Sneaking the go-ahead run

"Screaming at the top of the lungs, Franklin's Miranda Miller (center) and Erika Murray exert their joy as Kim Dorsey (No.8) brings home the tying run in the top of the seventh inning during the Baltimore County championship game at Catonsville High School, Wednesday, May 6, 2009. Franklin would bring home the winning run behind Dorsey on the same play, which sealed the title, 2-1."

Bored to tears. That's what I was at this softball game. All I wanted was some diving outfield action.

I thought I'd take a risk and sit near the outfield, hoping, wishing, waiting for the low lobbing ball that would make a player have to leap out for it. But it didn't come.

In the sixth inning of this very slow, low scoring game, I made my way to third base and was waiting for the end of the game reactions. They came a little bit early.

To set the scene, Franklin was down. One out in the top of the seventh and trailing, 1-0, and a player on second and third base.

I am thinking at this point, they have to tie the game. There is no way, no how, they are going to blow this opportunity. So I set up, prefocused on the fence behind home plate for some sort of reaction.

The pitch is delivered and it sails into the backstop.

Franklin's Kim Dorsey sprints from third base toward home. The Catonsville catcher valiantly makes a diving throw to the pitcher, who attempted a leaping tag for the out.

All I see is dirt and cluttered players in my frame. I am not sure what happened. The umpire calls the runner safe.

With players laying in the dirt, cheering parents and players going wild, another Franklin player snuck into my frame. With everyone thinking the play was over, she raced home with the go-ahead run. It shocked me, I know it shocked everyone else, too.

This boring game ended up turning into a full range of emotions in the bottom of the seventh inning and transformed into a fun game to shoot as tensions ran high.