We Come Alive 5

The Championship Of Honor

Saturday early afternoon, nineteen teenagers, their head coach, their assistant coach, the athletic director, his daughter, and their trainer traveled from Dallas to Arlington, Texas for their championship baseball game against the Fort Worth Warriors.

In the locker room, they were silent. They got dressed, stretched, and mentally ready to play the game they were all excited to play, but also dreading. When Hurst stood in front of them for one last pep talk, he couldn't find the words to make anything worth saying. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder then saw a brown-haired teenager in front of him.

Ricky cleared his throat and let out a deep breath. "Baseball is...America's sport. It has been played for centuries. It brought people together, made people bond over four plates in the sand. They make movies about it, it inspires songs. But what they'll always remember is the way it gave little boys and girls hope to make it in the end. I always told Baylor there's still lots of good in the world. At first, I didn't think he knew, but after seeing him play alongside all of you, I knew he knew." Ricky stepped in the middle of them and put his hand out. "Let's do it for Baylor!"

All of the players got up and put their hands on top of Ricky's. Hurst joined in and smiled to Ricky, proud of him.

"For Baylor."

~**~

In the first inning, the Jaguars were batting. Ethan was leaning his knee on a cooler so he could see Jacob up at bat while Stephen was standing beside him. While Stephen was focused on Jacob up at bat, Ethan was looking at the long-haired girl in their opponent's dugout.

"Isn't that the girl that made you and Jessica break up?" Ethan asked. "The equipment manager?"

Stephen nodded, his arms crossed but he soon started clapping and yelling when Jacob hit the ball into the outfield and ran to first base.

"The Fort Worth Warriors," Stephen commented. "They played with us in the tournament a couple of months ago. I'm not worried about it and I'm not worried about her. We're here to win. Not go down memory lane. Now hand me my bat."

Ethan reached down and picked up Stephen's baseball bat and handed it to him. Stephen put on his helmet, walked out the dugout, practice while the batter in front of him batted, then went up to the home plate when the batter got on first base and Jacob was on third.

Stephen felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He didn't have the safety net of Baylor coming out and getting a grand slam anymore. He had to swing for the fences or he was going to get out.

Stephen raised his bat above his head, kept his eye on the ball, and swung for the fences when the pitcher threw the ball to him. He heard the ball and bat connect, so he sprinted to first base while the shortstop tried to catch the ball, but it went over his head. Jacob ran home, getting them a point while the batter in front of Stephen stayed at second.

~**~

The fourth inning, Jose was standing in the shortstop position waiting for the ball to come near him. He watched Clover catch the ball from the catcher and hold it in her hand. She looked down at her right hand where her pinky was wrapped in gauze, containing the stitches that were beneath it.

She glanced over at her dugout where Ricky, Hurst, Mateo, and Danny were watching closely. She looked back at the batter in front of her and got prepared to throw the ball. The moment she got into position, she threw a curveball, watching the batter swing and miss. Their crowd clapped and cheered while Clover caught the ball with her left hand and got concerned about her right.