Winning Pitcher Author:Mark Porter A Win Hadley Sport Story. — Winning Pitcher — "Strike One!" Coach Joyce bellowed. "You know better than to get caught napping like that, Slade." — Dan Slade reddened. Crouching low, with the bat cocked just behind his right ear, he glowered at the wiry left-hander on the mound. "Okay, funny man; try that again." — Win Hadley's next pitchwas low and ... more »inside, just missing the inside corner of the plate. Another fast ball skidded into the dirt, but the catcher trapped it neatly. A few cheers went up as a wide curve broke sharply at the last moment, catching Dan flat-footed with the bat on his shoulder.
Dan sneered. "Where's that fast ball I've heard so much about, Hadley? Or do you only throw it when the batter isn't looking?"
Win reared back and blazed the next pitch straight across the heart of the plate. Dan was ready for it. There was the solid crack of wood against horsehide and the ball sailed high and far into center field, clearing the fence at the edge of the field.
Dan Slade swaggered out of the batter's cage. "Better yank that pitcher, Coach," he said to Tom Joyce. "He hasn't got a thing."« less