DUGOUT ★ The Game is Mine
Life is like baseball, and for Payton O'Hare, the diamond is her best friend, a place of sand, lime, grass, and glory. But in a world where girls are relegated to the sidelines, Peyton refuses to settle. After a family tragedy and the unexpected return of her childhood friend Santiago, who has transformed into a baseball powerhouse, Peyton is determined to find her place in the game, even if it means challenging the rules and everyone's expectations. Can she convince Santiago to return to the field and help her prove that the game is not called until there's a winner?
The summer is ending, and the start of the new school year looms. After wrapping up her coaching duties with the neighborhood pee wee team, seventeen-year-old Peyton O'Hare returns home to a startling sight: her childhood friend, Santiago Miranda, is back from his summer in Venezuela and has transformed from a lanky kid into a massive, imposing figure. His return, however, is tinged with an unexpected indifference towards baseball, the sport that once defined their shared lives. As high school tryouts approach, Peyton finds herself caught between her unwavering love for the game and the mystery surrounding Santiago's newfound reluctance, determined to uncover the truth and ensure his talent doesn't go to waste.
