towards first base.  The ball falls over the outfield fence and I score.  It was my first homerun that year and I had just started a rally for my team. 


   Both teams were battling back against each other the whole game but there was only one winner.  The St. Cloud Blue Sox had come out on top by the end of the game defeating the tough Champlin Park Rebels 8-7.  The Blue Sox now had the momentum to take the whole tournament and we were ready to fight every team off to win it.