I made it, Ma

xiii

"And your starting pitcher, for the Milwaukee Brewers, Skayler Vuksan!" Skayler stepped out of the dugout, the screaming of the crowd filling her mind and echoing around. It was sold out once it got out that she would be playing, everyone wanted to see the girl pitch. She took her hat and tipped it to the crowd before walking out to the mound.

While Grandal was walking over to his spot, she took the time to look around. The crowd became blurs as she turned around slowly. Her breath caught in her throat, it was wonderful. The thought of actually standing on the mound for her home team. She turned back to Grandal who smiled widely before putting the mask on.

Sliding her foot against the rubber, she fit her right foot snug against the rubber, digging a tiny dip so she could catch her foot just on the very edge. Sliding her left foot back and kicking up the dirt, she lunged forward and pulled her hand from the apex of her thigh and threw. 

Skayler was well warmed up before, having gone to the bullpen. After a few throws, the batter stepped up. 

"Now batting for the Chicago Cubs, Catcher James Vuksan," her heart dropped. Straight down into the dirt. She hadn't realized that it was already time for them to play the Cubs again. It was middle of June, they were at home and she forgot.

Skayler breathed deeply, lifting her head high. James even seemed to be tense. Grandal signed to her and she sighed. She breathed once, turned the ball around in her hand before moving her foot and throwing her weight forward, flicking her hand out and doing her signature throw, pulling her hand around and nearly underhanding it, flicking her wrist around and pinching the ball into a spin. 

It floated through the air, spinning around and turning up while curving in. He swung, half-heartedly after it spun towards his upper body and head.

Another pitch, a fastball down and in, which he swung at and missed.

The third one, was up and away, a heater that rose. He swung and missed, her first K.

The crowd was going absolutely insane. Every pitch that was a strike, they screamed. Every strikeout, they went even crazier. 

Her first inning on the Brewers, she threw not only a perfect inning, but also a three up three down inning.

The next inning went similarly, and that was when she had her first at-bat. 

Skayler had to absolutely pinch herself. Her heart was pounding as she stepped up in the box, doing her usual routine. There were two others on base, Arcia and Spangenberg. She stepped up and stood prepared. The first pitch was quite inside. The next one was very up. The third one was both inside and up. 

Counsell stood up and started shuffling around near the top of the stairs, causing their homeplate umpire (no idea who it was), looked back and took a step towards him. They talked quietly for a moment, before the umpire looked at the pitcher and then to Skayler and back. He didn't verbally say it, but most of them knew that it was a silent warning.

Finally they got back to the actual game of baseball. The next pitch was inside (a strike, still) and she swung and fouled it back.

The next one had been down the middle. She sat back and absolutely ripped it. It went rocketing back up the middle and bounced off of the pitcher before ricocheting past shortstop and into center. She raced to first and watched as the two other runners got home. Her heart thundered both in her chest and ears as the roar of crowd echoing around. 

That inning ended in a three run homer from Yelich, driving Skayler and Cain home.

The next few batters got out and she went back to pitch. She seemed to have been getting stronger as the pitching went on.

Her first major league game, she got a few perfect innings with no balls and ended up pitching eight, leaving the ninth inning shutdown for Hader. This left Skayler with her first major league game as a no-hitter. 

Quietly, as she was walking out to congratulate the last of the players leaving the field, she murmured out an "I made it, Ma. I did it, too, for you," she smiled softly before finishing the congratulating and going over to be interviewed.

"Skayler, you pitched an amazing game tonight, what are your thoughts on how the Brewers' offense worked while you played the defense?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I think that we had the bats rolling against the Cubs, and its great to be here to help lead the Brewers in their victory against the Cubs. I grew up with the intense rivalry between the Brewers and Cubs," the woman looked at her confused.

"What do you mean, grew up with the rivalry?"

"Oh, I was born and raised in Milwaukee, so this being my rookie year and also being able to share it with an amazing team that I've watched for years, its crazy," Skayler chuckled softly.

"You are now the holder of the title of being the first woman to stand and pitch in a major league field and with a major league. This also means you are the first woman to have gotten both a no-hitter and multiple immaculate innings, and, not only that, you set a new record for 21 straight strikeouts. You beat out Josh Hader, who held the record with 16. Thoughts?"

"Oh geeze, thats an extensive list," they both laughed. "Um, yeah, Josh is an amazing pitcher who I've looked up to for years, and I just can not believe how I've been able to do so much. I, honestly? I need to thank everyone who came tonight and who've watched at home. Everyone so far has been so welcoming to me," she smiled. 

"I want to thank you, Skayler. That was Skayler Vuksan, who..." the voice trailed off as Skayler walked back into the dugout and then to the locker room.

She was surprised as she was pulled into a pair of arms, before being hugged by each player one by one. 

"Uh, thanks," she smiled softly, her shoulders dropping from a tense position. 

Everyone settled down before Counsell walked in for an after-game talk.

"Everyone, great job on the finale against the Cubs, thank you for the ability to manage you all. I think you did amazingly well offensively, since there wasn't much to be done defensively. Thank you, Skayler," everyone chuckled. "Uhm, good job, Skayler, on your wonderful pitching job, I want you to be so proud of yourself in what you did, it was amazing to be able to watch," the team started to clap, and she felt her face heat up. 

As everyone settled down, Skayler couldn't help but let her mind wander.

I'll be there for your first game.

Even if she were there, not in a physical form, Skayler would be happy.

All she had to do now, was prove to everyone she wasn't just a fluke or one time thing. Skayler would be consistent in her pitching.

It was now or never to prove to them she could pick the team up and help bring them all the way.