AKANNI'S POV
It's now time for our trip to Ibadan for the Southwest Youth League Championship seventh edition.We won the last three championships since we started going to the tournament.The Ibadan traffic hummed beneath the rising sun like a restless beast. I sat in the back of the van, our school bus, as this was part of the school support for our team. Some of my mates had already slept, with the tiredness of the long journey, the hum of the engine vibrating through my small frame.Two more hours later, we finally reached Ibadan. The driver drove us to the sports complex, as this is where the tournament is being held.There were already about three teams on ground, with us being the fourth team. I knew before the end of the day, more teams would have arrived. The present teams were the Rainbow Stars team from Ogun State, Sunshine Team from Ondo State, and The Lagoon Rangers from Lagos, including us, the Liberty from Ekiti State.Immediately the driver stopped the van, we saw a young man who seemed to be the manager of the sports complex hostel. He came to welcome us and give details about where we would be staying. Not long after, my coach and Coach Lanson followed the young man to survey the hostel, while I got down from the bus to stretch my stiffened body, in the process jolting some of my mates who were sleeping."We reached already?" asked a boy who came for the tournament for the first time and whom it seemed was also on his first trip out of state. We knew him as Bunmi."Yeah," I said lazily as I made my way to the corner of a tank stand and released my prick for a short pee.When I came back, Coach Labi and Coach Lanson were already back at the van, waking the players to start moving their stuff and equipment to the designated area. Coach Labi scanned the area, seemingly eye-counting the players, which made me realize he was looking for me."Where is Akanni?" he asked curiously. Before the new boy who saw me could reply, I showed up myself. "Here, sir. I went to ease myself," I said, immediately picking up my baggage."Listen up, everyone," Coach Lanson began as we all stopped in our steps. "It's going to be a grand hall-like room this time. All of you will be put together into one room because we have the female athletes here too. So please, captain," he faced our captain, "make sure to coordinate everyone. No quarrels. Be peaceful and support each other. Most importantly, your belongings should be properly arranged. I would not want a situation whereby we come into your room and see something like Ojo's boxer or Kunle's toothpaste hanging around the room like the other time." He continued his instruction while Coach Labi came back with each player's tags."Alright guys, these are your accreditation tags. Your captain will share them with you once you reach the hostel, and make sure wherever you want to go, this should always be on you." He gave our captain the tags."Yes, sir!!" We all replied in unison."Now let's start moving in," Coach Lanson said.We moved our belongings, walking for about two minutes before we reached the hostel. You could already hear the sounds and noises of the other teams there. Coach Labi stopped at the room marked "07." The other present teams had girls, making them pick the hostel rooms in twos, while we only brought along our male team.Coach Lanson opened the door to reveal a large spacious room, neatly arranged, with bunks and some tables for dining placed in the center."Yeah, according to your number, now pick your beds. The cupboards below and above your bunks are where your belongings should be. Is that clear?""Yes, sir," we replied once more, while everyone moved to their respective spaces."Yeah guys, you are welcome to Oyo State. Don't worry, we would talk more in the evening, but make sure to conduct yourselves and follow your captain's instruction. If you are going to greet your colleagues on the other teams, you can go, but make sure to go in groups of three minimum. Your lunch would be ready in the next five minutes," Coach Labi said.After the two coaches left, we all did our various activities, with each player arranging his things, after which our lunch was delivered. It was cake and fried rice. Our captain shared the lunch, and after we had our showers, we all started devouring our meals.Some minutes later, the hosting team, Super Cubs of Oyo State, also marched in with the same outfits, making it known that they were the hosting team, both the male and female players, led into the hostel beside us by their Team Manager—a short bearded man.Soon enough after the hosting team, one more team also arrived, making us six in total, with only my team being the one with male players only.In the night before we retired to bed, our coach came to address us about the games and some other teams, focusing on each player's role."Every one of you should remember, speed without control is useless," Coach Labi said, with his eyes scanning us all. "This is where discipline counts, not luck. Every pitch, every run, every catch—you should make it count." He addressed me lastly after he had done that with each player.We greeted him farewell before he and Coach Lanson left for their lodge.After we had rested for a whole day after our arrival, the game was finally starting. The tournament field in Ibadan was buzzing when we arrived. Players from Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, and the hosting teams, both boys and girls, were seen stretching, throwing, and shouting.My heart raced with excitement and apprehension. We were starting our game in the next forty minutes after the softball game.Yeah, we use the same field for both games. When it's a baseball game, the field is enlarged, and when it's softball, it is reduced simultaneously.We all dropped our gear and equipment beside the field entrance and formed a big circle for our stretches before we jogged and proceeded with the warm-up.We had our warm-up throws while the starting pitcher was told to relax his hand, while he only joined for little throws. We did this for the next ten minutes. My coach told us to relax our bodies while he instructed Coach Lanson to go and submit the team roster.The hosting team softball team had just won the game with five runs, defeating the Ogun State Softball Club two runs to five.We waited about ten minutes before the scorer commended the players and the game, announcing the score, and instructed them to continue training so that they might defeat the hosting team if they trained harder. He told them to shake hands around before they proceeded with the group pictures.Exactly ten minutes later, the scorer called for the teams' lineups. We were playing against the hosting team baseball club, and from the look on their faces, I knew they had already admitted defeat even before we started the game."Welcome to the Southwest Youth League Championship seventh edition," the scorer said, holding some sheets of paper which I knew to be the team roster."We are having the hosting team against the all-time championship winners—Super Cubs of Oyo State versus Liberty Baseball Club of Ekiti State," he said with a wide grin. "We want a fair game. Remember the Little League pledge—either win or lose, I will always do my best. So please guys, do your best, don't leave the rest, and always work towards winning with a fair mind." He said, with a round of applause ending his speech."We are starting the game exactly at eleven-forty," the timer said."Sure, please shake around. Super Cubs home, Liberty away," the scorer said and jogged out of the field, while we shook hands with the hosting team and posed for team pictures, after which we all jogged to the dugout.The first three batters, after assessing their batting order, all strapped on their helmets, picking up bats and swinging imaginary balls, with the first batter simply waiting for the umpire's call.Not too long after, the umpire, clad in his gear with his subordinates, jogged into the field, straight to their respective positions."Three trial throws," the umpire beamed toward the ready pitcher."Let us all focus on the pitcher," Coach Lanson said."Yes, sir," we replied and faced the pitcher.TA!The first pitch came with considerable force for a fifteen-year-old player, but to us, it was like practicing batting drills. So like that, the second and the third pitches came, while the last one was a ball, but it carried a flickering sheer force."Batter in box," the umpire called, while our first batter jogged into the batting box."Batter, you can do it, you can do it batter," we all cheered on the batter, while the opposing team cheered up their pitcher. "Let's go pitcher, he's a fake batter."Oops, they made a huge mistake. Lanre, the first batter, isn't a fake batter, but a beast with balls.POE!Before long, Lanre had already batted the very first pitch.SWOOOR!The ball went over the left fielder, hitting the fence, while Lanre ran like a mad lion, reaching third base in time before the ball got there."Safe on third!" the umpire called.We all cheered on the batter. That was an astonishing hit, being his first hit, making it a warm-up, and with it going like this, I was sure he would hit a home run before this game concluded."Play ball!" the umpire called again as our second batter was already in the box.
The second batter hit on the second pitch, directing the ball to a nice space between the second baseman and the shortstop, bringing home the runner on third, while he himself advanced to second base."Run scored!""Safe on second!" the umpires shouted loudly.This was an enticing game, already recording a run from the first two batters.And so this went on till it reached my turn to bat, with us having an out already, with my players both on third and first base.My coach gave me a slide bunt sign, indicating for me to hit the ball hard. I nodded, acknowledging his words.I jogged into the batting box on the umpire's call."Play ball," the umpire called. I received a sign from Coach Lanson to leave the first pitch, which I complied with, while the man on first stole second base."Safe on second," the umpire said."One strike, no ball. Play ball!" the head umpire called.The pitcher launched his pitch while I looked at it, seeing it was a nice strike for me.POE!I directed the ball into the little space between the third baseman and the shortstop, while I dropped my bat, running as if I were being carried by the wind. An even more bewildering scene happened. The ball I thought was long gone was fielded by the shortstop, who had dived rigorously. He threw the ball straight home, but our player on third was not a kitten either. He slid and dodged the catcher's glove."Run scored!" the umpire shouted, while I bolted straight to second base. The catcher, with lack of skill, sent the ball to the second baseman, while my other player previously on second base, now safe on third, dashed home seeing the catcher launch the ball to second base. Before they knew it, he scored another run, while the second baseman threw the ball home to fend off the run from being scored. I dashed to third base."Run scored!""Safe on third!" the umpires called.WOW!The spectators and my teammates all cheered on, recording a three-run play with one out at the first inning. It was truly astonishing."Let's go Akanni!" Coach Labi on third base gave me a thumbs-up, with the spectators all jamming their hands together."With just a hit from Akanni, we saw some genuine skills being displayed from the young players. This is truly astounding," the commentator said.I did not let this get into my head. I focused on the pitcher, but within myself, this had been a scene I had been plotting mentally since the commencement of the inning."Play ball!" the umpire called.With a stoic face, the pitcher launched his pitch. Bayom, the batter, did not even let it settle before launching the ball.SROOO!The ball went over the fence."Home run!" the umpire shouted.YEEE!We all cheered on the batter, while my teammates jogged out and lined up outside the home plate, seemingly waiting for the batter, while the opposing team wore dejected smirks.With three steps for me to reach home plate, I stopped and waited for the batter, who in turn ran like a mad dog from second base to third and jogged from third base to where I was. With two steps apart, we swayed from right to left and left to right, as this had been our signature once we recorded a home run. We stepped on the plate, receiving overhead shakes from our teammates."Two runs scored!" the umpire said.This was really nice, recording five runs at the first inning with only one out. We were all in good spirits, with everyone playing their game according to our coaches' instructions.We recorded one more run before the top inning ended. We changed over, with full force and high spirits. We ended the bottom inning swiftly, while the opponent only recorded one run. They changed their pitcher for the second inning, as they boasted ten good pitchers on their team.
Though we also had a considerable number of pitchers, we made sure a pitcher played at least two to three innings, with my coach constantly telling us to try and pitch more innings, while Coach Lanson advised that with time, when we grew up in the future, we should be able to pitch at least five innings straight at most.Even as I am now, I can go up to four innings, but since we have players also developing, it wouldn't be nice having me pitch four innings, as we only play five-inning games lasting one hour and thirty minutes.Soon enough, we ended the game with us defeating the hosting team with fourteen runs to three.The win was swift, as the champions were already known from the beginning of the game.