Batter, batter, swing
Panthers are up to bat at their game against Redskins.
Baseball has been a part of American history for a long while. It used to be America’s favorite pastime before football replaced it. Now, you’d rarely find yourself sitting on the couch with chips and watching baseball but instead cheering on Beyonce, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, or some big star for the football Superbowl game.
The objective for baseball is the same for most sports–get more points than the other team. In baseball, two teams play on a diamond-shaped field with a minimum of nine innings (each inning holds one team batting first and then the other team).
Each team has at least eight to nine players on the field at a time. There is the pitcher and the catcher. The pitcher throws the ball for the batter to hit and the catcher is there to get it if the batter doesn’t hit it or to get a player out as they run home. There are at least three players around the diamond–first baseman, second baseman, third baseman. These players are to get the ball to their base to get any oncoming out. There can be more than these three players on the field. Sometimes a shortstop is added if the team has enough players. The shortstop stands between second and third base to secure an out if needed. Outfielders are the players that are in the outfield and to get any balls that end up out there. This makes it easier for the infielders because they don’t have to run back and forth and guard their bases.
On March twenty-ninth, the Panthers played the Redskins at LC’s baseball field. The Redskins batted first and the Panthers took the field at five o’clock. Concessions were open and admissions were five dollars. The game went back and forth between Loudon Redskins winning and then the Panthers getting a point and tying the game.
The game brought many foul balls flying over the stands to the entrance of the football field. This involved fans screaming ‘Heads!’ every fifteen or so minutes to ensure the safety of everyone there. The crowd was emotionally hooked to the players and the game. Stands were pretty full for this game. Cheers for both teams rang out amongst the crowd when a point was earned. The game ended with the Panthers losing 7:4 to the Redskins.
Despite the loss, Emilee Salyers (10) enjoyed the game, along with some food from the concessions. “I guess I liked all of it because that was the first time I’ve been to an LC baseball game,” Salyers said.
The LC Panthers played a competitive game on the twenty-ninth. The team pulled through, only losing by three points. Cody Clevenger (9), who plays on the baseball team, said, “We try to have fun and be competitive at the same time. We just try to win.”
