Intimidating Adversity: Day 5

Word Count: 30,020

Summary of Events:

Lane watched yet another game, and texted Serena to alleviate his boredom before talking with the GM. Campbell took Lane out to play with some neighbourhood kids, one of whom hit a home run into an elderly woman's pond that led to Lane nearly being arrested on allegations of robbery. Lane was then put in as designated hitter for Spencer against the Charleston RiverDogs . . . 

Excerpt of the Day:

"Standing in the batter's box, Lane settled his bat over his shoulder and waited for the pitch. He let it go by, it wouldn't have been a solid hit.

He let the second one go by too, then watched as the pitcher slowly pulled back, focused his gaze, and then threw.

Lane made hard contact with the ball and took off. Rolando ran for home and Dainon ran for dear life. Lane kept after Dainon and the two of them crossed home plate nearly at the same time.

The crowd was roaring its approval, after having been silent and demoralised when the second half of the inning had begun.

Lane noticed the catcher was standing up in the umpire's face and the RiverDogs' manager was halfway to them screaming his head off. Sighing, Lane rolled his eyes and jogged back to the dugout to sit, instead of pitch.

It took awhile, but the umpires were able to settle the RiverDogs down and sides were changed. Charleston roared back to a four-run lead and unfortunately Lane only got a walk because the pitches were all too far to his left for him to get any sort of good hit, which he felt had been a deliberate measure. They'd scored two runs, aside from him, though.

Charleston regained a four-run lead in the third, and the Intimidators countered with three, making it a one-run game.

Unfortunately, Charleston got two runs to make it a three-run lead in the fourth, but Kannapolis managed to get two back. It was frustrating to watch his team play from behind, and being as the pitcher had figured out the lesser of two evils was to throw the pitches as close to the other edge of the pitching zone as he could all Lane had done was walk since the first inning.

Spencer managed to hold the RiverDogs to one run in the fifth, making their lead two innings. Merlino and Normie were batted in by Campbell, who got tagged out, tying the game. The left fielder struck out, Rolando got to third and was batted in by Dainon, who got to third as well.

Lane went out again. Finally they had a lead, and if he could bat Dainon in and get himself in it would be them with the three-run lead, with Spencer charged to hold the game for them.

Three balls flew past Lane, who didn't move. One more and he'd walk. Again. It would get Dainon home, but he wanted to get home too. He wanted more than a two-run lead.

The ball came past him and Lane swung hard, making a connection again, and ran with all he had. He flew past first and second, dodged around the third baseman, stomped on third, and charged for home, where he jumped for home plate and landed hard.

"Safe!" the umpire called."