'Damn it!'
With 2 outs and the count at 0-2, he was in a bind. One more strike and the game would be over and they would be relegated to the losers bracket. Of course they would still get another chance since it was double elimination, but who would want to play 4 games, when you can win with 3.
He turned to the coach who looked to be just as stressed as him. But behind him Steve saw Ken who was standing atop the stairs in the dugout. His face was much calmer, causing Steve to feel a slight sense of relief.
Ken raised his hand and gave him a thumbs up, as if saying 'You can do this.'
Steve nodded, this time turning to Brian who was standing at 3rd base. Unlike Ken who was being supportive, the red-haired guy was scowling at him, as if he was annoyed that he hadn't hit the ball and ended the game yet.
Instead of this making him angry, Steve let out a chuckle. For a moment there he had almost let his emotions get the better of him in the exchange.
Now slightly relaxed, he turned back to the pitcher with a determined expression on his face. He gripped the wooden bat tightly and held it high, ready to swing once the ball entered his range.
The ball was whipped out of the pitchers arm, a slider. Steve prepped himself to swing, but quickly realized he had misjudged it.
'That's a cutter!'
In a panic, he adjusted his swing slightly, rolling his wrists to change the trajectory of his bat.
WHOOOOSH
CRACK!
'Ah…'
The ball sailed into the air, deep into foul territory. The bat which Steve had been using all season completely fell apart in his hand, now smashed to smithereens. While many used the metal bat in college, he liked the feel of the wooden one's better.
Out of the whole team, only he and Ken used a wooden bat.
"See! I told you my bat was broken." Steve called out to Ken, feeling a sense of vindication.
He ran over to Ken "Can I use your bat? I promise I'll send it out of the stands." Steve said with a mischievous grin.
Ken was hesitant, but he still agreed. "You break it and I'll make you pay with your blood, sweat and tears." He replied gravely.
"Hehe, don't worry man."
After successfully borrowing Ken's bat, Steve returned to the batters box and apologized to the umpire. Ken's bat was pretty similar to his own that he'd just broken, because he had asked his friend for his recommendation.
With it now secured in his grip, he turned back to the pitcher and waited, overflowing with confidence. He was going to make these guys regret not walking him.
The pitcher nodded and entered his wind up, sending his arm whipping past his face. Steve's eyes widened as he locked onto the ball. In a fraction of a second, he had already picked the ball.
'You wanna strike me out with a changeup!? AS IF!'
WHOOOOOOSH
THWACKK!
The crisp sound of the ball striking the center of the bat rang out over the field, eliciting a roar from the Columbia dugout. The ball sailed into the right outfield with awesome power, it's fate all but sealed.
"HAHA!" Steve almost jumped for joy as he watched the ball about to enter the stands. He turned to the pitcher and stared at him, flipping the bat as retribution for underestimating him.
The bat which landed awkwardly on the pitch suddenly snapped in half.
Steve's whole body turned cold as he froze on the spot, staring at the scene of the murder. Fear and anxiety instantly gripped him before he was interrupted.
"Run around the damn bases idiot!" Brian yelled from home plate, snapping him out of his reverie.
With his heart beating wildly in his chest, Steve jogged towards first base, dread settling into the pit of his stomach. He turned to see Ken now holding the two pieces of his treasured bat wearing a blank expression.
'What have I done!?' Steve cried inwardly.
He stepped onto second base and could now feel the murderous glare directed at him from the direction of home plate. By the time he rounded third and made his way to touch the plate, He could see Ken's tall figure in the back glaring at him.
The moment he stepped onto home, the whole team swamped him in celebration. Before he realized it, he'd already lost sight of Ken who usually stuck out like a sore thumb with his ridiculous height.
SMACK
"OW!"
He felt a stinging sensation on his backside from being slapped so hard. Steve turned around, trying to find the person who did it, but no one looked guilty.
SMACK SMACK!
"OI STOP IT!"
SMACK SMACK SMACK
"STOP! I'M SORRY!!"
It didn't take him long to realize that it was Ken, dishing out punishment while hiding amongst the team. He was like a ninja, appearing from Steve's blind spots and delivering cutting slaps which reverberated through his whole body.
Thankfully the celebration ended shortly after and everyone dispersed. He could see Ken nearby, still holding the two pieces of his once whole wooden bat.
"H—Hey man… I'm sorry about your bat. Maybe it already ran its course." Steve said, trying to look remorseful.
"It was fine until you flipped the thing." Ken replied coldly.
"Hey… To be fair it was probably cracked during the home run hit. The bat flip just finished the job." Steve replied, making a lot of sense.
If Ken used it in the future while it was structurally unstable, there was a chance that things could have gone a lot worse.
Ken understood this, so he didn't continue to give him a hard time, he was still pissed that the guy had hit the ball so hard that it broke though.
"Have you ever tried to hold back even a little?" Ken asked with a sigh, though he knew the answer.
"Nope~" Steve said with his trademark mischievous smile.