#118 The Last Inning…

We held onto a razor thin one-run lead as I took to the mound for the final inning. The adrenaline from my slide into second and scoring the go-ahead run had ebbed and now I could feel the pain up and down my thigh, my uniform stained red from blood.

Warner Bros’ first batter drove my first pitch to deep left for a double. I struck out the next batter to the cheers of DIC fans. Cowan called to remind me, “One down; two to go, Jacky!” I forced a smile. The next batter drilled my third pitch into right field. A great throw from right held him at first, but the other runner wound up on third base.

Warner Bros.’ brutish clean-up batter came to the plate, tension thick everywhere. If he connected it would be game over. He pounded the plate with his bat and I hurled a pitch at him. He connected, the ball sailing high toward the gap between first and second, where our second base player, Linda Levin, was stationed. Warner Bros. fans rose to their feet, cheering in anticipation, DIC fans slumping.

All eyes turned to Linda as she ran in what seemed to be a combination of blurring speed and slow motion. She leaped impossibly high, stretched her arm up as high as it would go, and above the Warner Bros.’ fans cheers we heard the heavy thump! as the ball landed firmly in her glove.

Linda fell back to earth, driven down to one knee. She turned to see the Warner Bros. player at first base running toward her, his eyes going wide as he realized she’d snagged the line drive. In desperation, he spun and started scrambling back toward first base.

Still on one knee, Linda dug into her mitt, pulled the ball from it and, mustering all her strength, rocketed the softball toward first base, past the runner, right into Mike Cowan’s glove, the Warner Bros.’ player doubled off, the game over.

For long seconds everyone was silent, none believing what they’d seen. Then the DIC fans and players screamed, shouted and cheered, rejoicing, all of us converging on Linda. Bobby, Mike Cowan and I grabbed Linda and hoisted her up onto our shoulders, players and fans leaping up and down all around us.

The season was over. We were undefeated. We were 13 and 0. We were champions.

#117 The Penultimate Inning…

Inspired by Lori’s heroically blocking home plate to stop Warner Bros. from scoring critical runs, we ramp up our game. Bobby Logan and Mike Cowan dig in over the next innings, bringing us to a six-to-six tie with two innings left to go.

The bases are clear when I come to bat. I’m a good hitter, but I’m not a power hitter. I connect on the second pitch, hitting a pop fly over the first baseman. I round first and decide to try and stretch it into a double.

As I run at full speed toward second, the second baseman crouched to receive the put-out throw, I hear my teammates shouting “Slide! Slide!” I’ve never slid before, so I figure this is a good time to start.

I leap, feet ahead of me, land and slide on my left hip, my left foot smacking into the second base bag, the throw coming in late, the second baseman making the tag too late, the ump motioning out wide to both sides with his hands as he shouts, “SAFE!”

Roars go up from the DIC fans. Sheepish, I get to my feet, take off my baseball cap and, shamelessly hamming it up, doff my cap toward the cheering fans. My thigh feels wet. I touch it, look down at my pant leg and see it’s stained red from blood. Tomorrow I’ll learn about sliding pads and will buy a pair. For now I don’t care.

Cowan is up next. He drives the ball to deep center and I score the go-ahead run. Warner Bros.’ fast-pitcher strikes out the next batter and we head into the final inning.

#116 That Championship Season – Pt. 2

By the fourth inning I’ve gotten into a groove, comfortable with hurling the softball at a much faster pace. But Warner Bros. brought their A-game tonight, pulling out all the stops. They hold a six-to-three lead. We don’t want Warner Bros. to win this game and force a playoff game. We want to end it tonight. We’re no longer artists, writers and production technicians. We’re just a bunch of guys and gals who want to win a ballgame…who want to win a championship…and we want it bad!

But we need a spark.

In the top of the fifth inning there are two outs and Warner Bros. has runners on second and third. One of their power hitters comes to bat. We all know if he gets a base hit then two runs will score and it could be a lead that cannot be overcome.

I burn in the first two pitches, getting called strikes. The infield shouts encouragement. But the batter tags my third pitch. Mike Cowan snags the ball. It’s too late to tag the runner at first. His only choice is to throw to Lori guarding home plate, Warner Bros.’ runner on third streaking toward her.

Lori steps forward, blocking the plate. Cowan fires a bullet at her. She catches it, standing her ground as the runner bears down on her. He puts his head down and slams into Lori, knocking her backwards to the ground, DIC fans letting out a gasp of horror. The umpire waits as Lori gets to her knees and holds up her glove with the ball in it. The ump calls the runner out, the inning and the threat over.

DIC fans erupt into cheers as the infield races to get Lori to her feet, hugging her. We have our spark…