I was on a team of 6, mostly girls. The other team consisted of only 2 boys that were up to bat first and kept hitting home runs so I never actually got up to bat in the hour that we played. With an eye always on the ground, due to scattered animal poop, large potholes and water ruts, mud, trash and squealing piglets, we tried to stop the boys line drives. No gloves for catching of course and the field was quite narrow and long (it was a street remember) so we had to chase most of the balls that didn't hit us directly. At least we were using a tennis ball and their team had a broken bat. Our team deemed the bat so broken that we used a tree branch when we finally were up to bat. Many times the ball got lost out of bounce in the empty lot of weeds over the barbed wire fence. We'd all scatter in the field until the ball was found. The team finally asked me to play first base because I could catch and girls would squeal in delight, exchanging big smiles with me, when I tagged on of the boys out. The favorite thing to do when someone was on second base, our team would give him a chance to steal for home (remember there is no third base in this street game). So we'd take a break from someone batting. I'd become the catcher. The pitcher would become the second baseman and the two of us would throw the ball back and forth trying to tag out the runner. We would continue to do this until we got him out or he scored a run, no matter how long it took.
The game ended with us girls practicing catching infield fly- balls with a lemon as the tennis ball had been lost, possibly for good. It was a fun afternoon..reminded me of elementary school pick up games in my neighborhood back home. I wish I'd have had my camera...but then again it's nice to not feel like a tourist and just enjoy the moment. I think I'll bring a few tennis balls back to Nicaragua with me next time I come home to the states.