I could tell that the coaches were starting to regret their decisions, the rest of the boys that were left were too good of friends and they were starting the be way too immature.

They gossiped, they didn't pay attention, they joked around, they weren't trying, and they were taking the tryouts too lightly.

Well, really they weren't at tryouts at the moment, the week was being dedicated to practice and prep for the tournament this weekend.

"Toni, can I talk to you?" It was coach O'Niall, I stopped picking up the balls and placing them in the bucket and followed him to the dugout.

The boys were practicing by playing pepper, at least that's what they were supposed to be doing.

"I have an idea."

'Okay." I said.

"The boys all think that they're safe and they're not working hard, I need kids that work hard."

"Well." I started. "Only about five of them are doing what they're supposed to, you can't cut all of them and only keep five."

He shook his head. "No, they need a challenge. I'm going to tell that that you're going to pitch in the tournament."

That took me off guard. "What? I thought I couldn't play?"

"Technically it's not against the rules for you to play but it will cause a lot of problems if you did. I'm just going to tell them that you're gonna play, to get them to take this seriously."

"And you need me to do that?"

"They know you're a good player but they don't take it seriously because they know you're just an assistant. If I tell them you're going to play it may light a fire under their ass'. I need you to play along. You're gonna practice and make it seem like you're gearing up for the game and we'll see if that makes them work."

I knew what he was doing, and it was very smart in my opinion, these guys weren't trying and the second they thought their place might be taken not only by another person, but a girl no less they would be working harder.

It was going to help me too, all week these boys had been throwing towels at me, demanding water and kicking dirt in my face, maybe showing them up might get a little more respect.

"Coach, you just demented me a week ago, you really think they're going to believe that you're putting me on the team?"

"They will if you are practicing with us each day, are you okay with this?" I nodded. "Alright grab your mitt." I snatched it up off the bench and followed him towards the mound. "Alright boys bring it in!" A herd of boys came jogging in from the field and made a semi circle around us, not a single one was sweating or out of breath. "Boys. Meet your new pitcher." Coach O'Niall patted me on the shoulder as I twisted my fist in my glove, it was an awkward moment. Some of them were confused and other caught on right away and were now twisted with anger.

"Are you kidding me?" Greg asked.

"I am not kidding you, Toni is going to pitch the first game of the tournament."

"What why?" Someone demanded.

"Because you boys act like this tournament is nothing, like you already have earned your spot and you all haven't earned anything. Sulkin, get your gear on, catch a bullpen."

Sulkin, whose first name was Terry shook his head. "No way, I ain't catching for her, I'll catch for the actual members of the team."

"Then you won't be catching at all in the tournament, and if you don't catch I can't take you on the team as a catcher." Terry glared, but stayed firm on his choice.

"Fine, Logan, get your gear."

"No." Coach O'Niall actually seemed surprised when the second boy refused to catch for me.

"I ain't gonna hurt you." I teased.

"You can't just throw a girl on the team, we all worked hard to get to this point in the tryouts and you ain't going to embarrass us by putting her in the spot light." He snapped spitting on the floor.

Coach O'Niall took a step towards the boys. "Maybe if You all will get your damn heads out of your asses, I wouldn't have to put her in."

Cole K. Piped up then. "You can't bench all of us." He reminded. "You want us to become a team? Well this team is gonna stick together and you can't bench all of us, if she plays none of us

play." He crossed his arms, making a choice for the whole team, one that was not going to fly with a few people on the team.

"Who the hell are you speaking for?" Kenny's voice demanded as he pushed his way to the front of the boys to get in Cole's face.

"I'm speaking for the team."

"You ain't on the team yet you idiot. And frankly you don't speak for all of us because I think it's awesome that she's going to pitch the first game, Lord knows all the rest of you suck."

Parker snapped at him. "You're a pitcher Kenny, she's taking your position what does that say about you?"

"I've known her since we were kids and she's always been a better pitcher than me, even helped me with some of my technique. I can own up to it."

"Yeah well you still can't make a team with only two people."

"We've got three." Benny made his way to stand next to Kenny.

There was a moment of silence before Parker spoke up again. "Well of course you stand up for her, she sucks your dick at night!"

"HEY!" Kenny and Benny yelled at the same time nearly jumping on the boy before they realized where they were and that fighting would get them thrown out of here faster then Ham with a comeback.

"Enough!" Coach O'Niall snapped. "I know that you all aren't going to stand up to this little pack you're trying to make because you all aren't a team, and you'd all stab each other in the back if it meant you had a chance to play for a major league team. So, this is whats going to happen, anyone who is willing to stay and deal with my choices and work towards their goals then get the hell on the field. Anyone who doesn't want to, and can't handle Toni pitching in a game then get the hell out and I will personally make sure that every single one of you never make it on a major league field let alone a college team. Got it?"

There was a moment of hesitation before the boys slowly began to take their positions on the field, and Cole moved to get his gear on.

"Give them hell." Adam said hitting me on the shoulder.

"Alright, lets see what you've got." Coach O'Niall said slapping the ball into my hand.

Standing on the mound was like being home, I just wished it was Ham that was behind the plate. It felt different, I was standing on a regulation field and we actually had a pitching rubber rather than a stick dug into the dirt, but it was somehow all the same.

Cole raised his glove giving me a target as well as a signal which happened to be his middle finger.

Fastball it was.

I wound up, and let the ball fly.

The crack of leather on leather was heard as the ball made contact with Cole's premium catchers glove.

"Holy shit." Adam said. "You didn't say she could throw like that!"

Ten pitches in, fastball, curveball, riseball, change up, knuckle, and drop balls were thrown, I was about to go again when someone stopped me.

"Hold on, Hold on." Coach O'Niall immediately came running towards the mound, he rubbed his chin, looking at the boys in the field before looking down at me. "Who taught you to throw like that?" He was whispering, so as not to be heard.

"I played on a team when I was really young, but I told you I played sandlot ball since I was twelve."

"No one learns to play that well on a sandlot." I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"Benny learned how to bat from playing sandlot ball."

"Who taught you how to throw?" He asked again.

"No one." He looked distressed. "Is there a problem?"

Coach O'Niall sighed and rubbed his sunburnt face. "How fast are you?" He asked.

"I don't know."

"Toni-"

"I don't, we couldn't even afford to play on a real field, do you really think we could afford a radar gun? What is the problem anyways, you knew I pitched."

"The problem is Toni, that I am supposed to pull you in a few weeks when they start to pull their weight. I can't do that if they don't rise to your level." I understood.

I was at their level if not better, and it was a problem, how was he going to pull me when I was better? How could he possibly not look like a complete idiot? They would know it was all a plan, and they would get pissed, even more pissed then they were now.

I looked around at the boys who were all staring and desperately trying to hear the conversation.

"I can't play down. I can't lower my skill level." And it was true, I didn't know how. I had thrown the ball to Alexis, Yeah Yeah's little sister a few times, and I quickly found out that my level went from tossing the ball 20 mph to striking out Benny, there was no inbetween.

I had tried, I tried really hard when Smalls was trying to get better but by trying to throw slower, I was a mess, I couldn't hit targets, the ball didn't even make it over the plate.

O'Niall looked angry, angry and frustrated with a plan that he came up with, he must have thought I wasn't as good as I made myself out to be. "I'll figure it out, for now no more throwing?

You got it? And do not throw to these boys, do you understand?" I did.

I nodded. "Okay."

He turned away from me and announced to the boys. "You all have got some serious work to do if you want to play in the tournament."

As I watched him walk away, I pulled my glove off and left the mound. I wasn't sure why I was upset. I couldn't tell if it was because I knew I wasn't gong to play in the tournament, or because I knew I may never play again.