This isn’t like understanding a child’s game so I would say your baseball analogy is a false equivalence.
I’m not qualified enough to know what science is (ad hominem)
That isn’t ad hominem. Suggesting that the roots of your misunderstanding is due to your lack of experience or education in the field is not a personal attack. I am also not making an emotional appeal which is an alternate form of ad hominem.
Ad hominem would be if I suggested you couldn’t have an understanding because you are stupid (which I am absolutely in no way suggesting that you are unintelligent). I have not done this. I have suggested your lack of expertise in the field might be a good reason for you to question your own conclusions.
directing me to read an entire field of philosophy that for all I know has its entire existence bent towards proving that the social sciences are sciences exactly in the same way that natural sciences are
You dont need to become an expert but if you want to understand what we believe science is this is the place to start as the other place is a terminal degree in a science field which would be silly to suggest. The philosophy of science is the best field for you to get the answers to the uncertainty you have in your understanding
This is also not an example of ad hominem.
Why not read about the philosophy of science to expand your understanding? Why do you need to do it because I proved something to you?
Would you get addicted that fast? I have zero experience with speed in any form