⚾️ It’s the bottom of the 9th. Two outs. The bases are loaded. Your team is down three runs but by golly with the championship on the line, spirits have never been higher. Rally caps and smiles line the dugout as your teammates pound the fence in excitement. Standing in the on deck circle, you hear Blue call out “batter up,” and instead of your stomach sinking, a wave of inspired adrenaline courses through your veins. This is the moment you’ve dreamt of since you were still in velcro shoes, playing catch in the sandlot with your pals. Your Norman Rockwell, they’ll-make-a-movie-about-this-later, heroes-get-remembered-but-legends-never-die moment. ⁠ ⁠ You step into the batter’s box and lock eyes with the pitcher, who smirks. Time to teach ‘em a lesson. ⁠ ⁠ Suddenly it seems like everything’s gone quiet. Maybe it has, or maybe you’re just so focused that no outside force could possibly distract you from the task at hand. Either way, you know the ball is headed toward the plate any second....