So my s/o and I were talking about my short stint playing college ball. Do you ever sit back and think about the things you could have done and what events took place that made them die? Let me tell you a story r/Dodgers. Something I only talk about with family and my wife to be.
It was junior year and I was playing varsity baseball for the Westwood Warriors (Mesa, AZ.) It was my first year as the starting short stop and at the rate I was going I was told I would be First Team All Region (a huge honor for a junior) until one fateful encounter with our rival team, the Mountain View Torros. Have you ever just had a game where everything clicked? Well this was that game. I started of the game with a RBI ground rule double in the top of the second. We batted around and I lead off the top of the third with a single up the middle, I later scored. The score was 3-0 going into the bottom of the third, turned a double play to end the inning. Top of the 4th went 1-2-3. And our pitcher struck out the side in the bottom. We scored twice in the 5th and I came up to bat with 1 down and a runner on first. We were up 5-0. I took a cut at the first pitch and missed. Count 0-1. Next two pitches were balls. 2-1. The next pitch was a curve ball I managed to foul off. 2-2. Next pitch was a fast ball in. 3-2. So I'm at full count. Expecting curve ball... Well I got one... A hanging curve ball right down the plate. And by our God Kershaw if I didn't get every piece of that ball. I hit a 2 run home run into left center and Ken Griffey Jr'd the shit out of it. (You know that little walk he did after hitting a HR.) the next two guys when down and it was the bottom of the fifth. Our pitcher stuck out the first batter and walked the second batter. Here is where the tale turns tragic folks... First pitch of the at bat for and the batter hits a grounder to our second baseman, he tosses the ball to me to turn two and the next thing I know I am on the ground screaming in pain. The runner came in with a high cleat and ended up tearing two ligaments and my acl. Now it's not confirmed but I am sure the 3rd base coach gave him the signal to do so. Now I get carried off the field end up going to the hospital. We won the game 6-1. But that ended my varsity career. I spent the rest of the season in crutches and in physical therapy. And the following season just helping out.
I went in to play community college ball, cause no colleges wanted a player who is a liability. I played a year at Mesa Community College and said fuck it. I play in some washed up men's league from June till September.
Tl;dr I got spiked in the best game of my varsity career and it ruined me playing baseball at any higher level other than community college.