"I need your attention, ladies. We have a few hours before the game tonight and I want everyone to be in conference room 2B in an hour to watch some film and go over our strategy," Coach Walker said to the group.
"Film, oh what fun," Dashtin said sarcastically as Coach Walker left the room.
Bailey and Graham laughed.
"There goes my plans for the next few hours," Bailey said grinning at Graham.
~
Watching the film Graham learned two valuable things. The first was the other team was a heavy swinging team meaning they often swung at every pitch which could work in hers and Bailey's favor. The second was Sammy was a base stealer which meant she now had two targets on her back where Graham was concerned.
After the films everyone retired to their rooms to get ready for the bus ride over to the stadium. They were labeled as the home team for the game so Graham dressed in her white uniform with the word Pioneers written across her chest in light blue with a black outline.
"Are you ready for this?" Dashtin said to her.
"I've been waiting four years to step on that field in the finals of the championship. I'm glad we're doing this together," she said.
"Me too. Let's go kick some ass," Dashtin yelled.
Chapter 24
Game one of the Women's College World Series got underway quickly. It was a best of three series making each game count. The Pioneers pulled off a three to one win with careful pitching and unbelievable defense. Katie hit a home run and Claudia hit a two-run RBI in the sixth inning and Bailey struck out all three batters in the final inning.
Everyone was so tired from the long day that they pretty much all collapsed in their beds when they got back to the hotel. Bailey spent a little extra time in the hallway kissing Graham goodnight.
"I wish I was sleeping in your bed next to you tonight," Bailey said.
Graham grinned and kissed her lips. "You and I don't seem to get much sleep when we're in the same bed," she said.
"That's true and I'm so tired right now I'd probably fall asleep before I got all of my clothes off," Bailey said pulling Graham in for another kiss before parting ways.
~
The next night the Pioneers arrived at the stadium for game two of the series with a one to nothing lead. They would win the championship if they were able to win this next game.
Texas A&M was up first. Graham called the pitches and Bailey threw the ball perfectly every time striking out the first two girls easily. The next batter stepped purposefully close to Graham as she entered the box.
"I wouldn't get so comfortable if I were you," Sammy said adjusting her hands on the bat.
"I could say the same thing," Graham said giving the signal for the pitch.
She knew Sammy knew all of Bailey's pitches after watching her hit the day before, but Bailey's ball control had improved tremendously since the start of the season. She called a screwball which used to be Bailey's worst pitch and sat back to catch the ball as it whizzed past Sammy's swinging bat. The next pitch was an off speed rise ball that Sammy swung at too early. Graham smiled and called the third pitch. Bailey threw the ball and watched it curve inside at just the right time nearly hitting Sammy. The goal was to get her to check her swing too far and she did just that when the ball came too close the bat came around behind it.
Graham laughed as Sammy walked away visibly angry. She caught up to Bailey putting her arm around her as they walked into the dugout.
"She's pissed," Bailey said. "I've never struck her out."
"Good." Graham grinned.
The rest of the game went the same way with both sides struggling at the plate until Graham hit a ground ball to third in the fifth inning with one out. She ran as fast as she could to first base and was hit in the back by the ball because of a crazy throw to first base by Sammy who happened to be playing third base. The hit knocked the wind out of Graham and she fell into the first base player.
Coach Walker immediately ran out of the dugout shouting at the umpire who called her out.
"That was an intentional hit and you damn well know it," she shouted.
Graham was still sitting on the ground trying to catch her breath as Coach Parker knelt down beside her.
"I'm okay," Graham said standing up. She waved to her father in stands so he would know she was alright.
"That didn't look like an accident to me," Coach Parker said as they walked back to the dugout together.
"It wasn't," Graham said. "That bitch on third base is Bailey's ex-girlfriend from high school."
"What are you going to do about this?" Coach Parker asked.
"We're going to win this damn championship."
"Good, go relay that message to your team so they don't retaliate," Coach Parker patted her shoulder and went over to Coach Walker who was still yelling at the umpire and the other team's coach near the plate.
Bailey ran up to Graham as soon as she neared the dugout. "She's aggressive. I should've warned you. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Graham said pulling all of the girls together. "Don't worry about that crazy bitch. We're here to win a game and win it legally. Do you remember when Washington cheated and gave us our first loss of the season? We don't want to be like them cheating to win," she said. Everyone high-fived and cheered, "Pioneers". Graham turned to Dashtin who had come in from the plate to make sure her best friend was okay. "Dashtin, you're up next. Swing low enough to get under one of those drop ball pitches and you might be able to hit it to the parking lot."
Dashtin nodded and walked to the plate. She watched the first pitch rise high out of the strike zone. She set her feet and bent her knees as the ball left the pitchers hand. She watched it sink lower and lower as she brought the bat around. A loud crack was heard as the bat connected with the ball pushing it deep across the field.
Dashtin was just about to cross first base as the ball cleared the outfield fence. She threw her arms up and trotted past second. She slowed down when she got to third.
"It takes a real loser to get ahead by hurting someone," Dashtin said as she stepped on the bag and turned for home.
The entire Pioneer team was waiting at home plate jumping up and down cheering for her. She walked into the middle of the group stomping on the plate and yelling with her arms over her head. The coaches cheered and ushered the group back into the dugout. Katie batted next hitting a pop-up all the way to the fence that someone caught for the last out as the girl dove for it sliding through the grass.
The sixth inning was hitless for both teams as the Pioneers took the field for the top of the seventh inning. All they needed was three outs to end the game and win the championship. The top of the Texas A&M lineup was coming to the plate.
"Three up and three down," Graham said smiling at Bailey before they parted on the field.
The first batter hit a pop-up for the first out and the next batter struck out bringing Sammy to the plate. She hit a ground ball that slipped past the third base player and Dashtin ran after it but Sammy was already safe at first base before she was able to throw it over.
Graham grinned. She had been waiting for this moment after seeing the film on the Texas team and learning Sammy was their number one base stealer. She gave Bailey the steal signal as the next batter stepped into the box.
Bailey turned around and winked at Sammy before pitching the ball and diving to the ground as Graham caught it launching it to second base in time for Vanessa to tag Sammy as she slid past the plate.
The umpire jumped up shouting, "Out!"
The Texas coach went crazy yelling at the umpire as Graham tore off her mask and ran to Bailey picking her up in the middle of the field. The rest of the team crowded around them falling to the ground in a huge pile of white uniforms screaming and yelling with joy.
The umpire called the end of the game ignoring the complaints from the Texas A&M coach and declared the Pioneers the winners and champions.
"I love you so damn much," Graham said to Bailey at the bott
om of the pile. She had the biggest smile that Bailey had ever seen on her face.
"I love you too," Bailey said kissing her.
The group of players shifted and maneuvered until they were no longer a pile revealing their catcher and pitcher lying in the dirt locked in an embrace to the entire crowd. Bailey quickly jumped off of Graham and stood up. Graham laughed and got to her feet as well. Everyone rushed to the plate for the proverbial slapping of hands with the losing team before cheering and jumping up and down once again.
Dashtin and Whitney picked up Coach Walker on their shoulders and Graham and Sarah did the same with Coach Parker as they celebrated in front of home plate.
"You girls are amazing," Coach Walker shouted when the coaches were put back on their feet. "What a season!"
The championship trophy was presented to Graham as the captain of the team. She kissed the side of it and handed to Bailey who kissed it too. Graham and Dashtin picked Bailey up on their shoulders as she hailed the trophy over her head.
The parents in the stands rushed to the field to join the celebration when they put Bailey down and began passing the trophy around to each member of the team. Graham's father hugged her tightly.
"I'm so damn proud of you," he said. "With this and with school. Why didn't you call me you when you got the graduate school letter?"
"Thanks, dad. I was waiting to tell you in person. I didn't think mom would have her little news thing sent to you." she said.
"She does crap like that to rub things in my face. Either way, I'm very happy for you."
"Graham," Bailey called from a few feet away waving Graham over to her. Bailey was standing with a man that looked a lot like Tim McGraw with dark facial hair, a Pioneer baseball cap, jeans, and cowboy boots. He had his arm around the woman next to him with her reddish brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was also wearing jeans and boots.
"I'll be right back, dad. There's someone I want you to meet," Graham said walking over to the group that was staring at her.
Bailey grabbed her hand. "Everyone, this is Graham Cahill, my girlfriend. Graham this is the Michaels family. My dad Calvin, my mom Sonya, and my brother Calvin Junior," Bailey said.
Graham shook hands with each of them.
"You've been keeping a huge secret little lady," Sonya said to Bailey and gave her a thumbs up.
"What are your intentions with my daughter?" Calvin said.
"Daddy," Bailey warned.
"No, Bailey, it's okay. Sir, I'm graduating with my Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology this coming weekend and I've been accepted back to UCO to complete my Master's this fall in Microbiology. So, if Bailey loves me as much as I love her I would like her to move in with me. I intend to never let her go again," Graham said.
"You didn't tell me you got accepted," Bailey said.
"With everything going on recently I sort of put it aside," Graham said with a shrug.
"I'm happy for you and I can't wait to move in with you," Bailey said smiling up at her.
"Welcome to the family, Graham. We expect to see you with Bailey when she comes home for the summer," Calvin said to her.
"I would like nothing more, Sir, but first, I want to go spend some time with my father. Bailey, there's someone I would like you to meet," Graham said waving her dad over. "This is my father, Edward Cahill. Dad, this is my girlfriend, Bailey Michaels and her family."
Everyone shook hands and introduced themselves. Within minutes they decided to take the girls out for a celebratory dinner.
"I think that went well," Bailey said squeezing her hand.
"Me too." Graham smiled pulling Bailey away from their parents.
"I don't think I've ever been happier than I am right now, Graham. I love you so much."
"I love you too, Bailey," Graham said.
"Hey, your dad just told me you were accepted for grad school, Graham. That's awesome," Dashtin said walking up to them. "I actually have some news of my own. Upon graduation you're looking at the new assistant athletic trainer for the Seattle Storm WNBA team."
"No way! That's great, Dash. I knew you interviewed with them over the holidays, but you never said anything else," Graham said hugging her best friend.
"I hadn't heard anything from them until I got the call a couple days ago and honestly it hasn't really sunk in yet."
"There are going to be a lot of broken hearted basketball players," Bailey teased.
Dashtin laughed. "I don't know. Maybe someday when I'm old and gray I will find what you guys have."
"Good luck with that." Graham smiled.
"Are you ladies ready to go to dinner?" Graham's father said. "Dashtin, you're welcome to join us."
"Thank you, Mr. Cahill, but my dad's here so I think we're going to dinner," Dashtin said.
"Well, invite him along. The more the merrier. We're all family here," he said to her.
"He's right, Dash. We are family, all of us," Graham said.
About the Author
Graysen Morgen was born and raised in North Florida with winding rivers and waterways at her back door and the white sandy beach a mile away. She has spent most of her lifetime in the sun and on the water. She enjoys reading, writing, fishing, and spending as much time as possible with her partner and their daughter.
You can contact Graysen at [email protected] and like her fan page on facebook.com/graysenmorgen.
Go to www.tri-pub.com to get information about Triplicity Publishing or to submit your own manuscript.
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