my family, you know that we're huge University of Michigan fans and we have good reason to be. Humor me a bit and let me ramble on about one of the greatest people I know and just how proud I am to call him family.This past weekend, Chris, Sophia and I made the ten hour drive to the University of Michigan to see my little brother Chris' last home series of his career at Michigan! We had a little mini Berset reunion with Auntie Tisa, Auntie Diane, Uncle Bruce, Madi, Tisa Amanda, Mom, Dad, Annie and Mary joining us for a baseball filled weekend! I had been looking forward to this trip for quite some time now and it exceeded every expectation I had. Chris played well the whole weekend and Michigan split the games Friday and Saturday one win, one loss. As you can imagine, winning a weekend series is vital to these baseball guys so a lot was riding on the Sunday game scheduled to start around 1pm.
It started on time but it started out ROUGH and by the third inning Michigan was losing 14-0. Yikes. I remember meeting Amanda out at the snack bar and just cringing at the sound of the small Northwestern crowd clapping and cheering for their guys after yet another hit. Alright, alright we all say to each other...The beauty of baseball is that it's one of the only sports with no clock counting down...the beauty of baseball is that it isn't over until it is OVER and by God, the Michigan bench sure didn't give up. Base hit after base hit, 
homerun after homerun, run after run, the boys fought back and with a great pitcher on the mound, they got to the bottom of the ninth trailing only by TWO runs, the score 14-12. Two runs before three outs and they tie the game. One out after the first batter grounds out.
Base hit and we've got a runner on first.
Fly out to deep center...two outs.
So there's a runner on first, two outs, down by two in the bottom of the ninth and who's up to bat? My kid brother. Aw man, this is the chance of a lifetime right here! It is what my little brother has been training for for twenty years. He's holding the team on his back and he steps up to the plate.
Pitch one...strike.
Pitch two...strike.
Uncle Bruce turns to me and says, 'Well this pitcher isn't going to give him anything good to hit on this count' as we hope for a ball and as soon as we turn to look at the plate....
Chris nails the ball and SAILS it to right-center field.
Is it going far enough!?!?! Will it go over the fence?!?!?! Has he hit it hard enough?!?!?!?! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh....................IT'S GONE!!!! It's GONE!!!!!
To this day, I can SEE the ball sailing over the fence. Wow, what a moment. Now you might think I'm a little nut-so that I did a pathetic play-by-play of a baseball game on my blog and you could probably chalk it up to the fact that I'm prego and my usual dramatic self. I mean really, it's not the World Series or even one of those elimination games that keeps you 'alive'
to win something super important, but this is my kid brother. This is one of Chris', what I'll call 'World-Series' moments. Michigan went on to hold Northwestern in the top of the 10th and one of the other seniors and Chris' fellow captain Mike Dufek, hit a homerun to end the game 15-14. Michigan wins the series and ESPN went on to recap later that night the greatest comeback in baseball history. The Berset clan is still screaming!!!! :)I have seen my little brother start as a kid and grow into a man all the while playing this sport that he just can't ever seem to get enough of. Tying this baseball game after trailing by so much, on senior weekend, of his last home series, with loads of his extended family there...
his brother-in-law, girlfriend and little God-daughter witnessing it all...come on, isn't everybody hungry for a moment like that? Now, let me tell you why this touches my heart in a very special way and segway into why my kid brother is one of the greatest people I've ever known. Not only is Chris a phenomenal baseball player but he is one of the most honorable men I've ever met. You don't come across guys like Chris very often. He is dedicated, strong and focused on what he wants to accomplish in the life God has given him. He is confident yet humble and believes that
God is in control of his destiny. He is sensitive to those around him but steadfast when people need him. He is quick to smile, the first one to laugh and he is always there to lend a helping hand. He goes to church every Sunday and is quick to thank God first and foremost for all of his blessings. He loves with his whole heart and while others strive to always do the right thing, he more often than not, does. He is a man of faith, a man who loves his family and friends, a man who leads by example and a man who is going to go far in life because of all this. I have no doubt we will see his name in lights one day playing for the big leagues. The world needs a professional baseball player like him and he deserves every piece of success that comes his way. I haven't always been strong like him and Lord knows, I've made plenty of mistakes that others would just shake their head at but Chris has always believed in me. It is a pleasure to be his sister...to be his friend.
So little brother...you thanked Chris, Sophia and I in your speech that Saturday night on YOUR senior night for making the trip to see you. Consider this my little speech to you. I'd shout it on the rooftops given the platform. You have made us all so proud and a fraction of that comes from your performance on the baseball diamond. I love you.
'GO, GO, GO CHRIS. HIT THE BALL' ~Soph had to get a word in too for your games this week! :) (Check out the Michigan boys on the Big Ten Network for game two against Minnesota tonight at 7:05pm)
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