Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)

Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/Scent/Index.html

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"Hey, you are coming to the game tonight?" Hana asked me from the door.

"I think almost everyone in town is gonna be there," I said as I pointed to the TV. "KTRF is talking about the game. Rather they will be when they come back from these important commercial messages."

"Are you kidding?" Hana asked as she sat down at the foot of the bed and listened as I unmuted the TV.

"...and now let's toss it over to our sports guy, the sports guy, John Stonson," the grey haired guy said as he tossed to the sports anchor at KTRF. A young looking guy with wavy hair and a huge nose.

"Thanks Max, the talk of the town tonight is the season opening battle between this city's two powerhouse private schools," John opened. "The freshly minted Twilight Hills Academy Timberwolves are set to challenge their crosstown rivals, the established Mintzler Prep North Stars. A battle that will feature the American debut of the Korean born Phenom from Ulsan, Peek-Ko Yung, facing a deep and talented Mintzler Prep squad. While Mintzler will counter in the circle with Lindsay Price, last years state tourney co-MVP."

"How do they match up offensively John?" Max asked in a brief split screen.

"Well, Mintzler features four returning starters from last years championship squad plus the addition of Candy Fanning, widely considered the premier player in the state. And Rock Newman's very own daughter, the Pocket Rocket Randi Newman. On the other side of the diamond is the equally talented Timblerwolves of Twilight Hills. Featuring Catcher Casey Kane, and power bats Jessica Click and Pam Schrieber, plus former Mintz prepper, Veronica Lake."

"Any animosity between these two squads?" Max asked in another split screen.

"Max, they just plain don't seem to like each other," John said. "From a pair of fueding sisters, to the exit of Coach Victoria Rowe from Mintzler to Twilight Hills to the on-going war of words on the schools respective forums it is very clear that tonights match-up could get heated in a hurry."

"One last note, John, you can catch all of the action of this exciting match-up tonight right here on KTRF," Max said.

"We're gonna be on TV? Now my butterflies have turned into condors," Hana said as I fell back on the bed laughing out loud.

So here it was the night of the HUGE season opener against Twilight Hills. The place was bumping with music blaring from the sound system as everyone packed the place to over flowing. Both grand stands held every person they could, even the grass hill over looking the right and centerfield fences were jam packed. The local TV station was even covering the event. I was growing nervous and all I was doing was watching as the team manager.

I could see the Twilight Hills players on the far side of the field warming up beside their bus as my team made it's way down from the 'Field House' to the parking lot for some of the same. Coach Newman took off for a moment for a meeting with the umpires and Coach Rowe as everyone kinda of scattered and started tossing balls around to get warmed up. The first action of the night though was not on the field.

"What are you doing over here?" Michelle asked her sister Pam (Schrieber) as they now faced off a hundred feet or so away from me.

"I was coming to use the bathroom cause this pitiful place doesn't have any bathrooms on our side," Pam spat back. "And why are you even playing? You said you hated softball."

"No, I said I hated playing softball with you," Michelle said as several other THA players arrived to back their teammate. Cindy, Randi and me running to back Michelle. "Cause you're psycho."

"I swear you're just like Dad always gotta get in that last dig," Pam said.

"And you're like Mom you can never ever drop a fight until you make everyone miserable," Michelle fired back.

"I hate you you're the fucking reason they got divorced," Pam spewed.

"And I hate you even more," Michelle fired back as Cindy got in between them as the battle of words threatened to become physical.

"Back it down Chelle," Cindy commanded as she pushed the two apart forcibly.

"HEY, get your damn hands off my teammate blondey," Wendy (Traber) said as she pushed Cindy in the back.

"Bitch you're playing with fire putting your hands on me," Cindy said as she turned on Wendy but was grabbed in a bear hug by Chi when she arrived on the seen with Anisha trailing her.

"I'm so scared Icey," Wendy said mockingly as Pam and her laughed. "You gonna get your gimp armed pitcher to help you?"

"I am not a gimp I'm coming back just fine," Anisha said from behind Chi.

"Is Mommy home from the crazy hospital yet?" Wendy asked as a silence fell over the crowd.

"How did you know..." Anisha mumbled before she started to cry.

"What's that about your Mom?"

"She had a nervous breakdown a couple years ago," Anisha cried as Chi hugged her before Randi pulled her away from the action.

"WELL DID SHE?" Wendy screamed after her. Chi though nearly lost her marbles when she chased after Wendy. Only being stopped by Casey (Kane), Pam, Jessica (Click) and Kelly Markee who held her back until we could get there. Still she was practically face to face with Wendy when she issued this rather direct threat, "You're playing with dynomite you mouthy bitch. One more word and I'll go through everyone of your teammates and give up my entire season to put you in the hospital. One more word. ONE MORE WORD!"

"Why can't you keep your big mouth shut for once?" Kelly (Markee) asked Wendy as the THA players headed back to their side of the field.

"And now the starting line-ups for tonight's matchup," The announcer boomed as Mindy sat beside me in the grandstand. Chloe standing with Shelby and Laney down by the fence at the moment. "First the visitors from Twilight Hills Academy, the Timberwolves."

"Do we start booing now or wait until they come out?" Mindy asked as I giggled.

"We wait," I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Batting lead-off for the Timberwolves, playing shortstop, she swings right handed and throws right handed, Colleen Dewhurst," the announcer boomed as the girl ran onto the field to the cheers of the fans of Twilight Hills Academy. Mostly on the other side of the field. "Batting second, playing second base, she swings right handed and throws right handed, Christine 'Spark Plug' Jennings."

"She's key-ute," Mindy said as she got Christine's attention and waved at her with her fingers. Christine giving her a weird look. "And rude."

"Batting 3rd, playing third, she swings it right handed and fires it right handed, and creats havoc where she ever she goes, Pam Schrieber!"

"She's rude too," Mindy commented after she had done Pam the same way and got no response at all this time.

"Batting clean-up, playing first base, she swings right handed and throws right handed, she's the monster...power hitter that is, that used to be from Mintzler, Big V Veronica Lake."

"SHREK!" someone screamed (Veronica's old nickname) to a few laughs.

"Why didn't you wave at her?" I asked Mindy as she gave me a dirty look and I got to laugh.

"Batting fifth, swinging left handed and throwing right handed and hailing from right here in Thief River Falls, she's the catcher with a famous name, Casey Kane," the announcer said as the girl ran onto the field and somehow Mindy caught her eye and waved with her fingers. Casey seemed taken a back by that as she pointed to herself and grinned when Mindy nodded her head and confirmed she was waving at her. Though she then smiled widely and blushed. I asked Mindy, "Why are you flirting with the THA players?"

"Who knows she might be thinking about me and screwup," Mindy said as we both giggled.

"Batting sixth, playing Left field..." the announcer continued on. Jessica Click was the name of the power hitter who played left field. She was soon followed by Kelly Markee (the other former Mintzler player), who played left field and batted 7th. Their 8th place hitter was the much recruited Anna Longmeyer, centerfielder and left handed hitter. Mindy waved at every single one of them but only really got a response of out of Casey. Then came the most interesting moment to this point in the night...the entrance of the 'Phenom from Ulsan', Pee-Ko Yung. She was 5 inches taller than any of the other girls and looked like she could hurt (or kill) someone. But she was intensely shy. Covering her face as her teammates...all except Wendy Traber crowded around her.

"Have you forgot whose property you are?" I asked as Mindy giggled and fired back, "I been meaning to talk to you guys about that."

"And now the starting line-up for your Mintzler Prep North Stars," the announcer boomed in a very intimidating voice as weird lights flashed on and off and some funky sounding blues music played. "Batting first tonight, she plays second base, throws right but bats lefty and goes by the nickname of Pocket Rocket, Randi 'Pocket Rocket' Newman!"

"Now she is holla cute," Mindy said to me over the roar of the crowd. I had to completely agree with that.

"Batting 2nd, the shortstop who throws righty and bats lefty, from right here in Thief River Falls. Her father Chin-li proudly owns the Yoga Place To Be! on South Main street, Hana Peterson!" the announcer said to a bunch of laughs as Hana came out. Mindy saying to me, "That was so funny."

"Batting third, playing right field, she throws right handed and bats that way too, she's known as Candyland to her teammates, this is Candy Fanning," the announcer said as Candy came out. "Batting clean-up for your North Stars is a girl who needs no introduction...so I won't give her one."

"He should be shot," Mindy declared as I started laughing.

"Seriously, she's the coolest girl in the place," the announcer continued anyway. "Cindy Sullivan!"

Allison Lohman was introduced next and came onto the field to smack fives with her teammates. A short pause was then taken as someone seemingly took over for the original announcer. We would soon find out we already knew the person, "Batting sixth is my pride and joy. Well most of the time. She plays left field, bats right handed and throws handed. She's my daughter Cally Oliver."

"That's Cally's Dad David," Mindy said as Cally came onto the field and did something typical for her...she flipped off her Dad in the announce booth with both hands.

"Always charming Calista," David said as the place continued to laugh as he gave his mike back to the announcer. Cally smiling smugly now.

"OK, I want you to go out there and make me look good," Coach Rock said to the team just as the game was set to begin. "Or have fun. Which ever comes first."

"You think you're a comedian don't you Coach rock-in-head?" Randi asked her Dad.

"And you think you're still batting lead-off after that smart remark," Coach fired back as Randi clammed up. "I want you guys to have fun and go whip their butts good. CAPICHE?"

"CAPICHE!" came the thunderous roar from our dugout. The starters then forming a small group outside the dugout.

"I LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT!" Shelby practically screamed to Cindy before kissing her threw the mesh net.

"WHAT SHE SAID," Laney screamed to Randi before they too kissed and grinned at each other. But the funnest moment was to come when Candy and Allison saw the display and looked at each other trying not to giggle and then kissed themselves. "WOOHOO CANDYLAND!"

Those few moments of good feelings before the game begin seemed to be the last because as the game began it was clear that Lindsay (Price) was off just a bit. Opening the game by walking Colleen Dewhurst on four pitches that came nowhere near the strike zone. I took a deep breath and hoped for the best as 'Spark Plug' stepped into the box. That hope didn't last long as Lindsay hung a rise ball and Christine (Jennings) crushed it down the left field line for Cally to run down. Somehow she held Colleen at 3rd with Christina now at second.

"COME ON LINDSAY!" Kelly (Jones) cheered from the dugout.

"Keep the ball down," Coach Rock muttered as he stood on the dugout steps. Lindsay listened, whether she heard him or not, and was able to strikeout Veronica on three pitches that looked to be out of the strike zone. Well two of them for sure.

"YES!" Raven and Kelly squealed in unison as they pounded a high five. The good buzz though quickly wore off when Casey Kane lined a sizzling one hop rocket at Randi who flinched and let it skip past her into Centerfield for a two run single.

"How the hell did I miss that?" Randi asked two outs later when she came back into the dugout with everyone else. "It was hit right at me."

"Everyone makes mistakes Pocket Rocket," Lindsay said as she hugged Randi. "Now get up there and get it back for us."

"ARE YOU WATCHING THIS?" Kennedy screamed to get everyones attention as we got the first look at the 'Phenom from Ulsan' live.

"Holy crap!" I said as I watched this monster of a girl (6 feet tall or more) fire pitch after pitch that looked unhittable. Randi watched as she took her warm-ups swings with wide eyed shock. It was clear that Pee-Ko Yung was gonna be hard to hit.

"I got this!" Randi declared a few moments later as she marched to the plate...and promptly ducked out of the way of the first pitch that was right down the middle. The next two pitches were nearly identical as the bat never left Randi's shoulder. "That girl is scary."

"I am not scared," Hana declared with force in her voice as she next marched up to the plate. Taking the first pitch for a strike she dug in and swung viciously at the second offering from the Pee-Ko and missed it. The 3rd pitch was the first sign of hope as Hana barely made contact and fouled it off. Though she would strikeout a moment later. Candy stepped into the box next and seemed determined to get something going as she took the first pitch she saw and tried dumping it into right center field only to have it run down by a hard charging Anna Longmeyer. "Good try Candy!"

Sad to say that the next few innings didn't change things much.

"5 innings and we have one friggin hit?" Laney griped to me as we stood and watched in horror at the masterpiece Pee-Ko Yung was putting together. She was dominating with 9 strikeouts and as Laney noted she only had given up one hit. That being a blooper over Colleen Dewhurst's head at short by Allison Lohman. "We cannot lose to these clowns. We'll never hear the end of it."

"It's only a game Laney," I said as I hugged her from behind. "It's only a game."

"Can we go get something to eat I can't stand to watch anymore?"

"THAT'S AN UGLY SWING," Wendy screamed at Cally as she struck out to end the 5th inning for Mintzler.

"NOT AS UGLY AS YOUR FACE!" Cally screamed back as she passed by the 'circle' and bumped into Pee-Ko Yung accidently. The two sorta steadied each other before going their opposite way.

"Gimme some nachos," Laney told the girl behind the counter in the snack truck. We had just settled in at a stray picnic table when a roar could be heard from the crowd. "That can't be good."

"IT'S TWO TO NOTHING," Molly screamed from the top bleacher as she saw us sitting down here. "What are you doing?"

"CRYING!" I screamed back as she laughed. Laney and I decided we might as well get back a few minutes later after we had finished our snacks. We arrived back just as the game was about to get a whole more interesting as we entered the bottom of the seventh inning.

"Come on guys I'm telling you we can still win this thing," Candy said as she tried to pump us up.

"I want you to make her throw you a strike," Coach Newman said to Randi. "She's tiring and if we can make her throw a few more pitches we can break through."

"I think I can hit her I lined out in the 4th inning," Randi pointed out.

"Take!" Coach said simply.

"Capiche," Randi said as she walked off and stepped into the box. Coach Newman looked like a genius a few moments later when Randi went jogging down to first base on a four pitch walk. Problem is? Hana didn't get the take message and swung at the first pitch and popped it straight up behind home plate to the THA catcher, Casey Kane. "Don't worry about it, Hana."

"COME ON CANDYLAND!" Allison screamed in support of her friend. Candy grinned as she stepped in and followed Hana's thinking and hit the first pitch...into the gap in right center as the place finally exploded with cheers. Randi motored to third.

"CINDY CINDY CINDY!" we chanted in unison as she stepped into the box. Pee-Ko was by now panting and looking to be about out of gas. Laboring on every pitch though she still had enough to muscle it by Cindy once and then again on a drop ball and a rise ball that were simply wicked. But Cindy was not going down that easy as she cut down on her swing to hopefully make contact on the next pitch. Hitting a slow roller past the 'circle' that Colleen Dewhurst snagged with her bare hand and fired to Veronica at first to barely...barely get Cindy out. No one even noticed till later that Randi scored to make it 2-1.

"Good job," Allison said to Cindy as she passed her on her way up to the plate. Pee-Ko now was leaning over and holding onto her knees as she struggled to recover more and more after each pitch. Though Coach Rowe seemed not to notice from the other bench.

"COME ON PEE-KO!" Coach Rowe bellowed as the girl delivered the first of what would be four balls in a row to a patient Allison Lohman. Runners now on first and second with two out as Cally came to the plate.

"TIME!" Coach Newman bellowed as he motioned for Chi to join him by the dugout steps. "You're pitch running for Candy."

"Are you crazy, Coach?" Chi asked as Coach Newman smiled wickledly and headed for the plate to inform the umpire of his bizarre intentions. I thought he'd done gone and lost his mind. Candy seeming as confused as everyone else as she came back to the dugout to be replaced by Chi on second base.

"Kennedy you're in at catcher if we tie it up," Coach Rock said as he came back into the dugout. "I had to pull Chi as the catcher to insert her as the pinch runner."

"I hope you know what you're doing," I said as Coach smiled confidently. I turned back to the field just as Pee-Ko delivered a vicious rise ball that sent Cally flopping to the dirt. Ball 1. The second pitch though was a drop ball that stayed just on the lower part of the strike zone. 1-1. Cally took a practice swing before she stepped back in. Pee-Ko rocked and fired one more time but this time her screwball hung. Even I could see it. Cally's eyes lit up like Christmas as she swung and laced a rocket through the right side and past a diving Christine Jennings. Chi (halfway between second and third) froze just long enough it appeared to prevent her from scoring as Anna Longmeyer (the right fielder) picked the ball and fired home in one smooth motion. But Chi was not stopping as she rounded third and made a suicidal attempt to score. The ball reached Casey Kane on one bounce as she secured it and turned to see Chi barreling down on her. A Chi that was determined to score beyond all else. She slammed into Casey with full force and managed to knock the girls mask off her face. But somehow Casey held onto the ball...for a moment. But as Chi fell across her and home plate the ball trickled out of the glove. "THE BALL IS LOOSE. TIE GAME. TIE GAME."

"COME ON ALI, COME ON ALI!" Raven screamed from beside me as Allison raced down the third base line towards home. Casey (how I don't know) rolled over and grabbed the ball and dove towards home in a last ditch effort to save the game. She arrived just as Allison did and, no not another collision, but a bang-bang play that would be debated long after the game was over. Allison dove trying to get the far edge of home plate and looked to touch it at the exact moment that Casey's glove touched her hand. It seemed every person in the place held their breath as they waited for the umpires call. "SAFE? OUT?"

"SAFE!" the umpire declared as the place went nuts, tearing the place apart nuts. Our dugout did the same as me, Kelly, Kennedy, Raven and Parker mobbed Coach Newman in celebration before we rushed onto the field in a moment of sheer joy like I'd never forget.

"SHE WAS OUT! SHE WAS OUT!" Wendy screamed in fury as she stood on the steps of the visitors dugout and watched our dog pile at home plate.

"What a game, what a game," I kept saying as Chloe and I arrived back at KMH an hour or so after the game. "Unbelievable, what a game."

"I never had so much in my life," Chloe declared as we laughed and sat down on the bed just as the 10 o'clock news for KTRF was coming on.

"What a game it was!" Max (the anchor man) said over a shot of Mintzler celebrating at home plate just after the winning run had scored. "Welcome to the 10'oclock news."

"He's kinda cute for an old dude," Chloe giggled as she watched.

"Let's toss to the sports desk and John Stonson for all the details on tonights epic battle on the diamond."

"Max, it may have even been better than the enormous hype that preceeded it," John said. "Tonights battle between cross-town rivals had a little bit of everything. Stellar pitching, stifling defense and a thrilling ending that won't soon be forgotten. And it was clear from the first pitch that the 'Phenom from Ulsan', Pee-Ko Yung was as good as advertised. Dominating for the first six innings until the North Stars somehow broke through in the last half of the seventh. The game ending with that spectacular play at home plate. Chi Marsoon, the North Stars outstanding catching is standing by now with Kelly Pickaloo."

"I'm standing here with the games hero Chi Marsoon," Kelly (the reporter) said as the obviously pre-taped segment started. "People may have thought Coach Newman had lost his mind when he put you into pitch run. Tell us about that?"

"I asked him that," Chi said as her and Kelly laughed. "But he said he thought I had a better chance at scoring if there was a play at the plate. I'm just glad it worked out."

"Tell us about that final play," Kelly said.

"All I wanted to do was score and if I had to go through their catcher to do it I was going to," Chi said. "I did think I was out for a moment until I saw the ball roll away though."

"How are you after that collision?" Kelly asked as some moron ran behind the camera and flashed his beer gut.

"I was a little shaken up but I'm OK now," Chi said. "Did you check on Casey? Hold on...CASEY!"

"Well this is simply remarkable sportsmanship," Kelly said as the camera spun around to catch Chi and Casey just as they shook hands.

"You OK?" Chi asked Casey.

"Bout the same as you," Casey said as they bumped fists. "Good game."

"Good game," Chi said as she rejoined Kelly.

"John, now that's what sports should be like," Kelly said as she fought back tears.

"Hi Mom!" Chi said as the segment ended and leaving Chloe and I laughing.

"Thanks Kelly," John said back in the studio. "That just shows you that two great teams can play a game as competitive as this one was and still come away from it respecting each other. Truly remarkable."

"Least we forget the pitching performance of Mintzlers own star right hander, Lindsay Price," Max said to John.

"That did kinda of get lost in translation with the way the game ended," John agreed. "But after a rocky first inning she settled down to show why she was the co-MVP of last years state tourney."

"A fantastic game, simply a fantastic game!" Max concluded. That I think we can all agree on.