Bang! Smack! The ball shoots back at me like a lightning bolt. It strikes my knee, and I fall to the ground with a thud. I gather all my strength, and I launch the ball to first. It soars through the air and plops in the first baseman’s old, dark brown glove. It is the third inning. It seems like it is one hundred degrees out, and I am in so much pain it feels like my leg is about to fall off because of how hard the batter’s ball hit my leg. Now I am forced to sit on the bench watching the game. It is hit after hit, run after run. It is not going well. I tell my dad I want to pitch again, but he just ignores me. Three outs later, and it is our turn to bat. It is almost my turn to hit, and my dad asks me if I want to hit. My leg is