The Call-Up

Chapter 1

Collin Pierce

We have a decently comfortable lead, the Indigos trailing the Falcons 5 - 2. I study the batter from the clay. We have a shift on for the lefty, so my position at short stop has been moved to directly behind second base. Our pitcher, Jace Peters, winds up for the 1 - 2 pitch, 2 outs on the scoreboard.

A crack of the bat sounds as the batter hits a sharp grounder to my right. I take two quick steps and backhand the ball and fire to first, getting the batter out by at least five feet as our first baseman, Nathan Weathers, steps forward to catch my throw.

The crowd cheers as we get the last out. I gaze around my major league stadium at the thousands of fans on their feet and clapping for us. I take my share of high-fives as I return to the dugout. We're on offense now, ready to make that 3-run lead greater.

I make my way to the dugout shelves and search for my name. I start digging through the shelf that says my last name and number for my helmet and padding. The speakers play iconic songs that baseball fans know well as I strap on my elbow and ankle pads. I put on my helmet and grab my wooden bat, a black Marucci with gold writing to match the Falcons' colors. I am second to bat in this inning, so I head out to the on deck circle where the  our second baseman, the leadoff hitter this inning, is already studying the new pitcher. Sammy Barnes is a stellar player, with two Gold Glove Awards already under his belt.

"This guys got a pretty good slider," he says, pointing his bat to the mound. I watch as the pitcher winds up and tosses a wicked breaking ball.

"Sweet curve, too," I comment. I pick up a batting donut and slide it onto my bat, taking a few practice swings for warm up, then timing them against the Indigos' pitcher. The warmup clock  down in center field reaches zero, and the announcer comes on to welcome Barnes to the plate.

"And hitting leadoff this inning, with an RBI single in the second, is number twenty-seven, Sammy Barnes!"

The crowd goes wild as Barnes steps up to the plate, taking his position in the left batter's box. The catcher gives the sign and the pitcher goes into his wind-up and delivers an elevated fastball. Barnes lets it go, and the umpire calls it a strike as it just nicks the top of his strike zone. Barnes steps out of the box and locks eyes with me, giving me a small shake of his head, letting me know that he didn't think it was a strike. I give him a small thumbs up as he steps back in and prepares for the next pitch.

It's a slider, just missing the bottom of the strike zone. Barnes's count is 1 - 1, and he steps in the box and readies himself for the next pitch. The moment I see the pitcher release the ball, I instantly know this will be a hit. A fastball, low and inside, Barnes's favorite pitch.

A loud crack sounds as he hits the ball, a soaring single over the second baseman's head. The crowd cheers as Barnes flies down the first base line, rounding the bag and stopping. He points at our dugout on the third base line and claps, and the rest of the Falcons shouting approval across the field.

Now it's my turn at the plate. My walk up music plays and the announcer tells the crowd my name.

"And now up to bat, with a two RBI double, number four, Collin Pierce!"

The crowd goes wild, even louder for me than they were for Barnes. I'm a fan favorite, as I won rookie of the year when I first started two years ago when I was 22. Now I'm 24, my skills arguably better than they were.

I walk up to the right batter's box and dig my right foot in, creating a sturdy divot for me to push off of. I tap the far corner of the plate with my bat and do a couple check swings as the pitcher leans in the take the sign from his catcher.