The Tournament Begins

The bus ride to the December invitational tournament was filled with a mix of excitement, nerves, and the usual team banter. Logan sat near the window, watching the trees blur past, his mind cycling through everything he had learned over the past month. He was no longer "Wrong-Way Logan" – he had earned his spot in the starting lineup as the team's second baseman.

Drew plopped down in the seat next to him, tossing a pack of sunflower seeds onto Logan's lap. "You ready for this, Clutch Carter?" he asked with a grin.

Logan smirked as he tore the bag open. "As ready as I'll ever be. Just gotta remember to run to first base and not straight to third."

Drew laughed. "Hey, progress is progress."

Across the aisle, Big Mac leaned over the back of his seat. "Listen up, rookie. First tournament game's always the toughest. Lots of teams come out swinging, trying to prove something. You just focus on what you've been doing in practice, alright?"

Logan nodded. He appreciated the advice, even though his stomach was starting to feel like a knot of nerves.

Coach Talbot, sitting at the front, turned in his seat. "Alright, listen up! First game is tomorrow morning. We'll check into the hotel, get some rest, then hit the field early for warm-ups. No distractions, no messing around. We came here to play ball."

A chorus of "Yes, Coach!" echoed through the bus.

As the bus pulled into the hotel parking lot, Logan felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Jimmy, the team's starting shortstop and his double-play partner, grinning at him.

"You nervous?" Jimmy asked.

"A little," Logan admitted. "Never played in a tournament before."

Jimmy chuckled. "Yeah, it's different. More pressure, but it's also a rush. Just remember—if a ground ball comes to you, I'll be at second, waiting for the feed. Trust me, I got you."

That small reassurance helped more than Logan expected. He gave Jimmy a nod. "Got it."

Game Day: First Tournament Match

The sun had barely risen when the team arrived at the ballpark. Logan stepped onto the infield, taking a deep breath of the cool morning air. The field looked perfect—freshly lined, the dirt smooth, the outfield grass a deep green. This wasn't just practice anymore. This was real.

As they warmed up, Logan ran through a final round of double-play drills with Jimmy. Each toss felt smoother, more instinctual. He was starting to trust himself.

The opposing team, the Redwood Hawks, was already warming up in the other dugout. Their players looked sharp, their infielders making crisp throws across the diamond. From the corner of his eye, Logan spotted their starting pitcher—tall, lean, and throwing gas during warm-ups.

Drew jogged up beside Logan and whistled. "That guy's got a cannon."

Big Mac strolled over, looking unimpressed. "Cannon or not, we're about to light him up."

Coach Talbot gathered the team near the dugout. "Alright, listen up. Redwood is good, but they're not unbeatable. Play smart, play aggressive, and don't let the moment get too big. Logan, you're batting seventh and starting at second base. Keep your head in the game, and remember your training."

Logan nodded, his nerves twisting again. This was it.

The game started with Redwood's pitcher living up to the hype. He struck out the first two Titans batters with ease, making them look overmatched. But then Big Mac stepped up and crushed a double off the left-field fence.

"That's how it's done, boys!" he hollered, standing on second base.

Drew followed with a single, moving Big Mac to third. The dugout roared to life.

Then it was Logan's turn.

He stepped into the batter's box, gripping the bat tightly. The pitcher glared down at him, then fired a fastball.

Logan's eyes tracked the ball like he had trained to. Too high. He let it go. Ball one.

The next pitch came—a sharp curveball. Logan hesitated for half a second but recognized it just in time. He stayed back and swung.

Crack!

The ball shot into the right-center gap. Big Mac sprinted home, Drew on his heels. Logan took off out of the box, pushing for second.

As he slid into second base, the umpire's voice rang out.

"Safe!"

The Titans dugout exploded with cheers. Logan stood up, brushing dirt off his pants, grinning ear to ear.

Jimmy ran over, slapping him on the helmet. "Atta boy, Clutch!"

The inning ended with the Titans leading 2-0, and Logan felt the weight of his nerves disappear. He could do this.

Now, it was time to take the field.

In the Field: First Test

As Logan jogged out to second base for the bottom of the inning, he reminded himself to stay focused. He had worked too hard to mess up now.

The first batter for Redwood hit a slow ground ball toward short. Logan sprinted toward second, ready for the double play. Jimmy fielded it cleanly, flipped it to Logan, and Logan turned and fired to first.

"Out at first!" the umpire called.

Logan exhaled, a wave of relief washing over him. His first tournament play—a clean double play.

As the game continued, Logan felt more at ease. The Titans stayed ahead, their pitching holding strong. But in the bottom of the seventh, with the Titans leading 4-2, the Hawks threatened. They had runners on first and second with one out.

Coach Talbot signaled from the dugout. "Get ready for two!"

Logan and Jimmy exchanged a quick nod.

The batter swung—a sharp grounder to Logan's right. Without thinking, Logan lunged, snagged the ball, and flipped it to Jimmy at second. Jimmy caught it mid-stride, stepped on the bag, and fired to first.

Smack! The ball landed in Big Mac's glove a split-second before the runner's foot hit the bag.

"Out at first! Double play!"

The Titans ran off the field, celebrating. Logan barely processed what had happened before Drew tackled him in excitement. "Dude! That was perfect!"

Big Mac clapped him on the back. "I knew you had it in you."

Coach Talbot gave him a rare nod of approval. "Nice work, Carter."

As the team lined up for postgame handshakes, Logan allowed himself a moment to take it all in. He had come a long way from the kid who didn't know which way to run.

Now, he was playing in a real tournament, making real plays, and proving that he belonged.

And this was just the beginning.

To Be Continued…

(Next Chapter: The Titans advance, facing their toughest opponent yet. Can Logan keep up his momentum?)