Linus jogged back to his shortstop position as the second inning was about to begin. He adjusted his glove and prepared for the warmup. Filip began his warmup pitches on the mound. While Filip warmed up, Linus took part in the warm up with routine grounders and throws to first base, keeping focus on his footwork and accuracy.
After a few minutes, the umpire called for balls in, signaling the start of the inning. Linus ran towards second base as the catcher made a pick-off throw to simulate an imaginary runner stealing. Linus quickly positioned himself on the bag, caught the ball cleanly, and made a smooth tag before throwing the ball back to Filip.
Linus was now feeling ready for the inning to begin.
The fifth batter of the opposing team stepped up to the plate. Linus crouched slightly, shifting his weight onto the balls of his feet, preparing for if the ball was hit in his direction. Filip began with a fastball inside, which the batter took for a strike.
Then he got set for the second pitch. The ball approached the strike zone, and with a ding, it was hit—a grounder coming towards Linus.
His heart skipped a beat. His eyes locked onto the ball as it skidded across the dirt. Time seemed to slow down, his adrenaline spiking. The ball was his. Linus moved swiftly, his body positioning perfectly in front of the ball. It bounced up just as he reached it, and his glove absorbed the impact cleanly. Without hesitation, he made a quick throw to Oliver at first base.
"Out!" The umpire's voice echoed.
Linus felt a rush of relief and pride as Oliver tossed the ball back to Filip. He had gotten his first out in a game and it was handled cleanly.
The sixth batter came up and swung hard on the first pitch, sending a fast liner toward right field. Linus glanced over, hoping it wouldn't drop. Their right fielder sprinted toward the ball, diving just in time to make a spectacular catch.
"Nice one!" Linus called out.
Now it was Elias's turn to bat, as he came up to the plate as the 7th batter in the lineup. Linus couldn't help but hope the ball would be hit toward him. The idea of getting Elias out filled him with an odd excitement. Elias was always better in practice, so it would feel good if he could get him out now instead. But fate had other plans. Elias fought hard during the at-bat, but after a couple of fouls and a ball, Filip threw a cutter that caught him off guard, leading to a swing and a miss.
"Strike three!" the umpire called.
Linus smirked, though a small part of him was disappointed that he didn't get the chance to get the out himself.
As they jogged off the field, Linus gave Filip a nod of appreciation. Filip had managed to retire the side quickly, a testament to his control and consistency. It was a reminder of why Filip had been such a fierce competitor for the ace position on the team. He was even able to keep his pitch count low, though partly because the other team was swinging early in the count.
Filip didn't say much as they headed to the dugout, but his calm, almost indifferent demeanor was enough to show he felt confident about his performance.
Linus got into the dugout again, taking a deep breath and settling onto the bench. His heart raced with anticipation as he mentally calculated the chances of him coming up to bat this inning. If the team could get just two hits, he'd have a chance to face off against Lukas. The idea of stepping up to the plate against their ace pitcher made his pulse quicken. He hadn't faced Lukas yet, since he didn't often pitch in practice, at least not to him.
The inning started well, the team's 4th batter working a 1-2 count against Lukas after battling off a few tough pitches. He then connected with a fastball, driving it into left field for a clean single. The bench erupted in cheers, it was their first hit of the game, and suddenly, his hope of getting to bat grew.
However, the next two batters didn't fare as well. The 5th batter struck out on a curveball, and the 6th batter barely managed to touch the curveball for a weak grounder to second base, resulting in an easy out. At least the runner had advanced to second, giving them a chance to score.
Now, it was up to Oliver, the 7th batter, to keep the inning alive. Linus stepped into the on-deck circle, preparing for his potential at-bat. But Oliver, tense as usual in high-pressure situations, popped up the first pitch, and the catcher easily caught it for the third out.
Linus sighed, his chance at facing Lukas slipping away for now. As they jogged back onto the field, he reminded himself there would be more opportunities, Since he would face him in the beginning of the next inning. He would have to stay sharp and ready for when his moment finally came.
Linus hoped for a smooth third inning, but things didn't go as planned. Filip, who had been sharp so far, started the inning by walking the 8th batter after a tough, drawn-out at-bat. It wasn't the ideal start, but there was still time to recover.
The next batter was Lukas, and the other team had him lay down a bunt. The ball rolled slowly up the third base line, exactly what they wanted to advance the runner. Linus held his breath as the ball moved toward the 3rd baseman. Fortunately, their third baseman was quick on his feet and made the play, throwing Lukas out at first base. The sacrifice had worked, though, and the runner now stood at second with just one out.
Filip shook off the walk and focused on the next hitter. He threw two sharp cutters, keeping the batter off balance. Then, with a well-placed fastball just outside, he got the second batter to chase, striking him out. Linus let out a small breath of relief. Two outs. They were so close to getting out of the inning unscathed.
But the 2nd batter, the same one who had gotten a hit earlier in the game, stepped up to the plate again. Linus could feel the tension building. Filip delivered the pitch with a 1-1 count, but this time the batter connected cleanly. The ball was hit between the right and center fielders, and the batter was safe with a double. The runner on second sprinted home, and just like that, the score was 0-1. Linus felt a sinking disappointment in his chest.
The lead had slipped away, but there were still two outs, and they could limit the damage. Filip kept his composure, not letting the run get to him. He prepared to face Johannes, the 3rd batter in the lineup. Johannes wasted no time, swinging at the first pitch. The ball shot off his bat like a bullet, heading straight for the gap between Linus and the third baseman.
Linus reacted instinctively, pushing off his feet and diving to his right. He barely managed to reach the ball, getting just enough of his glove on it to stop it from skipping into the outfield. His body hit the dirt hard, but he quickly scrambled to his feet. He glanced toward second, relieved to see the runner retreating back to the base.
But there wasn't much time to celebrate. Johannes was already speeding down the line toward first base. Linus grabbed the ball and planted his feet, but he knew it was too late. Johannes had too much of a head start, and Linus wouldn't be able to get the throw off in time.
He sighed, frustrated, as Johannes reached first safely. There were now runners on first and second with two outs. Linus knew they couldn't afford any more mistakes. He dusted himself off, focusing on the next play, determined to do better with the next chance he got.