Daniel continued to impress his teammates in practice over the next few days, but as he got more comfortable, Coach Larkin knew it was time to give him his first real test. The upcoming weekend scrimmage against another school's JV team would be Daniel's first taste of facing an actual opponent, and Coach was eager to see how he would handle the pressure.
"Alright, listen up!" Coach announced at the end of Friday's practice. "Tomorrow's game isn't just another scrimmage. This is your chance to show what you've got against real competition. Daniel, you're pitching the first inning."
Daniel's stomach twisted with excitement and nerves. Facing his own teammates was one thing, but pitching against a team of players he didn't know—players who had no idea about his background—felt like stepping onto a completely new stage.
"You're gonna do great," Jake said, giving him an encouraging nod. "Just focus on what you've been practicing. Remember, it's about more than just speed."
Ian chimed in, "Yeah, don't try to blow them away on every pitch. Mix it up. Keep them guessing."
Daniel nodded, absorbing their advice. He knew his arm was his strongest asset, but he was starting to realize that pitching was as much a mental game as a physical one. The real challenge wasn't just throwing hard—it was outsmarting the batter, keeping them off balance. He'd have to trust his instincts and adjust his pitches based on the batters in front of him.
_______
The next day, Daniel found himself on the bus with his teammates, feeling the familiar weight of nerves as they traveled to the nearby school's field. Jake and Ian kept things light, joking around and hyping up the team, while Max sat beside Daniel, sensing his quiet anticipation.
"You're gonna crush it," Max said, giving him a reassuring nudge. "Just remember, they don't know anything about your arm. You've got the element of surprise."
When they arrived at the field, Daniel took in the sights and sounds of the opposing team warming up. He watched the other pitcher throwing with a smooth, practiced motion, making him wonder how his own unrefined style would compare. But as they moved through warm-ups and jogged onto the field, Daniel's nerves slowly settled, replaced by a growing determination.
Coach Larkin pulled him aside as the team took their positions. "Look, Daniel, this is a scrimmage. That means it's okay to make mistakes. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just go out there and show them what you've got. Keep it simple and stay focused."
Daniel nodded, taking a deep breath and jogging to the mound. The familiar feel of the ball in his hand gave him comfort. He looked over at Jake, who crouched behind the plate, giving him a thumbs-up.
"All right, Daniel, first batter's up!" Jake called, signaling a fastball low and inside.
Daniel squared his shoulders, wound up, and released his pitch with everything he had. The ball shot toward home plate with its usual speed, and the batter swung, missing completely. The crowd let out a collective murmur as the ball snapped into Jake's glove.
"Strike one!" the umpire called.
Daniel felt a thrill of confidence. He took Jake's signal again—a fastball, high and inside. He focused, winding up, and let it fly. The batter flinched as the ball came in close, but he held his swing. The umpire called it a ball.
"Keep it going," Jake encouraged. "Trust your aim. You got this."
Daniel nodded, taking a deep breath. On the next pitch, he decided to go with a curveball, something he'd been working on with Coach. He released the ball, watching it curve just as he wanted it to. The batter swung, and the bat cut through the air, hitting nothing but a pocket of empty space.
"Strike two!"
The crowd murmured again, surprised at the new kid's arm. He felt their eyes on him, the pressure mounting—but in that moment, all he could think about was his next pitch. Jake signaled a fastball down the middle, and Daniel went for it. The ball shot forward, and the batter, desperate to make contact, swung early, missing completely.
"Strike three! Batter's out!" the umpire called.
A rush of exhilaration shot through Daniel as he watched the batter trudge back to the dugout. He'd done it—his first strikeout in a real game. He glanced over at his teammates, who were cheering, and Jake flashed him a proud grin.
The next batter stepped up, and the pattern repeated. Daniel stayed focused, mixing up his pitches, listening to Jake's signals, and letting his instincts guide him. By the end of the inning, he had struck out two batters and allowed only one to reach first base on a walk.
As he jogged back to the dugout, he could hear his teammates cheering him on, patting him on the back, and congratulating him. Coach Larkin gave him a proud nod. "Good work, Cooper. You've got something special."
The rest of the scrimmage went by quickly. Daniel watched from the bench as his teammates took turns on the mound, rotating positions and testing their skills. Jake hit a solid single, Ian stole second base with ease, and Max made a spectacular play at first to get an out.
When the game finally ended, Coach gathered the team around, his voice brimming with pride.
"That's the energy we need to bring every single game," he said. "Daniel, you did an excellent job out there, but remember, every game will bring its own challenges. Keep practicing, keep refining. We've got ourselves a season to look forward to."
As the team headed back to the bus, Daniel felt the weight of the day lifting off his shoulders, replaced by a warm feeling of accomplishment. Jake threw an arm around him, grinning. "Told you you'd crush it. You were throwing heat, man!"
Ian gave him a playful shove. "You looked like you'd been doing this your whole life. That curveball was brutal. Can't wait to see what you bring next time."
Daniel smiled, feeling his confidence grow with each word of encouragement. For the first time, he felt like he truly belonged. He was no longer just the new kid or the outsider from the mountains—he was Daniel Cooper, the pitcher with a powerful arm and a team that believed in him.
As they rode back to school, laughter and conversation filled the bus, and Daniel leaned back in his seat, listening to his teammates recount the day's highlights. He had found something special here, something he hadn't even realized he was looking for—a place where he could belong, a place to be part of a legacy.
Tomorrow would bring more challenges, but tonight, he let himself savor the victory, knowing that he had taken his first real steps toward becoming the player he was meant to be.