Chapter 19 — The Comeback Attempt
The Dodgers entered the dugout buzzing with energy.
The score was 3–0, Foxes leading.
But after Zach's inning-saving catch and solid pitching,
the mood had changed.
They weren't scared anymore.
They were fired up.
Tyler slumped onto the bench, pulling off his mask dramatically.
"I think I aged twelve years in one inning."
Zach sat beside him. "You did great."
"Did I?! Because I thought I died! Twice!"
"No," Zach said sincerely. "You lived."
Tyler groaned. "That is the LOWEST bar, Zach."
Blake sat quietly on the other side of the bench.
Still shaken.
Still ashamed.
But calmer.
His emotional bubble finally softened:
"Embarrassment • Relief • Respect • Wanting redemption"
He lifted his head toward Zach.
"You… pitched good."
Zach smiled. "Thank you."
Blake nodded once, determined.
"Let's hit."
The Dodgers Come to Bat
Coach Ramirez clapped sharply.
"ALRIGHT, DODGERS! LET'S GET SOME RUNS!"
First up was Noah.
Groundout.
Then Micah.
Strikeout.
Then Emma.
Walk.
And finally—
"ZACH! YOU'RE UP!"
Zach stepped into the batter's box, gripping his bat tightly.
The pitcher was bigger than him.
Older.
Stronger.
But Zach wasn't afraid.
The system chimed softly in his mind.
Ping.
"Batting Focus (Basic) Activated."
Breathe. Track the ball. Wait for your pitch."
Zach inhaled deeply.
Zach's At-Bat
Pitch 1:
Fastball. Outside.
"BALL ONE!"
Pitch 2:
Curve attempt. Too low.
"BALL TWO!"
Zach stayed calm.
Parents murmured.
The pitcher looked annoyed—
kids hated walking younger players.
Pitch 3:
Fastball.
Zach swung.
PING!
The ball shot into right field—
a clean single.
Emma sprinted to second.
Zach touched first base and looked to the dugout.
Tyler screamed,
"THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND!"
Zach felt warmth bloom in his chest.
They could do this.
Tyler's Turn — A Test of Courage
"TYLER! YOU'RE UP!"
Tyler froze.
"Me?! Me. Me? ME?!"
Zach called from first base, "You can do it!"
Tyler gulped loudly.
He walked to the plate looking like a person walking to a dentist appointment.
The pitcher stared at him like a hawk.
Tyler muttered,
"Don't throw fast, don't throw fast, don't throw—"
The pitcher threw fast.
Tyler screamed.
But—
He swung anyway.
PING!
The ball rolled weakly toward third.
The third baseman scooped it and threw to first—
SAFE.
Tyler had beaten the throw.
He stared at the ump in total shock.
"…I lived?!"
Zach shouted proudly, "Great job!"
Tyler pumped both fists and screamed back,
"THIS GAME IS TERRIBLE AND I LOVE IT!"
Blake's Turn — Redemption
"BLAKE! YOU'RE UP!"
Blake inhaled deeply.
His father watched from the sidelines, arms folded, expression unreadable.
Blake stepped into the batter's box.
The pitcher smirked—
he remembered Blake's panic on the mound.
The first pitch came.
A fastball.
Inside.
Blake didn't flinch.
"BALL ONE!"
He exhaled slowly.
Ping.
Zach saw the bubble:
"Focus • Determination • No panic"
Second pitch.
Fastball.
Blake swung.
THWACK!
A line drive into center field.
Emma ran home.
Zach sprinted to third.
Tyler hustled to second.
The crowd roared.
Coach Ramirez shouted,
"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"
Blake looked at Zach across the bases.
Zach smiled.
Blake smiled back.
A real one.
Filled with pride.
His emotional bubble glowed bright:
"Confidence + Hope"
Dodgers Score
Next batter: Jaden.
Pitch.
Big swing.
FLY BALL TO LEFT FIELD!
Emma scores.
Zach scores.
The Dodgers dugout EXPLODED.
3–2.
Now only one run behind.
Tyler jumped into Zach's arms.
"WE'RE COMING BACK! WE'RE DOING IT!"
Zach laughed.
"Yes!"
Blake jogged past them toward the dugout, fists clenched in joy.
For the first time…
he looked free.
Coach Pulls Zach Aside
As the inning ended (Dodgers still down 1), Coach Ramirez placed a hand on Zach's shoulder.
"You're pitching next inning."
Zach nodded quietly.
"You tired?"
"No."
"You scared?"
"No."
"Good," Coach said, "because we're going for the win."
Zach's system chimed:
Ping.
"New Objective: Hold the Opponents Scoreless."
Reward: Ability Upgrade."
Tyler smacked Zach's helmet.
"Buddy. You GOT THIS. And I've got your back. No more screaming… probably."
Zach laughed softly.
"I trust you."
Blake approached them.
"Hey…" he said softly. "Good luck."
Zach nodded.
"You too."
Blake took a breath.
"You're… you're really good, Zach. Better than I thought."
Zach beamed.
"Thank you. You're really good too."
Blake's cheeks reddened.
Tyler whispered loudly,
"IS THIS A RIVALRY OR A BROTHERHOOD WHAT IS HAPPENING—"
Zach and Blake both pushed him.
Zach Takes the Mound
The Dodgers ran back onto the field.
The crowd cheered.
The Foxes players cracked their knuckles, looking eager to crush the tiny relief pitcher.
Zach inhaled.
The air tasted like dust and determination.
He stood tall.
Tyler crouched behind the plate, steady and confident.
Coach Ramirez signaled from the dugout.
The Foxes' next batter stepped in.
Zach raised his leg.
Twisted his torso.
Aligned his shoulder.
The system pinged:
"Angle Memory Engaged."
Zach released—
POP.
Strike one.
Then another.
Strike two.
Then a grounder to Emma.
Out.
The inning was flowing.
Tyler couldn't stop whispering,
"You are a MACHINE. A KIND MACHINE. A VERY SCARY MACHINE."
Zach smiled slightly.
The Challenge Appears
With two outs, the biggest Foxes player stepped into the batter's box.
Tall.
Strong.
Confident.
Their cleanup hitter.
The air shifted.
Zach's system chimed:
Ping…
"Warning: High Threat Batter."
Difficulty Spike."
Pitch with caution."
Tyler lowered his mask.
"Okay buddy… this guy hits HARD. But we can get him. Trust your pitches."
Zach nodded.
He threw—
CRACK.
A HUGE hit.
A deep, soaring fly ball toward the outfield.
Micah sprinted back.
Eli sprinted too.
The ball was falling between them—
Too far—
Too fast—
Too high—
Zach whispered, "Please…"
And Then—
SOMEONE MADE THE CATCH.
But it wasn't Eli.
Or Micah.
It was—
BRYAN
—the smallest outfielder.
The quiet one.
The one no one expected.
He leapt—
arms stretched—
eyes closed—
SNAP.
He caught it.
The crowd ERUPTED.
The Dodgers ran in screaming,
"BRYAN! BRYAN! BRYAN!"
Coach Ramirez laughed so hard he couldn't breathe.
Zach stared in shock.
Then smiled.
Because he realized—
This wasn't just his victory.
Or Blake's.
Or Tyler's.
It was everyone's.
Every kid had stepped up.