Captain of the Nine

The star pitcher never asked to be captain. When the veteran leader of the St. Mary's baseball team steps down at the start of the season, the burden falls on his shoulders, along with every doubt, every skeptic, and every crisis that threatens to derail his team. Now he must learn to lead boys who were once his rivals, earn the coach's trust, and keep his pitching arm fresh enough to deliver when it matters most. But just as the big game approaches, disaster strikes in ways no one expected. Can he save the season, or will everything collapse under the weight of his new responsibilities? This is a story about the difference between being a great player and being a great leader, and the cost of discovering that difference in the middle of a championship.