Linus threw the ball back to Filip, shouting, "Two outs!" His voice rang out confidently, and the other infielders echoed the call in unison, creating a steady rhythm of teamwork that pulsed through the field. The third batter stepped up to the plate, shifting his weight and settling into his stance, eyes fixed on Filip.
Filip wasted no time, slipping into his pitching rhythm effortlessly. With a sharp, determined look, he started with a high four-seam fastball just off the edge of the strike zone, tempting the batter into a wild swing and miss.
"Strike!" the umpire called. Count: 0-1.
Filip didn't hesitate; he wound up for another four-seamer, but this time, it missed low and outside. The batter held off, and the umpire's voice echoed, "Ball." The count evened at 1-1.