Item 2 Read the excerpt from Baseball Saved Us.

I gripped the bat harder and took a couple of practice swings. I was gonna hit the ball past the guardhouse even if it killed me. Everyone got quiet and the pitcher threw.

I stepped into my swing and pulled the bat around hard. I’d never heard a crack like that before. The ball went even farther than I expected.

Which inference can be made based on the information in the excerpt?

The narrator is showing off to impress the crowd by aiming the ball for the guardhouse.

The narrator uses the energy from his anger at the guard to make his best hit of his life.

A lot of baseball practice has turned the narrator into the team’s most skilled hitter.

The crowd’s silence helps the narrator focus enough to make the hit that wins the game.