MONMOUTH, Ore. - At Western Oregon University, Sara Tucholsky sat alone in the dugout reflecting on what has been a life-changing experience.
"It's pretty crazy," she said. "I'm from a small town, and this stuff doesn't happen every day."
She had waited her entire life to hit one on the sweet spot. And finally, last Saturday at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, she finally hit her first-ever home run.
"We went crazy, because that's her first ever home run in four years," said Western Oregon coach Pam Knox. "I was so happy for her."
"You know, I looked to see it go over the fence, and that's when I missed first base," Tucholsky said. "So, I have to go back to touch first, and that's when my knee gave out, and I fell."
The pain in her knee was so severe, she knew she'd never make it around the bases. It seemed she'd be denied her inaugural home run trot
"They were all huddled around, talking with the umpire, trying to figure out what was going to happen with me, because if they touch me I would be out," Tucholsky said.
Just when Coach Knox was about to replace Tucholsky with a pinch runner, she heard a voice.
"I knew that we could do it, I knew that she deserved it," said Central Washignton Mallory Holtman, "and I just thought, let's help her out."
"Mallory, the first baseman, asked me which leg was hurt," Tucholsky said. "I had told her the right, so she said, 'OK, we're going to tap your left foot on the bases as we go around.' "
Holtman and Central Washington shortstop Liz Wallace went to work, carrying Tucholsky to each base and letting her down to touch them all. The move made her home run legit - and provided the winning score.
http://www.kval.com/sports/18536839.html
</center>