2Remember the Titans
By Erin Hill
Caitlin Mann loves baseball. Caitlin Mann loves playing boys' teams in playoff games. Caitlin Mann just doesn't like it when she has to pitch to her boyfriend in the key at-bat of the biggest game of her life.
CHAPTER 1
Caitlin Mann was a ballplayer. Now, you may think from her gender that she plays softball. Well, guess again. She even had a shirt that said "Softball is for Sissies."
Caitlin Mann was a hell of a baseball player. She was the ace pitcher of the team she played on, and batted fifth in the lineup. Her team, the Easton Patriots, was one of the dominant girls' teams in the five-team league. The Patriots, and the other teams in the league, went through a lot of crap. After all, do you think it's easy to be a baseball-playing high school girl? Despite it all, the fifteen members of the Pats were a tight-knit, happy group.
Except when they thought about the Titans. The Easton Titans were the only ballplayers that the Patriots were truly afraid of. The Titans were the dominant boys' team in the area. Since there were only five teams in the Girls' League, and five in the Boys' League, the playoffs weren't all that interesting. So, to spice things up a bit, the final round of the playoffs was always played between the top girls' team and the top boys' team. This year it looked like the final was going to be the Titans and the Belles. That had been the matchup in last year's final, too, and the Titans had whipped the tails off the Belles. When it was 16-2 in favor of the Titans in the fifth inning, the Belles had forfeited.
The Patriots were pulling their usual undefeated-halfway-through-the-season stunt, but the Belles were downright unhittable. They had the same number of losses—none—but the Belles had one more win because a Patriots-Saints game had been rained out and not made up yet. And that put them in first place.
Thursday
"Bye, Mom!" Caitlin slammed the front door behind her. Her Nike gym bag was a dead weight on her shoulders, which isn't surprising, considering what was in it. She went across her front lawn to the house next door, and leaned on the doorbell. Emily Hall opened the door. Emily had a rather generously-sized gym bag over her shoulder. Since she was the catcher, she had about three times as much gear as everyone else on the team.
Emily reached out and hugged Caitlin, her best friend since birth. "We've got a Saints-Belles double-header on Saturday."
"That'll be one tough noogie. The Saints are getting' better. And we're battling the Belles for first. We've still got the entire season series with them left."
"You and Sara had better be on it. Coach'll want to keep Raleigh and Erica out of it for as long as possible."
"And we're gettin' the new back-up catcher today, too."
The two friends walked along their quiet, dead end street, toward downtown and small Easton Stadium. The stadium was home to the Easton College team, and was the site of all the Easton Co-Ed League games, for both boys' and girls' teams. It was a small, lovable park with quirks of its own.
Before they knew it, Emily and Caitlin arrived. They simply went through the open entrance and through the concourse to the locker rooms. Most of the rest of the team was there. Emily and Caitlin went to their lockers (side by side, of course), and started changing to practice clothing. The team had no guidelines for practice apparel, so most of the team just wore Soffees and sports bras.
All of the girls on the Patriots were either sixteen or seventeen, except for Diana Lincoln, the center fielder, who would be sixteen three days before the end of the season. The League allowed that. The oldest player was Nicole Elliot, the tall, lanky, quiet third baseman. She was seventeen and three-quarters.
Caitlin swung open her locker, pulling open her bag. She pulled off her "civilian clothes" which consisted of a tank-top and jeans. She pulled on red cotton shorts, unsnapped her bra, and pulled a sports bra over her head. Over that she pulled on a loose, sleeveless cotton jersey with the team logo on the front, and her last name and uniform number on the back. (Mann, 5)
She sat down on one of the benches with her socks and spikes. She always put the left one on first, for good luck. She didn't know where that had come from, but it seemed to work. Next to her, Emily was adjusting her chest protector and reaching for her shinguards.
There was a loud knocking on the door, from the field side. "Come in!" A bunch of the girls shouted. The door swung open, revealing Lisa Franklin.
Lisa Franklin, aka Coach, was quite the character. She was the first to point out when one of her players had made even the smallest mistake, but never let a joke opportunity pass. She got nervous very easily, but never lost faith in her team. She was small, shorter than all of her players except Diana, with wild brown hair and fiery green eyes.
Beside Coach on this day was a nervously confident girl, in catcher's gear. She had very short, layered blonde hair and clear blue eyes that darted around the locker room, sizing up the girls she assumed were her new teammates. Her eyes caught Emily's, and they looked each other up and down, checking out their rival for the job they both wanted.
Lisa cleared her throat loudly, breaking the thick silence in the room. "Girls, this is Canyon Moye. She's our new second catcher."
"Canyon Moye?" Emily whispered in Caitlin's ear. "What kind of name is that?"
"Her parents are weird, I guess."
"Guess so."
Lisa led Canyon to her locker. "I want you girls to introduce yourselves to Canyon. Diana, be nice."
Diana's face broke into a lopsided grin, and she bounded over to Canyon, sticking out her hand. "Hi. I'm Diana Lincoln, officially the youngest player in the league. I'm the center fielder, and the most outgoing person on the team."
Canyon nodded, beginning to put her stuff in her locker. Diana continued, unfazed. "The Pats here are a bunch of characters, they just really like their shells. Mention the boys' half of the League, though, and you'll need earplugs."
Casee Miller came up next to Diana. "So not true."
Diana gave her a Look.
"Okay, maybe."
Diana grinned again, and slapped Casee's butt with her glove. "I hear you're giving me the boot in Game 1 on Saturday. Coach wants me rested so I can focus on whupping the Belles, and not worry about the devilish Saints."
Casee shrugged. "Fine by me."
Coach stuck her head into the locker room for the second times. "Girls, get your asses on the field! Practice started fifteen minutes ago, you lummoxes!"
Diana and Canyon locked eyes and Diana rolled hers. She put a comforting arm around Canyon's shoulders. "Coach is a real slave driver, but she's cool."
"Nicole, let me put it this way. Okay, look at your back. Is there a shell there? You aren't leaving a trail of slime, are you? Nicole Elliot, you are not a snail. In any decent game, you would have been out by twenty-five feet, at least. The average Major Leaguer runs to first in four seconds. Did you know that? You did it in about six. And you have the second-longest legs on the team!"
"Canyon, that was awful. Your job is called 'catcher' for a reason. You are supposed to catch the pitch, not let the batter do it."
Emily, who was at bat, and caught the pitch thrown to Canyon, made sure only Caitlin saw her smirk. Her job was safe.
"Raleigh, I said throw a pitch, not a balk. There's a difference. In this league, balks can get you thrown out. That's bad. Get a grip!"
"Caitlin, what the hell was that? You are supposed to catch the throw, and relay it to home. Not knock it down and throw to first."
"Sabah, what the fuck? Your name means 'morning,' but I'll be mourning—with a U—on Saturday if you play like that."
"Allyson, did you know that we're playing the Belles on Saturday? The Belles, as in, the best team in the league?"
"Charlotte, move yo ass. If the ball's hit to you, what are you supposed to do? That's right. YOU FIELD IT!"
"Oh, my God. I am dead tired. I haven't played so hard in my life. And that was only practice! My legs feel like partially solidified Jell-O. And now I have to go home and watch the Final Five. Ohhh, shit."
"You sound so optimistic about our chances on Saturday, Cait."
Emily and Caitlin walked into the locker room together. They slowly changed into street clothes, and signed out.
"So. What do you think'll happen on Saturday?" Emily asked Caitlin.
"I think the odds are in our favor with the Saints, but I think it's a dead draw with the Belles. We are improving, but they are good."
"Cait, sometimes it scares me how much we think the same thing."
Caitlin laughed, slapped Emily on the back, and went into her house.
Where she was mobbed by four of her six siblings, and her mom, holding a fifth.
"Caitlin, you promised you would take me shopping…" (Kaila, 11)
"Caitlin! Wanna play catch?" (Brian, 8)
"Uppie! Uppie! Uppie!" (Emma, 2)
"Caitlin! Wanna hear the alphabet? A, B, C, D, E, F, G…" (Leah, 5)
"Here. Nick's out with his friends. He has his cell phone. I'll be back in an hour." (Mom, I'm not allowed to tell you her age, giving David, 5 months, to Caitlin, and talking about Nick, 14.)
Caitlin put two fingers in her mouth and blew. The ear-splitting whistle that resulted shut everyone (Except David, who started crying) up. Caitlin bounced him up and down on her hip.
"Okay, everyone. First, have you all had lunch?"
"Yes."
"Kaila, what do you want to do?"
"Go shopping."
"What do you want to do that doesn't involve leaving the house?"
"Play salon."
"Okay."
"Brian? Something indoors."
"Watch Star Wars."
"Okay."
"Leah?"
"Play with you and Kaila."
"Emma?"
"Uppie! Uppie! Uppie!"
"Okay. Everyone listen up. We're all gonna go into the rec room. Leah and Kaila are gonna play salon, Brian's gonna watch Star Wars, Emma's gonna sit in my lap, and we're all gonna watch David. Does that sound good?"
A unanimous "YEAH!" came from the kids.
Saturday
Caitlin opened her eyes, and then immediately closed them again and rolled over.
"CAITLIN! PHONE!"
"I'm asleep!"
"No, you're not. It's Emily!"
"Fine."
Caitlin reached for the phone on her bedside table. "'Ello?"
"Cait, I'm worried sick."
"Put on your big girl panties and deal with it, Em. I'm tired." Caitlin placed the receiver back on the cradle, and rolled over again.
The next thing she knew, Emma was sitting on top of her and giggling. "Go'way, Emma. Let me sleep. I need my energy so I can play with you later."
"Okay." Emma smiled and jumped down, scarily agreeable. Caitlin stuck her head under her pillow.
She opened her eyes when she heard pounding on the door. "Caitlin Maria Mann, it is 10:30. Don't you have to be at the field at 11?"
"Holy shit, Mom! Can I take the Jetta?"
"If you're ready to go in fifteen minutes, I'll drive you. Emily's coming over, and I'll take both of you."
"Okay."
Caitlin careened out of bed, sprinted for the bathroom, tore off her pajamas, and jumped into the shower. Before a hippopotamus could sneeze, she was back out and had half her clothes on. Before that same hippo could catch its breath, she was downstairs in the kitchen, inhaling toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, and iced coffee. Emily walked in, and looked over Caitlin.
"You sure clean up nice."
Caitlin rolled her eyes. "I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult."
"Whatever."
"Are you girls ready?"
"Yep."
"Alright. Nick?"
"Yeh, Mom?"
"I'm taking David and Emma with me, so Kaila, Brian, and Leah are under your supervision. Got that? Dad'll be home soon. Probably before I get back."
Emily, Caitlin, and Emma scrambled for seats (or, in Emma's case, booster seats) in the family van. Mom strapped David into his carseat, and sat in the driver's seat. As everyone buckled their seatbelts, she started the car.
The crowd was already forming outside Easton Stadium when they arrived. Mom pulled up to the curb and stopped the car. Emily and Caitlin jumped out.
"Bye girls! Good luck! I'll be back for the games!"
"Bye, Mrs. Mann!"
"Bye, Mom!"
They weaved their way through the growing crowd, and into the stadium. The team greeted them enthusiastically.
Diana was dancing around the locker room, singing Wicked. "Tell them how I'm defying gravity! I'm flying high, defying gravity!"
Caitlin covered her ears. "Di, please!"
"And nobody in all of, um, Easton, no Caitlin that there is or was is ever gonna bring me down!"
Diana twirled around on a bench, and then jumped onto Emily's back. "Weehee! We're gonna whup them Saints! Yeehaw! Giddyup, horsie!"
"Jesus, Di! Calm down. Casee's playing center for the first game."
"Don't bring me down, Em!"
"I'm gonna let you down soon. Whaddaya weigh, a ton?"
"Aw, Emily Hall, don't poop on my party."
Caitlin laughed as she pulled on her pre-game warm-ups. "That's original."
Coach pushed open the door from the field. She was already wearing her full uniform. Rather short red mesh shorts, sleevelessbasketball-style jersey, red knee socks, baseball cleats, and red cap with a white P and E (standing for Patriots and Easton) intertwined.
"Lineups and schedule. Be on the field in warm-ups—all of you—in fifteen minutes. See ya."
She pinned two sheets of computer paper to a bulletin board on the far wall. The team mobbed them. Caitlin, being the second tallest member of the team, could easily see them.
Lineup
vs. Saints
1. Charlotte Wells #6 SS
2. Michelle Williams #17 2B
3. Sara Albert #11 P
4. Nicole Elliot #25 3B
5. Sabah Ahleel #30 1B
6. Casee Miller #16 CF
7. Allyson Kozack #18 LF
8. Heather Greene #14 RF
9. Canyon Moye #23 C
Schedule
11:00 Call
11:15-12:00 Stretch/Warm-up
12:00-12:45 Batting practice
12:45-1:00 Get dressed for game
1:00 Dugout call and introductions
1:05 First pitch
Notes: Sabah, lay off outside curveballs…Allyson, watch their #3 hitter…Casee, let Heather and Allyson field, too…Canyon, let counts go deep. Sara's a control pitcher…Sara, don't throw too many fastballs…Heather, make sure you've got your shades…Michelle, don't be afraid to get off the bag. Charlotte'll cover for you…
Good luck, girls.
"Geez, she makes it sound like she's not gonna be in the dugout with us." Charlotte said.
"You know Coach." said Heather.
"Why am I supposed to watch their #3 hitter?" asked Allyson.
"She's some kind of freak of nature who either strikes out or hits the ball to left field." Said Lizzie. "I personally don't know why they keep her. She's utterly predictable."
"They're doing intros before the game?" asked Raleigh.
"First game of the second half, sweetie." replied Erica.
"When do we eat?" (Diana)
"We're supposed to scrounge." (Charlotte)
"We'd better bet movin'. It's 11:20. We've officially been on the field warming up for five minutes." (Sabah)
"By the way, guys, did you know that Gramma Mann is gonna be here for both games?" (Caitlin)
"We love Gramma Mann!" (Diana again) Diana turned to a rather confused Canyon, and explained. "Gramma Mann is Caitlin's ancient grandmother. She's 84 and deaf, with a walker, but the last time someone said 'fuck' in her presence, she chased them down to the Catholic Church with a broom. She survived World War II because the Nazis were afraid of her."
"Ah, I can see why. Do I get to meet her?"
"Of course!"
"To my Gramma Mann, there are two kinds of people in the world: Irish Catholics and the Godless. She'll make exceptions for other kinds of Catholics, though. Like the Pope." (Caitlin)
The team slowly started moving toward the field door. As Nicole reached to open it, it suddenly flew open. Coach flew in. She grabbed Nicole, the person closest to her, and started dancing around. Ever-shy Nicole freed herself as soon as possible. Coach merely grabbed Diana, who was more than willing to dance.
"Tell them how I'm defying—"
"NO!"
"So, Coach, what's up?"
"We've got a contract. A TV contract. For all of Easton. And over to Weston…" Coach sang (to the tune of This Land is Your Land)
"What?!"
"Both games are gonna be on the radio, and the Belles game is gonna be broadcast on local TV! It's the league's first contract!"
"Oh my God! That's so cool!"
"Congrats, guys!"
"WHEEEEEEE!"
"Tell them how I'm defying gravity! I'm flying high, defying gravity!"
"Diana Lincoln!"
"What?"
"Come on, girls, warm up time! On field! Let's go! By the way, you're allowed to sign autographs. And beware of Gramma Mann."
"WHEEEEEEEE!"
"Tell them how I'm…"
"SHUT UP!"
"Fine."
The team eventually made it out onto the field. As soon as Coach led her team out of the dugout, the crowd erupted in cheers. The Patriots waved and blew kisses into the stands. This caused them to grow louder.
Caitlin and Emily headed to an empty spot in the outfield to warm up and stretch, though neither of them would be playing the first game. It helped break the nervousness and tension.
They plopped down on the grass next to each other. Caitlin stretched her legs out to the side and leaned forward. She felt her back and hamstrings stretch. She straightened up her torso and leaned to the right, then to the left. Beside her, Emily was lying on her back and stretching her legs. Caitlin rolled onto her back and put her hands behind her head. Slowly, she lifted her abdomen to her bent knees. She did fifteen sit ups, and then lay on her back. She lifted her left leg in the air, and brought it slowly back toward her head. She pulled it over her head, and then slowly lowered it. She did the same with her right leg, and then stood up. She brushed her long dark brown ponytail behind her shoulder, reached for her glove and a ball. About fifty feet away from her, Emily stood in her catchers' gear. Caitlin circled her right arm around and shook it out. She lightly tossed Emily the ball. Emily returned it. Every toss was harder, and Caitlin wound up more every time. After about five minutes, Emily dropped to a catcher's crouch. That was when Caitlin started throwing really hard.
Coach was walking around the outfield, watching her players warm up. She watched Emily and Caitlin for a while.
"That's good form, Cait. Work those jitters out. We're gonna rely on you in the Belles game. Are you on today?"
"Think so, Coach." said Caitlin, throwing another pitch.
"Good. Feel good? You're lookin' good."
"Yup."
Coach nodded and moved on.
Emily and Caitlin worked for a while longer, before Coach rounded up her players to take batting practice. Caitlin slid her glove into her cubby in the dugout and grabbed her batting helmet, gloves, and bat. She joined Emily by the batting cage.
"Caitlin!" Someone in the stands shouted. She turned and saw Kaila standing in an aisle, waving a program and Sharpie at her. "Can I have your autograph?"
Caitlin rolled her eyes, but went over to her little sister. "Kay, you can get my autograph at home anytime."
"I know, but it's still cool to think that my sister is a local celebrity."
Caitlin reached for the Sharpie, and signed the program cover in her neat script.
Kaila-
You're an awesome kid.
Luv,
Caitlin Mann #5
Kaila read what Caitlin had written and rolled her eyes (a common trait of the Mann girls).
"Hey, do I get an autograph too?"
Caitlin and Kaila both turned to the new voice. It was a teenaged boy, about Caitlin's age (17). His haircut-needy curly black hair stuck out from under a Titans cap that looked a size too small. He was wearing a shirt that had a dirty baseball on it and said "Life begins when the season starts." He had on athletic shorts and running shoes. His gray eyes and smile forced her to reach for the program he held out to her. She motioned to his shirt with her chin. "Nice. I couldn't agree more. Name?"
"Jack. Sanders, if that's important."
"Not really, but that's okay. Hey, are you the Jack Sanders that plays for the Titans?"
"One and only. And you're the Caitlin Mann that plays for the Patriots. What can I do for you?"
"Heed my warnings that your team and mine will meet in the playoffs."
Taking the Sharpie, Caitlin smiled as she wrote on his program.
Jack-
Thanks for humbling the Belles last year. Don't worry. You won't have to face them this year. My Pats and I will see to that.
Caitlin Mann #5
She handed the program and marker back to him. He read what she had written, and then laughed.
"I'm not so sure about that. The Belles are undefeated so far this year."
"Excuse me? Have you been paying attention to the standings? So are the Patriots. The only reason we're in second is that the Belles have played one more game than us."
"True, true, but the Belles have their strongest team in at least five years. You guys can't hold out much longer. Also, you guys are girls. How good can you be? You should be playing softball."
"Jesus. Are you are really that shallow? I thought sexism was out. Besides, softball is for sissies. I have a shirt that says so."
"Okay, crybaby. You can play perfectly fine."
"Thank you."
"Most of the time."
Caitlin turned and slugged him in the arm.
"Ow!"
"I'm a pitcher. I have arm muscles. Big ones."
"I see."
"Caitlin!" Emily walked over. "Your turn in the cage."
"Alright. Later, Jack."
Caitlin and Emily turned and walked back to the batting cage.
Emily whispered in Caitlin's ear. "Who is he?"
"Titans player who wanted an autograph. We got to talking."
"Mmmhmm."
"Emily! Really!"
"Su-ure."
"Emily…"
"Just bat."
"Fine."
Caitlin walked into the batting cage.
Jack watched them walk away. Damn. He was just getting her from the "talking" stage to the "flirting" stage when her friend Emily(?) had come and stolen her for batting practice.
"That's my sister you were just talking to."
He turned and saw the girl Caitlin had been signing for when he first saw her.
"My name's Kaila. You are…"
"Jack. Sanders. I play shortstop for the Titans."
"Really? I thought you played shortstop for the Saints." She smiled. "I'm eleven."
"Seventeen."
"You're Caitlin's age. She talks about your team a lot. Most of the time, 'Titans' is in the same sentence as several words I'm not allowed to say."
"Really."
"Yup."
"Mom tells her to cut it out when she's around us, so she waits until she's back in our room."
"Who's 'us'?"
"Nick, me, Brian, Leah, Emma and David. David's too young to understand, though. He's five months."
"Wait, how many Mann kids are there?"
"Seven."
"Whoa."
"Yup."
There was a moment of silence.
"You like my sister. Don't you." It was a statement, not a question.
"She seems nice, yeah."
"She is, but that's not what I meant, and you know it."
Another silence.
"Well, since you seem to be in denial, I won't press you any more. But we both know that you like Caitlin. If she decides you're good enough and you two go out, you'd better watch it. If you hurt her, I will personally re-arrange your face. Get it?"
Jack couldn't help but smile at Kaila's venomous warning. "Got it."
"Good."
"Listen, Kaila, I gotta go meet someone. It's been nice talking to you."
"Sure. I'll tell Caitlin you say hi."
Jack smiled and walked off. He had a certain Patriots player that he wanted to see take batting practice.
Caitlin swung the bat harder than usual, causing the unsuspecting baseball to line at an unusually high speed into the outfield, where it fell to the grass. Some Saints player picked it up and tossed it back into the infield.
"You're swingin' too hard, Caitlin," said Charlotte, who was watching.
"Got stuff on my mind," she replied, whapping another ball.
"Like what?"
"Life."
"You're specific."
"You're nosy."
"Well, yes, I happen to think of myself that way sometimes. I thank you for the compliment."
"Anytime, Char, anytime."
It was now 12:45. The Mann family sat in a row behind home plate. Mr. Mann had a scorecard and golf pencil on his lap. In her lap, Mrs. Mann hadthe baby and the "Fun Bag" for when the kids got bored. Gramma Mann was telling Nick to stop slouching like a homeless person. What does that tell you about them?
A few sections away sat Jack with several of his Titans teammates. They had come to check out more than just how the girls' teams played, if you get my drift.
In the Patriots locker room, the team was getting into their uniforms. As she watched Caitlin brush her long, dark hair, Emily noticed something.
"Caitlin, you're being really quiet. What's up?"
"I dunno. I just suddenly can't concentrate."
Emily laid Caitlin's glove in her hand. "Here. Grab a few balls. I'll go ask Coach if we can spend some time throwing in the bullpen."
Caitlin nodded, knowing that that might help her settle her uneasy mind.
Emily returned a few moments later. "She'll have Diana stand watch."
Since the bullpens were right next to the dugouts and didn't have fences, whoever was in them had to be extremely watchful. Usually, another player would stand at the edge of the bullpen to warn the players in it of any danger.
"Oh, boy. We've got Di. I can't wait."
"Cait, what is up with you?! You're suddenly really out of it!"
Emily was silent for a moment, playing with her short, curly red-brown hair. Her brown eyes widened with a realization. "Ever since you talked to Jack Sanders."
"That's got nothing to do with it, and you know it, Emily Hall."
"Nonsense. He must have said or done something that got your mind all fucked up."
"Like what?"
"I dunno…something about girls being bad players, maybe?"
'Hit the nail on the head…and the crush on the head,' thought Caitlin.
Emily smiled, her arms folded across her chest. "Mmmhmm. That's what I thought was wrong."
"I hate how you're always right, Emily Hall."
"I love how you're always wrong, Caitlin Mann, my Australian/Irish/English/Chilean friend."
"Damn. Your lineage is so boring. Straight English."
"Hey! Half Irish!"
"Get a life, Em."
"I have one, Cait. What 'bout you?"
"Go'way."
"No."
"Girls, game time, let's go! Move it!"
"Aaaaand, here are your Eeeeeeaston Paaaaatriots!"
The time stood in a neat line in uniform number order. That meant that Caitlin, being number five, was between Coach (2), and Charlotte (6). The Patriots waved to the crowd as the PA announcer began individual introductions.
"The coach, number two, Liiiiiisaaaaa Ffffrrranklin!"
Coach stepped forward, waved her cap, and bowed. Caitlin took a deep breath.
"And now, the players. First, number five, and an assistant captain, pitcher Caitlin Mann!"
Caitlin waved.
"Number six, the shortstop, Charlotte Wells!"
"Number eight, and assistant captain, outfielder Diana Lincoln!"
"Number ten, assistant captain, catcher Emily Hall!"
"Number eleven, pitcher Sara Albert!"
"Number fourteen, outfielder Heather Greene!"
"Number sixteen, outfielder Casee Miller!"
"Number seventeen, infielder Michelle Williams!"
"Number eighteen, outfielder Allyson Kozack!"
"Number twenty, pitcher Raleigh Lewis!"
"Number twenty-three, catcher Canyon Moye!"
"Number twenty-five, and captain, infielder Nicole Elliot!"
"Number twenty-seven, infielder Lizzie Shen!"
"Number twenty-eight, pitcher Erica Hanson!"
"And she comes first in alphabetical order, and last in numerical, number thirty, infielder Sabah Ahleel!"
The entire team waved again, and stood patiently as the Saints were introduced.
"Man, check out the legs on number five! Whew! Killer!" said Josh McGovern, one of Jack's teammates and friends as they watched the introductions from their seats.
"Uh, speaking of killer, she's sending mighty cold looks this way." observed Dan Johnson, another Titan. "She's starin' at you, Jack. Man, what a bod!"
Jack looked up from his Pepsi. Sure enough, Caitlin was standing on the foul line with her team, leaning on one hip, lips slightly pursed, shooting daggers at him with her steel blue eyes. 'Jeez, what did I do wrong?' he thought. 'At least I didn't insult her more by asking her for her seven digits.'
"Jack, dude, what did you do?"
"Well, I talked to her before the game. Got her autograph."
"I'll buy it off you do that I'll have something worth a few bucks when she shows up in a homemade porno next year."
"No way, Dan."
"Come on, Jack, please?"
"I said no!"
"Can I at least see it?"
"Fine. Be careful with it."
"Wohoho! Got a thing for her yourself?"
"No."
Dan took the signed program and read Caitlin's note. "Jack- thanks for humbling the Belles last year. Don't worry. You won't have to face them this year. My Pats and I will see to that. Caitlin Mann #5. That's hot, man. And she obviously wants to get laid, too. Why else would she have used 'humble'?"
"I dunno, Dan, but what I do know is that you are off your rocker." said Jack, taking his cherished program back.
"I think you have a thing for her," said Josh as the players headed for their positions. Jack watched with interest as Caitlin and Emily headed to the bullpen. 'Why?' he asked himself. 'She's starting the second game, not the first.'
Back with the Mann family in Section 1, taking up half of Row G, Gramma Mann had moved from Nick to Kaila. Kaila had been made to hand over her program so Gramma Mann could read what Caitlin had written. Kaila rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what her grandmother would say.
"Luv? What a vulgar and uncivilized way of expressing affection. Caitlin Maria should know better. And Kaila Selene, why did you let her write that? You should have had her write something else."
The Patriots got ahead 2-0 in the first inning on a Nicole home run. They managed to add on a run every few innings until the eighth inning, when the Saints, with the score 6-0, staged a huge comeback, and got ahead 7-6. Sara, the Patriots starting pitcher, had run out of gas. She had given it her all, and she had nothing left. Coach pulled her out of the game in favor of Erica Hanson, who quickly shut down the Saints offense.
In the Patriots half of the eighth inning, Erica led off. And struck out.
"Shit." (Jack, rooting for the Patriots only because of his sudden obsession with Caitlin Mann)
"Shit." (Caitlin, needing her team to pull victory out of the jaws of defeat so she could get into the right mentality for the game she had to pitch)
"Shit." (Coach. Enough said.)
"Crap." (Kaila, rooting for her sister's team, and too young to curse)
Nicole was up next. She was walked. Sabah hit a single. First and second one out. 'Come on, Casee. Come on, slap that ball. The entire county can listen to what you do on the radio! We need you!' Caitlin thought, watching poor Casee walk out to meet her fate. She cocked her bat, waited for the pitch, and when it came, swung.
The ball flew upwards in a high arc, sailing deep into the outfield. The Patriots had to leave their dugout to watch it as it cleared the fence.
HOME RUN!
The entire team ran out to home plate, and joyfully welcomed Nicole and Sabah as they crossed the plate. Casee rounded the bases, with one hand in the air. She tossed off her batting helmet as she came around third. Any decent player knows that when your team is waiting for you at home plate, you take that helmet off. They are gonna pound you upside the head, and if you're wearin' that helmet, it is gonna hurt.
Kaila was jumping up and down in the aisle. She saw Caitlin wave and blow a kiss to her. She waved back, and started doing the chicken dance.
Jack clenched his hand into a fist at his side. Yes. That would settle Caitlin down so she could pitch the second game.
The Patriots managed to hold onto their 9-7 lead through the ninth to win their game, and tie the Belles for first place.
The team gathered in the locker room after the game.
"Pepsi's all around!"
"Here, here!"
When Coach had been handed a Pepsi can, she gathered her team in a circle.
"I'd like to propose a toast! To a true team effort! You guys all contributed today, and I'd like you to keep it up! Here's to the Easton Patriots!"
With that, she popped open her can, and clanked it against everyone else's, before taking a long swig.
"Lord. If you all were a few years older, I could have supplied the beer. Well, I don't want you stoned before a game. Now, I want to talk to you all a bit before we get ready for the second game. You'll have an hour and a half of free time before the call for Game 2. Use it wisely. I just want you to remember that both the Belles and us are undefeated. And tied for first place. This game is the biggest game so far this year. One of these two teams will go home today with a still-perfect record and in first place, and the other team will simply go home. I think you all want to be that victorious team very much, but we have to work hard to get there. We have to work together, and no matter what, we have to believe in ourselves and believe in each other. Baseball takes a team to play, and you aren't a team just by saying you're one. You work together. You guys did that very well out there today, but it ain't over till it's over. I know you're tired. I know you want to go home and crash. I know you've used up all your concentration, physical, and psychological strength out there, and it showed. Now, take a break, and then go out there and work together to kick some Belle ass!"
"Thank you, Yogi."
"Anytime, Joe. Remember, girls, ninety minutes!"
"Gotcha."
"Yup."
Caitlin turned to Emily. "Let's grab some lunch and chill with the folks."
"Sure."
They quickly took showers, put on street clothes, and left the locker room. They walked through the concourse, and up into the stands. Caitlin quickly spotted her family. Kaila hugged her. Emma jumped on her. Nick was busy trying to attract the attention of the Titans players a few rows away, so he could look macho over the fact that his sister was a Patriots player. Brian was trying to get Caitlin to take him down onto the field. Leah was too absorbed in her coloring book to notice. David was wetting his pants. Gramma Mann noticed Caitlin's rather short shorts and tank top, and was about to start lecturing her on how it was better in the '50s when people actually wore their lingerie under their clothes, when Caitlin was tapped on the shoulder by a seventeen-year-old boy with messy black hair, steel-gray eyes, and a Titans cap.
Caitlin kept her cool. "Hey, Jack. Why don't you just unload all your sexistshit right now, so I can hearit all in time for the second game, which I happen to be pitching?"
"When did I ever say anything sexist?"
"Before the first game, when you said that girls should be playing softball."
He was speechless. He'd meant it as a joke.
She continued. "Do you know how much crap I get already? I thought that at least other players would respect me and my teammates!"
Gramma Mann stood up from her walker a bit. "Now, Caitlin Maria, that is the kind of independence that I wish all women had. No depending on men for anything. Tell'im!"
"Gramma, please."
"Please what?"
"I think that this is a conversation Jack and I have to have by ourselves."
"Good. Handle it like a responsible adult, Caitlin Maria. I wish more people did that, instead of resorting to violence."
Caitlin started walking up the aisle toward a concession stand, still with little Emma on her hip. Jack turned and followed her.
"Caitlin, I meant it as a joke."
"Well, maybe you should make that a little clearer next time."
With that, she quickly paid for an ice cream, and turned to go back to her family, leaving Jack standing by the concession stand thinking, 'next time?'
A/N: There it is, folks! I know that this chapter is long, (This A/N starts on the first line of the twenty-second page!) but it's made up of lots of different scenes. I hope that makes you feel better.
Chapter two will contain a detailed account of the Belles game, as well as what happens after it (wink, wink). You haven't seen the last of Gramma Mann!
Sorry there are so many characters. I tried to introduce them as gradually as possible, but I may not have done a very good job. I'll do some better introductions to both the Mann family and the Patriots as I go along.
As for the Titans, the story isn't called Remember the Titans for nothing. The entire team will make an appearance later. (I've pretty much given away the plot in those two sentences.)
Leave me a review! I love them! I'll try to get more of my promised stories up soon. Visit my profile for progress.
xoxo,
Erin