RAVENNA, OHIO -- Everybody dreams of that one moment. That chance to be the hero. A fraction in time when it seems that the reality unfolding is almost too good to be true.

Most athletes leave those dreams in their backyards, where the imaginary sequences are as real as the ghost competitors that help create them.

They get left behind, not by choice, but because these types of moments are so rare that even the greatest players fail to even get the chance to claim one.

Last spring, Lauren Feciuch got her chance.

On May 7, Feciuch delivered a two-out, two-strike, extra-inning walk-off home run that won the Ohio Athletic Conference championship game for her Baldwin-Wallace Yellow Jackets.

What were really only a collection of seconds in real time is now a moment remembered down to the last detail.

Clouds and shades of gray blanketed the sky, while cold temperatures and a chilling wind robbed most of the sun's output.

A bit of rain forced the second game of the double-elimination tournament to be slightly delayed. Eventually, though, the Yellow Jackets returned to the diamond in a matchup against Ohio Northern, who entered as the tournament's top seed.

As one of three true freshman from Field on the team, including Tabitha Murray and Sami Brown, Feciuch played as the team's starting shortstop. After seven innings of play, the championship game was pushed into extra innings when Ohio Northern plated a run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the score at 1-1.

The score stayed knotted that way when Feciuch walked up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning.

She had yet to collect a hit on the day. Her contribution in the game to that point was her flawless, error-free defense on a busy day at short that saw her make seven assists and five putouts.

While all of that was worthwhile in its own way to the outcome of the game, it would be Feciuch's final offensive offering that would overshadow everything else.

Her memorable at-bat actually forced her into a corner of sorts. She was down to her last strike and the Jackets were down to their last out of the half-inning.

This is what dreams are made of, right?

That moment that seems to only materialize in movies.

Inside the circle pitching for Ohio Northern was Maggie Molnar, who had continued to pepper the outside half of the plate, looking to force Feciuch to swing at a pitch she could not do much with.

The final pitch, though, was something Feciuch absolutely could do something with.

Feciuch said she immediately recognized the pitch as a fastball.

One that mistakenly captured too much of the plate and within a split-second, Feciuch extended her arms, pushed her hands through the zone and connected with the ball.

"Honestly, I did not even feel the ball hit the bat," Feciuch said. "It just hit the sweet spot of the bat."

When Feciuch initially looked up, she was not even sure where the ball was.

"I just remember hearing everyone cheering," she said.

In a moment, she caught the flight of the ball and knew that it had no chance at staying inside the parameters of the field.

Even the deepest part of the field could not contain the drive, which landed beyond the fence in centerfield.

Like a robot, she rounded the bases out of memory more than anything else as thoughts quickly began racing through her head.

"I remember being shocked as I was running," she said. "Mostly because I am a player that is known more for my defense than my offense. I was our No. 9 batter so you tend to be underestimated."

Soon she was face-to-face with her head coach Tom Spencer as she rounded third base.

"He gave me a high five and had a big smile on his face; I think it was the first emotions I had seen out of him all year," Feciuch said.

The final 60 feet from third base became a blur, with teammates crowded around home plate waiting to celebrate.

The emotional release pushed some players to tears of joy and probably a bit of surprise.

Or at least Feciuch was.

She had thrust herself into the spotlight.

She was the hero.

"I am not a person that likes the attention so it was all a bit weird for me," Feciuch said. "I had the hit, but the game really was not all about me, we did it as a team. It was exciting, but I just am not used to having the spotlight on me like that."

But when dreams become a reality, there is usually a deserving spotlight waiting for you.