(Never Give Up )

This is a short story I thought I might as well post it on here for you to read:

The stadium was filled with people. The KONOHA were playing the HIDDEN MIST to decide who would dominate the National League East. In the clubhouse, the room was full of uncertainty.

“I’m so nervous!” exclaimed (Scarlet Blaze ).

“Don’t worry,” (Midnight Blade ), (Crimson Fist). “You’ll do fine.”

“I remember my first game,” recalled (Kakashi) . “I came up with the bases loaded in the sixth. I got a great pitch and crushed it. It went into the gap and I got a triple out of it.”

“Okay guys,” the KONOHA skipper,(Naruto) said. The docile team turned toward (Naruto) .

“This is probably the most important game of your lives. All of you have the potential to be someone great. Prove it tonight. Winning this game will bring us closer to achieving our ultimate goal—winning the World Series. So let’s get out there and win us a ball game!”

“Yeah!” shouted the team in response. With that, the players ran out onto the field.

The first inning started with(Scarlet Blaze) at second base.

“Okay,” he said to himself. “You can do this. It’s just like at Reading only here the players are less fickle.”

The first pitch was sharply hit to the third baseman, (Chojuro). He fielded it cleanly, but then had a wild throw to first. The runner stayed where he was at first base. The next batter stepped up.

“You cover on a steal!” (Scarlet Blaze) shouted to (Ao), the shortstop.

On the next pitch, the runner was off. (Scarlet Blaze) ran to backup Shim.

Wait,(Scarlet Blaze) thought. (Ao) doesn’t speak English! (Scarlet Blaze) started to run towards second. He caught the throw coming in from the catcher and dove for the bag. He put the tag on the runner.

“Yer out!” shouted the ump.

“Yeah!” shouted (Scarlet Blaze). That was close, he thought. The next batter struck out and the batter after him grounded out to (Ao). (Scarlet Blaze) grabbed a bat because he was leading off.

“Well if it isn’t the rookie,” the catcher said as he stepped up. “Don’t miss, okay?”

“Don’t let him tamper with your mind!” shouted ( Azure Fang ) from the on-deck circle. “Ignore him!”

The first pitch was way outside. The second and third pitches were strikes and the two after that were *. The count was full and (Scarlet Blaze) swung at the last pitch. He missed strike three.

“Forget it,” ( Azure Fang ) said as he walked back to the dugout. “You’ll get it next time.” No one threatened to score until the fifth inning when the Mets had men at second and third with one out.

“Come on!” (Scarlet Blaze) shouted at his second base position. “We can get out of this!” The first was hit sharply to him. He fielded it masterfully and gunned it towards home plate. The catcher caught it and put the tag on the runner.

“Yer out!” shouted the ump.

“Yeah!” (Scarlet Blaze )shouted. “What a play!” The next batter grounded out and the inning was over.

In the bottom of sixth, (Scarlet Blaze) had his third at bat. In his second at bat, he got a double. He crushed the first pitch to deep center. The centerfielder got a great jump on it and made a great shoestring catch near the wall. It was the last out.

“Aw!” (Scarlet Blaze) whined. As the centerfielder jogged in, he said, “Nice catch.”

“Thanks,” the centerfielder replied. (Scarlet Blaze) decided to be tactful to everyone while I played because that was the way the game should be played.

In the bottom of the ninth, the score was still tied, 0-0. He came up one last time with two outs and no one on. He was incredibly nervous.

“Okay, I can do this,” (Scarlet Blaze) said over and over. He stepped up to the plate. The first pitch was a ball and the next, a strike. The third was in the dirt and the fourth wasn’t much better. The count was 3-1 and the fifth pitch looked good so he swung. He crushed it into the gap and took off for first.

As (Scarlet Blaze) rounded first, he saw that the ball was still in the outfield. He put on the afterburners and slid head first into third. He was safe.

“Oh yeah!” (Scarlet Blaze) shouted. One run and the KONOHA would win! He looked at the pitcher’s delivery and found the error that he was looking for. On the second pitch, he took off for home. The pitcher was so shocked that he threw the ball too high. Instead off sliding, ( Scarlet Blaze) barreled into the catcher. The ball rolled out of the backstop’s glove.

“SAFE!” shouted the ump.

The other KONOHA charged out to meet (Scarlet Blaze) at the plate. He helped win a substantial victory for the team by stealing home! The KONOHA were going to the playoffs!

THE END