Monday night ended in silence—not the good kind. Not the kind that comes after a campfire and a full belly. I’m talking about the kind that crawls in through your ears and nests in your bones. The kind that only follows extra innings and a walk-off loss.

That’s how our 12U night in Fullerton ended. Eight innings. Blood, grit, and aluminum. We played our best game of the season. Our kids looked like…