I'd never spoken to Okaya before, and there was no grudge between us. Yet, my hits seemed magnetically drawn to him, and his hits always seemed to come my way.
*Fall down,* I prayed silently. With two outs and the bases loaded, the runners were off the moment I made contact. If it fell, both runners would score, and we'd take the lead.
Okaya was charging in, glove outstretched. I sprinted from first base towards second, keeping one eye on the ball's trajectory.
A huge cheer erupted from the stands. What happened?
Okaya had gotten his glove on the ball, but it had dropped forward. The runner from third scored easily, and the runner from second crossed the plate just behind him. The runner from first stopped at third, and I held up at second.
*What's the official call?* I glanced at the scoreboard. The error light was on. *Damn,* it wasn't a hit. The official scorer had ruled it an error on Okaya. If he'd caught it, it would have been a spectacular play, but since it hit his glove, it was ruled an error.
*It's unfortunate that it wasn't my first hit, but my swing led to the comeback.* If the bat doesn't make contact, no error can occur.
With runners on second and third, our opportunity continued. Arai stepped up to bat. On the third pitch, he connected solidly, sending the ball soaring high into center field.
*No way.* The ball flew over the side of the back screen for a three-run homer. The score was now 6-2 in our favor.
As Arai rounded third, I saw pitcher Takita hanging his head in despair on the mound. *Baseball is a game of fine margins.* If Okaya had caught my ball, the inning would have ended, and Arai would never have hit that homer.
I jogged home and high-fived Arai as he crossed the plate. Back on the bench, I received congratulations from my teammates.
"Nice batting," said Batting Coach Onda as he approached me, clapping me on the back.
"Thanks, Coach," I replied, shaking my head. "I thought it was a hit, but it ended up just short."
Onda smiled. "If you can keep batting like that, it's only a matter of time before you get a hit. You've really grown."
"Thank you," I said, appreciating his confidence in me. But something was nagging at me. "Coach, why did you tell me to hit the third ball?"
Onda chuckled. "It's a kind of charm."
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"In big moments, rookies like you often get nervous and second-guess themselves," he explained. "By deciding to swing at the third pitch, you can commit fully and swing with confidence. It helps you focus and not overthink things."
I nodded, thinking about his words. "So it's more about the mindset than the pitch itself?"
"Exactly," Onda said. "It's about giving you a clear plan and helping you trust your instincts. When you're up there, you need to believe in yourself and your abilities. And today, you showed that you can do just that."
His words gave me a new perspective. "Thanks, Coach. I'll keep that in mind."
"Good," he said, giving me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Now, let's get ready for the next inning. Remember, stay focused and keep swinging with confidence."
Still, I was 0-for-6 in the first team. I needed that first hit. It didn't have to be a clean hit—an infield single or even another error would suffice. I just needed something on the record.
In the bottom of the fifth, Tomatsu struck out, ending the inning. *I'll likely get one more at-bat.* Next time, I was determined to get a hit.
During the Oceans Girls' performance between innings, I practiced my swing in front of the mirror behind the bench, visualizing success.
In the top of the sixth, Ataka replaced Kitaoka on the mound. The first batter, Sakai, hit a home run, and once again, Okaya stepped up to the plate.
The count was two balls, one strike when Okaya connected, sending a sharp grounder past the pitcher, right between second and shortstop. I chased after it, glove outstretched, but the ball just tipped off my glove and rolled into left field.
*Damn.* I reflexively looked at the scoreboard. The hit light was on. *I was just one step away.* Iida might have caught it.
*I need to make those plays to solidify my place on the team.* Frustration boiled inside me as I returned to my position.