PAH
"Strikeout!"
"2 outs! Just one more to go!" Jason called out, sending the ball back to Ken.
Ken could hardly hear the guy's shouts since the crowd was going crazy. With 2 outs at the top of the 9th and a 1 run lead, Ken just needed a single out to seal the game for Detroit.
He could feel the tension in the ballpark thicken, as if everyone was on the edge of their seats. Their eyes were locked onto him, the pressure of their gazes almost suffocating as he stood alone on the mound.
Of course there were players on the field around him, but the outcome of this match was dependent on him.
But Ken did not shy away from the pressure. As an Ace, this was the moments that he looked forward to. With the game on the line, it was a battle of skill and wits between him and the batter, only the best player would come out on top.
"Batting 1st for Miami, 2nd base, John Berti."
He had reached the beginning of the batting lineup once more. This would mark the 4th time that this batter had faced him, which meant he was at a disadvantage.
Ken watched as John went through his motions and silently tried to recall what pitches he'd thrown to the guy while Daichi was still in the game. Usually, Daichi would keep track of this, but since he was now injured, Ken could no longer remain idle.
'3 sliders, 8 fastballs and a curveball…' he mused in his heart.
Thanks to his memory recall ability, Ken was able to easily access this information like picking an item off a shelf. It was quite convenient.
'So he still hasn't seen my cutter or changeup.'
Ken quickly decided on what pitches he would be using in this at-bat and in what order. As long as he could execute, the game was as good as over.
Meanwhile in the opposing teams dugout, Ryan had his elbows perched on his knees as he leaned forward, watching the game intensely. He had pitched almost perfectly the entire game, yet they were now behind by a single run.
In all honesty, Ryan was furious.
The challenge in the last inning was the turning point in the game, essentially killing all of their momentum. If the play had stood, the score would likely still be tied at 0.
"Ryan, go ice your shoulder." Coach Matt called out to him, his tone not allowing for rebuttal.
At this, Ryan shot to his feet, "Coach, the game isn't over yet. Why do I have to ice my shoulder?"
"Even if we score here, I won't let you pitch anymore this game. It's a long series, I want you to be ready to pitch again in one of the later games."
Coach Matt didn't have to explain his decision, but he seemed to show a soft side to Ryan for some reason or another. However, that softness did not allow for any insubordination, a fact that was painfully obvious to everyone in the team.
After all, the last player who had clashed with Coach Matt was swiftly dispatched by the team.
Ryan felt his body suddenly lose strength and he plonked his behind back on the bench. A feeling of helplessness overtook him, bringing back some old memories.
As his gaze moved to the field, he saw Ken standing tall upon the mound, entering his wind up. The figure overlapped with a much younger version of Ken, wearing the red and white of the Japanese team.
'This again…' Ryan mused, feeling a lump in his throat.
This was the same helplessness he had felt back then. Despite trying his best, he was not able to overcome the young pitcher whom he had never heard of before back then.
WHOOOOOSH
WHACK!
Ryan's eyes brightened for a moment as he watched the ball fly into the air towards the outfield. From his vantage point in the dugout, it looked like it would continue to soar all the way into the crowd.
A surge of excitement flowed within him.
'GO! Go over!' he screamed in his heart.
As long as they could tie the game here and keep Detroit scoreless next inning, the game would go into extra innings. Like him, Ken would likely be substituted, which meant that both teams would be on an even playing field.
As these thoughts circulated in his head, a resounding sound echoed within the ballpark.
PAH
In the left outfield, Adrian Baddoo had his glove raised in the air a few feet in front of the back wall.
'Huh? What happened?' Ryan rubbed his eyes, his mind taking a few moments to catch up.
The crowd erupted, causing the arena to shake as cheers and applause fell upon the players on the field.
"Out! Game set, Ligers."
The umpire called an end to the game in the top of the 9th inning with Detroit winning by a single run.
Ryan felt his shoulders slump as the reality of the situation set in. They had lost this hard fought match and there was nothing that he could do about it.
The desolate feeling that gripped him was something that he'd felt before, but it was much more intense this time. All the self confidence he'd had coming into this game had imploded.
He felt a hand upon his shoulder, causing him to look up.
Coach Matt stood beside him, his eyes gazing onto the field.
"You played well tonight Ryan, don't be disappointed." He stated softly, "go ice your shoulder and recover well until game 7. I promise you that we'll hold on until then."
Ryan struggled to reply. In the end he merely nodded and stood up slowly, heading towards one of the trainers nearby to get his shoulder iced. He didn't turn back, not wanting to show such a pitiful side of himself.
'Just you wait Ken… We'll fight again in game 7 and determine which one of us will lead the new wave in the Majors."