#11 pitch inning

[dinosaurwithablog]

With only 11 pitches to end the inning, Carlos Rodon is in fire 🔥 He's struck out 9 batters already. You go, Carlos!!! As you can see, the crowd is on their feet and everybody is feeling good!!!

LET'S GO YANKEES!!!!!

[the-physicality]

Red Sox still the only ones to come back from being down 0-3 in a seven game series :)))

[goldenarmyofficial]

Pre-game analysis - Midnight Showdown: The Gold Army vs. The Phantom Aces

🖊️ By Christopher Fowler – Senior Sports Analyst

⚡ The Unstoppable vs. The Unbeaten – Who Breaks First?

For years, the Phantom Aces have been an enigma—a team that does not lose.

No official records. No home stadium. No known history of defeat.

Every opponent who steps onto their field leaves changed. Some claim they play against shadows, others whisper about mirages, about plays that shouldn't be possible.

But now?

They face the Gold Army.

A team that never backs down.

A team built to win.

A team that thrives under pressure and has spent weeks preparing for war.

This isn’t just a game.

This is a battle for dominance, for history, for reality itself.

And by the time the final inning comes?

Only one of these legacies will remain.

⚔️ Gold Army – Strength, Power, and Absolute Confidence

Gold’s Key Strengths

🔥 Raw Power & Speed: A brutal mix of explosive athleticism and relentless drive.

🏆 Unshakable Mentality: The Aces thrive on mind games. But Gold does not doubt. Gold does not break.

⚡ Tactical Versatility: From Mack’s fearless instinct-based plays to Xavier’s surgical precision on the mound, Gold brings a diverse, adaptable game.

🧢 A New Captain Rises: With Herc mysteriously absent, Brody (#11) steps up to take the Captain role. He’s an imposing force at first base, bringing raw strength and leadership when Gold needs it most.

Gold Players to Watch

Brandon #58 – The Unbreakable Catcher (Catcher)

The rock behind home plate. Brandon has been studying Vincent Moreau, watching tape, learning his patterns. If anyone can break the Phantom Catcher’s influence, it’s him.

Mack #70 – The Instinctive Monster (Shortstop)

Once a precision-based player, **Master Percival rewired Maximus into Mack—**a cocky, reckless, instinct-driven beast. His blindfold training has pushed his reflexes to inhuman levels. If there’s one player who can disrupt the Aces' eerie rhythm, it’s him.

Brock #46 – The Relentless Defender (Second Base)

Brock isn’t just quick—he’s relentless. His ability to chase down impossible plays and shut down runners makes him a crucial counter to the Aces’ unpredictable movement.

Dylan #20 – The Speed Demon (Right Field)

Fast. Smart. Everywhere at once. Dylan’s ability to cover massive ground will be key in countering Nate Voss’s outfield tricks. He won’t let the Aces steal free bases without a fight.

Xavier "Poker Face" #39 – The Unreadable Pitcher (Starting Pitcher)

Unlike the Aces’ Isaiah Crowe, whose pitches seem like illusions, Xavier brings absolute control. His pitches are razor-sharp, unreadable, and unnervingly precise. He doesn't overpower—he dissects. He's called "Poker Face" because even the most seasoned players have difficulty reading him.

🃏 The Phantom Aces – The Unbeaten Mystique

The Team That Shouldn’t Exist

No wasted movements. No hesitation. They move like one entity.

Their opponents don’t just lose—they start to doubt themselves. They start to see things. They second-guess every step.

Some claim their shadows shift. Some say their plays feel pre-determined.

Are they just that good?

Or is something else at play?

Phantom Aces Players to Watch

Maddox Kane #00 – The Phantom Captain (Shortstop / Captain)

If you lock eyes with Maddox Kane, your game is already lost.

Tall. Lean. Unshakable. He sees everything before it happens—always in position, always one step ahead. His presence alone disrupts opponents' confidence.

Vincent Moreau #13 – The Unbeatable Catcher (Catcher)

No one steals on Moreau. No one second-guesses him. He doesn’t need to speak—just his presence behind home plate rattles even the best hitters.

Isaiah Crowe #21 – The Phantom Pitcher (Starting Pitcher)

Crowe’s throws shouldn’t be possible. No one can track his windup. His form shifts mid-game. It’s like he throws reflections of other pitchers’ best pitches.

Silas Reed #17 – The Silent First Baseman (First Base)

No sound. No wasted movement. If you’re running to first, he’s already there. Some say he doesn’t even blink.

Nate Voss #9 – The Doppelgänger Outfielder (Outfield)

Hit a ball deep into center field? Somehow, Nate is already there. He moves like he exists in two places at once.

🚨 Mysterious Disappearance: Where is Herc?

One massive question hangs over the Gold Army:

Herc is missing.

The powerhouse of the team vanished before the final preparations.

No one saw him leave. No one heard anything. One moment he was there. The next, gone.

Did the Phantom Aces get inside his head?

Did he leave on his own?

Or is he still somewhere in Specter Stadium—watching?

⚖️ The Matchup – Breaking the Curse or Falling Victim?

The Aces have never lost.

Gold has never backed down.

One of those things is about to change.

The Midnight Challenge is set. The rosters are locked.

🏆 Official Roster Announcement – The Lineup for Both Teams

Gold Army Roster

🔹 Starting Lineup (Batting Order)

1️⃣ Mack (#70) @polo-drone-070 – Shortstop 🏃‍♂️💥 Explosive athleticism, instinct-based play, fearless energy

2️⃣ Daniel (#16) @danielgold-16– Center Field 🌪️🧤 Fastest outfielder, elite coverage, reliable catching

3️⃣ Isaac (#45) @isaac-gold-45– Designated Hitter ⚾🔥 Consistent contact hitter, precision batting (For Starting Pitcher Xavier #39)

4️⃣ Brandon (#58) @brandongold58– Catcher 🧱🎯 Tactical catcher, strategic playmaker, defensive backbone

5️⃣ Tariq (#89) @tariqgold89– First Base 💪🛡️ Towering presence, powerful bat, unshakable defense

6️⃣ Trevor (#52) @polo-drone-125– Third Base 🔥⚡ Aggressive plays, high-energy competitor, reactive defense

7️⃣ Alex (#64) @polo-drone-151– Second Base 🏆👀 Smart plays, quick reflexes, consistent fielding

8️⃣ Tamerlan (#73) @eddy-gold-73– Left Field 🎯🚀 Strong arm, tactical awareness, defensive powerhouse

9️⃣ Dylan (#20) @dylangold20– Right Field 🚄🧤 Reliable outfielder, excellent field coverage, clutch performer

🔹 Pitching Staff

⚾ Xavier "Poker Face" (#39) @polo-drone-039– Starting Pitcher 🎯🔥 A surgical pitcher, mixing controlled precision with devastating breaking balls. His cold, calculating mindset keeps hitters guessing and opponents locked in frustration.

⚾ Roman (#68) @roman-golden-68– Relief Pitcher ⚡🛡️ A tactical thrower with an adaptable mindset, perfect for mid-game adjustments.

⚾ Herc (#9) @goldenherc9– Backup Pitcher (MIA?!) 💥💪 If he returns, his raw power pitching can turn the game in Gold’s favor.

🔹 Bench / Substitutes

🔸 Ares (#10) @goldengod-ares10– Power hitter, momentum shifter

🔸 Brody (#11) @brodygold– Assisting Coach Chet in tactical planning

🔸 Herc (#9) – Pitcher / Designated Hitter (MISSING – if returns, a game-changer)

🔸 Leander (#88) @leander-gold-88– Versatile player, reliable under pressure

🔸 Trey (#52) @hero21us– Field coverage specialist, adaptable baserunner

🔸 Brock (#46) @brockgold– Solid infielder, tough defensive asset

🔸 Briar (#50) @polo-drone-050– Base-running ace, elite speedster

🔸 Ross (#79) – Utility fielder, dependable in late-game scenarios

🔹 Gold Army Leadership & Spirit

👑 Coach Chet – Master strategist, ensuring Gold plays with precision and discipline.

🦾 Brody (#11) – Team captain, assisting with on-field tactics and rallying the squad.

⚔️ Grayden @polo-drone-084 – The Golden Knight – Gold Army’s head mascot, leading cheers and pumping up the crowd.

Phantom Aces Roster

🔹 Starting Lineup (Batting Order)

1️⃣ Nate "Doppelgänger" Voss (#9) – Center Field 👀⚡ Always under the ball before it lands—sometimes in two places at once.

2️⃣ Isaiah "Mirror" Crowe (#21) – Pitcher 🎭🔥 Copies the opponent’s best pitch—only better.

3️⃣ Maddox "Phantom Captain" Kane (#00) – Shortstop 🧠🎯 Sees the game like he wrote the script.

4️⃣ Vincent "No Escape" Moreau (#13) – Catcher 🧱👁️ No pitch escapes him, no runner beats his tag.

5️⃣ Silas "Dead Quiet" Reed (#17) – First Base 🤫⚾ Moves without sound—already waiting for you at first.

6️⃣ Maddox Kane (again?) (#00) – Third Base 🌀👀 A second Kane stands at third. Real or illusion?

7️⃣ Caleb "Fogwalker" Hayes (#7) – Left Field 🌫️🏃‍♂️ One moment he's running down the ball—next, he's gone.

8️⃣ Julian "Moonlit" Graves (#22) – Right Field 🌙⚡ Moves before the ball is hit, eyes glowing in the dark.

9️⃣ Ezra "Vanishing Act" Quinn (#10) – Second Base 🚀🎭 Turns double plays before you even see him move.

🔹 Pitching Staff

⚾ Samuel "Eclipse" Harlow (#18) – Backup Pitcher 🕶️⚡ Throws into the void—batters swing at nothing.

🔹 Bench / Substitutes

🔸 Dominic "Revenant" Cole (#27) – Backup Catcher Never blinks, never flinches—has he always been here?

🔸 Jesse "Hollow" Briggs (#19) – Utility Infielder No mistakes, no errors—his glove swallows baseballs.

🔸 Dorian "Specter" Lowe (#29) – Backup Outfielder Glides like a shadow—sometimes, he just isn’t there.

🔹 Mascot

🦅Ace the Phantom Hawk – Its glowing eyes have already seen the final score.

🔔 First pitch: MIDNIGHT.

🏟️ Location: Specter Stadium.

Brace yourselves. The Midnight Challenge is about to begin.

[bonzos-number-1-fan]

TMAGP 26 Thoughts: Sam is awkward. Celia is hot.

Yet another guest writer episodes and this time it's Muna Hussen. She' co-creator and producer on The Silt Verses, and produced and acted in I Am In Eskew. The Silt Verses is a show I can wholeheartedly suggest giving a listen. It's great in just about every way a thing can be. I might leave a pitch for it as an addendum. I Am In Eskew is in the forever pile of things I may one day get to. It's a really well written episode too, I liked this one a lot. It is, unfortunately, another pretty explicit one so I don't expect to have a load to say, but that's not the same as it being bad.

Spoilers for episode 26 below the cut.

Celia and Sam's conversation doesn't have a load of note in it. Yes, they're going to meet Helen but that's for later. The important detail here is how Celia categorises her incidents. Which she does with the least effort imaginable. She's not had any misfiles yet which tells me that either those no longer happen or you just need to get it in the right Section. But more importantly than that it's also a good look at just how little she cares about the job. We've all known she's had ulterior motives from her introduction but it's nice to see ways that is reflected.

Much like the last incident there isn't too too much to rip into for what I talk about. I'm not sure the themes of this one speak to any greater connection and the characters are all new as far as I know. Which only really leaves one detail to talk about. The Archivist or, rather, *an *Archivist as that's the more interesting detail. The Archivist here didn't really do much we've not seen before. The forced running isn't to dissimilar to the forced drowning and Jarrod did seem to be mumbling in classic fashion. No statement to be heard as such but that might just be because of the framing. However, unlike previous run ins with an Archivist they're very much aware that they're not the only one. Whether this leads to something more grand or not is hard to say but it's an interesting detail.

Alice is finally up to episode 11 with the plot. More seriously it's nice to see her piecing things together now. I do wonder if that was Chester's point or not. Gwen was a little weird in this interaction IMO. Alice and Gwen shared a fairly major revelation together, that this ties into, but she seems to have distanced herself a lot from that emotionally already. Which isn't out of character but does come a little fast.

Helen is *very *Helen here. I think of all the returning characters she might have changed the least. At least from where she started. It's lovely to see her back, although I do wonder if maybe they're leaning on these characters a little too much at this stage. It's hard to know if this is one-off fanservice or the way of things going forward. I hope it's the latter because the less of the old cast we get the more of the new cast we'll see. There isn't a huge amount to say here but its good to see them getting more information about the Institute. Also, unfortunately Helen is still a tory. Categorically disproving the "these characters are now living their best life" theory. It's all still hell. I'd also include the transcripts note for the laugh but that's a TMA spoiler and probably one person hasn't seen that show. Besides if you know, you know.

Sam and Celia finally fucked. Good for them. Well, bad for them if TMA is anything to go off for couples in this setting. But, y'know.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Incident/CAT#R#DPHW Master Sheet and Terminology Sheet

DPHW Theory: 4463 is pretty normal for this, I think. No major surprises.

CAT# Theory: 1 is a 1. I'll maybe try to write an essay on this before the season ends. No prommies tho.

R# Theory: BC seems about right.

Header talk: Exhaustion (Athletic) -/- Compulsion (Tape). Also very very normal.

I guess I will write that addendum then.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Addendum: Go listen to The Silt Verses.

It's a horror audio drama that's more or less a world where the modern religious landscape is a polytheistic one, with fabricated corporate gods putting pressure on local ones, outlawed religions, and all sorts of fun stuff. But it's a world where religions, fabricated or otherwise, are also powerful and gods do exist and perform miracles. It follows two worshippers of the Trawler Man, and outlawed god, on their pilgrimage up its great black river. As you might expect things don't go smoothly and soon enough there's a man hunt, run ins with cults stranger than theirs, and all sorts of revelations.

The world building is a real high light too. It's just the right level of "this world is horrific yet treated as mundane". It's worth listening just to see how that's all built on.

I rate it a strong prisoners-buried-alive-in-the-foundations-of-new-construction-projects-to-bless-them/10.

[synthesizeritis]

2024-11-23 "piano"

hi my name is songforaname and i like really long fade-ins for intros

please enjoy four and a half minutes of a slow organ loop i put a bunch of automation on, then added a vst zither and some filtered drums

it could probably be half the length, but i kinda got lost in the sounds and didn't want to shorten it

i also understand the joys of pitch-shifted reverb now

[bearterritory]

Bears Crush #9 Virginia

Win First ACC Home Game

Austin Turkington Pitches Gem

Seth Gwynn Hits Two-Run Homer

BERKELEY – The California baseball team (9-8, 2-2 ACC) posted a convincing 6-1 win over No. 9 Virginia (11-5, 1-1 ACC) in the Golden Bears' first-ever ACC home game Friday night at Stu Gordon Stadium. Austin Turkington (3-2) picked up his second straight victory on the mound before relievers Spencer Dessart and David Shaw closed out the game. Seth Gwynn and Jarren Advincula both drove in a pair of runs with Gwynn's coming on a key two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. Jacob French (2-4) was the only Cal player with more than one hit.

"It was a big win," head coach Mike Neu said. "Getting a win on Friday is big any time. We obviously played a really good team with an unbelievable history. They're really well coached and have a lot of very good players. We had to play well to win, and we took advantage of a couple of their mistakes early, which really helped us."

Cal tallied three runs in the bottom of the second to start the game's scoring. A leadoff walk by PJ Moutzouridis got the inning started and Max Handron followed with a single to put Bears on first and second with no outs before Moutzouridis stole third two batters later. Dominic Smaldino then plated Moutzouridis with an RBI single for the first run of the game on what ended up to be the most impactful play of the contest. Smaldino took a big turn around first after his run-scoring single and looked like he would be thrown out trying to get back to first but the throw from Virginia shortstop Eric Becker hit Smaldino in the back of the helmet and caromed into right field. Handron scored all the way from first on the play and Smaldino would up on third, where he later scored on Advincula's sacrifice fly in foul territory down the left field line.

Virginia scored its lone run of the game in the top of the fifth when James Nunnallee was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch and third on Luke Hanson's single before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Becker.

Cal got its final run in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-1 lead when Alex Birge led off with a double, moved to third on the Cavalier's second error of the game and scored on Advincula's RBI single.

Dessart got the Bears out of a jam in the top of the seventh after Turkington had walked one batter and hit another by coming on with two runners on base to retire Henry Godbout on a lineout to Gwynn in center field.

Two innings later, Shaw picked up Dessart by getting the final two outs of the game after Dessart had hit a batter and walked another earlier in the top of the ninth.

Hanson (2-3) had half of Virginia's four hits.

Virginia starter Jay Woolfolk (1-1) took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts over the first 5.0 innings.

"We just need to keep our hunger to win," Gwynn said. "It shouldn't be quenched after one game. We've got to go win the week tomorrow and get the sweep on Sunday, but we're not looking that far ahead yet."

The three-game series continues Saturday (2 pm) before concluding Sunday (1 pm) with live video streams of both games available on ACCNX/ESPN+. The Saturdays at the Stu mini-plan for all five ACC Saturday home games will make its' debut Saturday and an autograph session will follow after the game. Sunday will serve as Kids' Day and there will also be a St. Patrick's Day celebration.

[melanieph321]

Ruben Dias x Reader - Not Ready Part 9/12

Part 10 and Part 11 are out on my Patreon!

Readers sister dies in a tragic car accident, leaving reader and her boyfriend Ruben in the urgent custody of her niece and nephew. Readers' life is suddenly flipped upside-down since having children hadn't been the plan for her and Ruben's life together. At least not now, when his football career was reaching great new heights.

Enjoy! 💞

Emmy's birthday party might as well have been her Sweet Sixteen. You were going above and beyond for a little girl who wanted cupcakes, banners and a pink unicorn piñata, while the main theme of the party was, Moana.

Make it make sense.

Nevertheless, all of Emmy's school and football friends were invited. Not to mention Ruben's parents, who were staying in Manchester for the whole week. And your parents, coming all the way from Bournemouth. 

To think that you had the honor to cook for them all. Of course, Laleh was there to give her two cents about it....

"What the hell is a Pastel de Nata?" She said, skeptically squinting her eyes as she read off your grocery list that lay on top of your office desk. You wrote it during your lunch break, hence the sloppy handwriting.

"A Portuguese pastry." You replied. "A traditional tart of some sort. Ruben's mom wants me to bake them for Emmy's birthday."

"Erm...does Ruben's mom know that you can't bake for shit?"

You shot Laleh an evil glare from where you sat behind your desk. "I can bake."

"Erm...no you can't." She snatched up your grocery list and went through all of the entries. "And why not just order catering for the party? There is no way you'll be able to prepare all of these dishes on time. Who would even want to put themselves through that?"

You chuckled. "That's exactly what Ruben said." 

"And he was right. You're way in over your head, Y/N."

You stood from your chair, snatching the list out of Laleh's hand. "So be it. Emmy deserves the best." 

You were very stubborn to make her party as spectacular as it could be. In that way proving to Ruben's parents that you were an eligible mother and wife. After getting to know them over these past few days, it became clear to you that Ruben's parents valued tradition. Especially his mother who was a housewife through and through. Her newest occupation was criticizing your every move, whether it was the way you washed the children's laundry, or what foods you served them for dinner. Just this morning Ruben's mother rolled her eyes at the way you rushed Emmy and Vale out of the house so they would not be late for school. What else were you supposed to do? Perhaps it was the fact that you had a career that fueled her resentment? Ruben's mother probably thought that you'd never be able to handle motherhood while juggling a career. Meaning you wouldn't be a suitable wife for someone like Ruben.

You'd prove her wrong, alright. Starting with this damn birthday party.

********************************************

"Fuck!"

Ruben slammed his fist hard against a passing wall. He felt it throbbing as the players made it through the tunnel back to the locker rooms. 

"You made a mistake man, so what?" Said Bernardo. Ruben's only teammate that dared to address him in his state of anguish. The other players did best to stay away.

"It cost us the game, Bernardo. Against Chelsea of all teams."

Bernardo couldn't argue with that. City blew an important match win. One that would've shot the team to the top of the tables. All of it had been lost in the hands of Ruben and his terrible defense.

"I blame the pitch." Bernardo nodded. "You slipped and fell because Stamford Bridge is a shit stadium."

Ruben did not return Bernardo's cheeky smile, although he was thankful for his friend's attempt to cheer him up. But when Ruben got like this it could take hours, sometimes days before his mood was restored.

"Hey." Bernardo nudged Ruben's shoulder. "At least we get to celebrate something this afternoon. Ines picked out the cutest pair of cleats as our gift for Emmy's birthday. Guess what color the shoes are."

Ruben shrugged his shoulders and let out a low grunt. He was not in the mood to play games.

"Pink! They're pink." Bernardo exclaimed. "I must say that fatherhood has made these things exciting for me."

"Right, right." Ruben could lie and say that he felt the same way, but in reality he couldn't care less about a pair of pink cleats. No matter who they belonged to.

The team bus arrived back in Manchester just as the sun was setting low over the city sky. Right now you would have your hands full entertaining a dozen sugar induced children. Just the thought of them running around in the apartment made Ruben dread the idea of going home.

"I'll see you in a bit." Bernardo said, as they stepped off the team bus parked outside of the Etihad stadium.

"Yeah, whatever man."

What should have been minutes turned into an hour. Ruben drove the long way home, meaning his Porsche circle around the city, giving the environmentalists another reason to hate him.

"Hello? Ruben?"

Just as he came around the block your name popped up on the car dash. It did occur to Ruben that he would hear from you sooner or later.

"Yes, babe. I'm late and I'm sorry."

"Is everything alright? Are you on your  way?" Children were heard shouting in the background, causing Ruben to rub the side of his already aching temple. He tried to solemnly focus on your voice. You sounded worried, something he never intended to do. "I got a bit worried when Bernardo and Ines showed up before you did." You chuckled nervously, striking something within Ruben's chest.

"I'm right around the corner, baby. I'll be home in a minute."

"Okay. Emmy has been asking about you. We saw the game. I know you must be upset....."

"I'm not—" Just the mention of the game triggered something that an hour car ride had managed to cool down. Ruben's grip around the steering wheel tightened. His knuckles turned white. Your end of the line had fallen silent, perhaps hearing the straining in Ruben's voice. He released the grip he had  around the steering and sighed. "I'll be home in a minute baby, don't worry."

"I love you." 

"See you soon. Bye."

Read full chapter and more on my Patreon

[hetalia-club]

Tsunami Titans vs. Freedom Fighters- Inning 9/9

Blue text Freedom Fighters at bat- link to their team and positions Orange Text Tsunami Titans at bat- link to their team and positions Pink Text = my commentary Inning 1 link Inning 2 link Inning 3 link Inning 4 link Inning 5 link Inning 6 link Inning 7 link Inning 8 link Inning 9 link

(Game is completely generated using the stats, characters, traits and abilities given to them by me that I've already shared with you, I do NOT know the outcome ahead of time and I am simply adding my own commentary along side the generated innings. It is generated one inning at a time. Whoever've wins will be just as much as surprise to me)

Announcer Voice:

Welcome back, baseball and Hetalia fans! The score is 11-10 in favor of the Tsunami Titans after a thrilling sixth inning. The Freedom Fighters have closed the gap, and it looks like we’re in for an exciting finish. We have a lineup change for the Tsunami Titans: Canada is being pulled from the game, and Iceland will be taking over at first base, batting fifth. Let's see how the seventh inning unfolds! Looks like Japan does not want to risk anymore errors on the field tonight.

Score going in- 11-10 favor of Japan's team.

Ninth Inning:

Welcome back, baseball fans! We’re heading into the ninth inning here at the Uzumaki Dome, and what a game it has been! The Tsunami Titans have taken a thrilling 11-10 lead after an explosive eighth inning. But the Freedom Fighters are not out of it yet. Get ready for an unforgettable finish!

Top of the Ninth Inning:

Leading off for the Freedom Fighters in the top of the ninth inning is Romano, wearing number 16 and playing first base. He’s looking to start a rally.

Romano vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan starts with a fastball at 92 mph. Romano swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Next pitch is a curveball at 78 mph. Romano watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Japan throws a slider at 85 mph. Romano connects and sends a line drive to left field at 105 mph. Spain runs in but can’t get to it! Romano is on with a leadoff single! "A great start for the Freedom Fighters!" Nice on base by Romano.

Next up is America, the star player now playing center field. He’s had a fantastic game so far.

America vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan delivers a fastball at 93 mph. America swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 92 mph. America fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Japan throws a curveball at 79 mph. America connects and sends a towering fly ball to deep left center field at 110 mph. It's going, going, gone! Home run, America! "The Freedom Fighters take the lead, 12-11! What a shot!" That brings in Romano and America. America and Romano repeat their celebratory hand shake from they did last inning.

Now, we have Germany, number 85, playing right field. He’s looking to keep the momentum going.

Germany vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 91 mph. Germany swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: A curveball at 78 mph. Germany watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Japan delivers a slider at 84 mph. Germany connects and sends a grounder to shortstop at 99 mph. Prussia fields it cleanly but throws wide to first! Germany reaches safely on the error! A great hit by Germany!

Next up is Ireland, number 22, playing second base. He’s got the heart and hustle to make things happen.

Ireland vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 92 mph. Ireland swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 93 mph. Ireland fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Japan throws a changeup at 80 mph. Ireland connects and sends a line drive to right field at 105 mph. France dives but can't make the catch! Germany advances to third, and Ireland is on first! a nice routine hit by Ireland.

Now, Sweden steps up, number 92, playing left field. Let’s see if he can capitalize on this opportunity.

Sweden vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan delivers a fastball at 92 mph. Sweden swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: A curveball at 79 mph. Sweden watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Japan throws a slider at 85 mph. Sweden connects and sends a high fly ball to deep center field at 108 mph. Scotland is back, back... and it's gone! A three-run home run for Sweden! "The Freedom Fighters extend their lead to 15-11! What a swing!" a terrific clean up there by Sweden! Japan needs to be careful with feeding them easy hits like this.

Next up is Italy, the pitcher. He’s looking to get on base and get things moving.

Italy vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 92 mph. Italy swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 93 mph. Italy fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Japan throws a changeup at 81 mph. Italy connects and sends a grounder up the middle at 95 mph, and it gets through for a base hit! Italy is on first with a single." That would have been an out for anyone else but with teh fastest player in the league you got to really hustle if you want to get him out on those.

Now, Denmark, number 69, steps up to the plate. He’s been solid all game.

Denmark vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 91 mph. Denmark swings and misses. "Strike one!"

And Italy is off! He’s stealing second! The throw from Turkey... not in time! Italy steals second base! What a steal by Italy! I don't think I would have risked it but that is what he's out there to do.

Pitch 2: A curveball at 78 mph. Denmark watches it go by. "Ball one."

Japan throws the ball behind him and checks Italy at second. Looks like he has him shaken up. Italy is still safe on second.

Pitch 3: Japan delivers a slider at 84 mph. Denmark makes contact, a grounder to third base at 97 mph. China fields it cleanly and throws to first. "Out number one! Italy holds at second." Nice play by China and Iceland!

Next up is Russia, number 27, playing catcher. He’s had a big hit tonight already.

Russia vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan starts with a curveball at 78 mph. Russia watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 2: A fastball at 91 mph. Russia swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 3: Japan delivers a slider at 84 mph. Russia connects and sends a grounder to shortstop at 99 mph. Prussia fields it cleanly and throws to first. "Out number two!"

Next up is England, number 04, playing third base. Let’s see if he can drive in Italy.

England vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 92 mph. England swings and connects, sending a high fly ball to left field at 107 mph. Spain runs back, back... and it’s over his head! England rounds first and heads to second as Italy scores! "The Freedom Fighters extend their lead to 16-11!" Nice RIB by England!

Next up is Romano, number 16, playing first base. He’s looking to keep the rally going.

Romano vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 92 mph. Romano swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 93 mph. Romano fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Japan throws a curveball at 79 mph. Romano connects and sends a line drive to left field at 105 mph. Spain runs in but can’t get to it! England rounds third and heads home. The throw... not in time! England scores, and Romano is on second! "The Freedom Fighters extend their lead to 17-11!" Another run batted in!

Next up is America, the star player of their team. We've come up on this exact face off twice now. America at bat, and Romano on base. Let's see if third times a charm.

America vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan delivers a fastball at 93 mph. America swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 92 mph. America fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Japan throws a curveball at 79 mph. America connects and sends a line drive to deep right field at 110 mph. France runs back... and it’s gone! Home run, America! "The Freedom Fighters extend their lead to 19-11! What a performance!" Amazing another home run by America! You do not want to let this man get a piece of that ball! Japan does not look happy about that one. America and Romano doing their handshake at home plate after a very dramatic around the plate walk by America, he really took his sweet time.

Now, Germany steps up again, number 85, playing right field. He’s looking to keep the momentum going.

Germany vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 91 mph. Germany swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: A curveball at 78 mph. Germany watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Japan delivers a slider at 84 mph. Germany connects and sends a grounder to shortstop at 99 mph. Prussia fields it cleanly but throws wide to first! Germany reaches safely on the error!" It's not looking good for our home team. They seem to be feeling the pressure from those last runs. They need to keep their nerves in check and just focus on fundamentals.

Next up is Ireland, number 22, playing second base. He’s been reliable all game.

Ireland vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 92 mph. Ireland swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 93 mph. Ireland fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Japan delivers a changeup at 80 mph. Ireland connects and sends a line drive to right field at 105 mph. France dives but can't make the catch! Germany advances to third, and Ireland is on first!"

Now, Sweden steps up again, number 92. He hit a home run earlier this inning.

Sweden vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan delivers a fastball at 92 mph. Sweden swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: A curveball at 79 mph. Sweden watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Japan throws a slider at 85 mph. Sweden connects and sends a high fly ball to deep left center field at 108 mph. It’s going, going, gone! Another home run for Sweden! "The Freedom Fighters extend their lead to 21-11! What a display of power!" Amazing hit by Sweden! cleaning up the basses again!

Finally, Italy steps up again. He’s looking to add to the total.

Italy vs. Japan:

Pitch 1: Japan throws a fastball at 92 mph. Italy swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 93 mph. Italy fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Japan throws a changeup at 81 mph. Italy connects and sends a grounder to second base at 95 mph. Finland fields it cleanly and throws to first. "Out number three!"

End of the Top of the Ninth Inning:

Freedom Fighters: 11 runs, 9 hits, 0 errors

Freedom Fighters lead 21-11

And that does it for the top of the ninth. Japan did not look happy he was teh first one off the field to teh dug out. They seem to really be feeling the pressure after that home run from America, that set the whole tone of the Stadium into silence. Let's see if Japan and his team can return the call. We have seen them dig themselves out of worse before.

Bottom of the Ninth Inning:

Leading off for the Tsunami Titans in the bottom of the ninth inning is Spain, wearing number 12 and playing left field. He’s looking to get something started.

Spain vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy throws a fastball at 85 mph. Spain swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. Spain connects and sends a towering fly ball to right field at 108 mph. It's going, going, gone! Home run, Spain! "The Tsunami Titans cut the lead to 21-12! What a shot!" And Spain is here to return the call! They are not out of this game yet folks!

Next up is Finland, number 77, playing second base. Let’s see if he can keep the momentum going.

Finland vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy throws a fastball at 85 mph. Finland swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. Finland watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Italy delivers a curveball at 77 mph. Finland connects and sends a grounder to shortstop at 97 mph. Denmark fields it cleanly but throws wide to first! Finland reaches safely on the error!" A great base hit by Finland ready to help his team set up a big play.

Now, it’s Iceland, number 45, playing first base. He’s looking to make an impact.

Iceland vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy delivers a fastball at 85 mph. Iceland swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. Iceland fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Italy throws a slider at 80 mph. Iceland connects and sends a line drive to center field at 102 mph. America dives but can't make the catch! Finland advances to third, and Iceland is on first!" A Stunning it by Iceland! A runner on first and third.

Next up is France, number 39, playing right field. The crowd is on their feet!

France vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy throws a fastball at 85 mph. France swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. France watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Italy delivers a curveball at 78 mph. France connects and sends a high fly ball to left field at 105 mph. Sweden runs back, back... and it’s gone! A three-run home run for France! "The Tsunami Titans cut the lead to 21-15! What a comeback!" And clear the base home run by France! what a hit!

America calls a Time Out from Center. America and Italy meet at the mound to have a chat. They seem to be having a pretty serious discussion between the two of them a lot of hand movements going on.

While they have their little discussion this might be a good time to go over some of Italy's stats. Not only is he know for being the fastest in the league but strike out wise he's the better pitcher on the Freedom Fighters. He's best to have as a closer for situations like these. he really knows how to keep his cool and shut down batters.

And time out is over the game is back ok! Now, it’s Turkey at bat, number 40, the catcher. Let’s see if he can keep the rally going.

Turkey vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy throws a fastball at 85 mph. Turkey swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. Turkey fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Italy delivers a slider at 79 mph. Turkey makes contact, a grounder to shortstop at 100 mph. Denmark fields it cleanly and throws to first. "Out number one!" Nice shut down by Italy it looks like he's really locked in. That smile is gone from his face and he's all business.

Next up is Prussia, number 01, playing shortstop. Known for his confidence, let’s see if he can get on base.

Prussia vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy throws a fastball at 85 mph. Prussia swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. Prussia watches it go by. "Ball one." Italy is shaking that one off, holding the ball staring Russia down waiting on the pitch to be called.

Pitch 3: Italy delivers a curveball at 77 mph. Prussia makes contact, a grounder to third base at 97 mph. England fields it cleanly and throws to first. "Out number two!" That was a nice effort by Prussia, If only he got a bigger piece of that one.

Next up is Scotland, number 11, playing center field. Let’s see if he can get something started with two outs. They really have to make something happen here.

Scotland vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy throws a fastball at 85 mph. Scotland swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. Scotland watches it go by. "Ball one."

Pitch 3: Italy delivers a slider at 80 mph. Scotland connects and sends a high fly ball to left center field at 108 mph. America and Sweden converge... and it drops between them! Scotland hustles to second base for a double!" Great hit by Scotland!

And now, it’s Japan, 'The Tsunami,' wearing number 8 and pitching. The crowd is electric!

Japan vs. Italy:

Pitch 1: Italy throws a fastball at 85 mph. Japan swings and misses. "Strike one!"

Pitch 2: Another fastball at 86 mph. Japan fouls it off. "Strike two!"

Pitch 3: Italy delivers a changeup at 78 mph. Japan makes contact, a line drive to right field at 104 mph. Germany dives but can't make the catch. Scotland rounds third and heads for home. The throw to the mound... in time! Scotland rounding third making his way home. Italy charges, meets him there. Italy with the tag, and Scotland is out! "The Freedom Fighters win, 21-15!" He's out of there, and that's the ball game! the Freedom Fighters dominated by 6 points. What a come back! They spend the whole game dragging behind just to come out in the ninth with a mission to win!

End of the Game:

Freedom Fighters: 21 runs

Tsunami Titans: 15 runs

What a thrilling game. Italy taking initiative with that last out, not wanting to risk his throw to home and risked it for the out. Judging by the whole game this really isn't how I thought this game was going to turn out. It seemed like everything was going in the favor of The Titans after the switch up in teh outfield. But it looks like the Fighters buckled down. I'm not sure what America said to them in the dug out during their pep talk but whatever it was it sure worked!

For the MVP of the game I'm going to have to give it to: America: What with his pitching to lead off the game and his multiple home runs and leading his team to victory with an amazing come back.

Honorable mentions would have to be:

Sweden: Clearing the bases twice in the same inning driving in 6 runs, is something of legends.

Japan: Pitched all 9 innings and didn't show any sign of slowing down. I think he had a few more in him EASY

Spain: It's hard not to give this guy the recognition he deserves, he always puts on a show.

Players that need to go to my intensive baseball training camp before we even consider a rematch: Prussia- too many errors Canada- Was taken out of the game due to his poor show on first base, costing his team runs and the game. Germany- Is not signed up for teh camp but is on THIN ice. he needs to look alive out there and stop getting so distracted.

Pitching run down: America- Pitched 6 innings. Had a total of 84 throws. 5 strike outs Italy- Pitched 3 innings. Had a total of 48 throws. 3 strike outs Japan- Pitched all 9 innings. Had a total of 155 throws. 9 strike outs

[severitus-big-bang]

Rules and FAQ

(last updated 04/Feb/2024: Added icebreaker questions, updated Round 3 end date. Please confer most recent questions segment for participant questions.)

Pitching has ended! Claiming will happen:

Round 1: Feb 3rd, 11:59 UTC – Feb 4th, 11:59 UTC Round 2: Feb 7th, 11:59 UTC – Feb 8th, 11:59 UTC Round 3: Feb 10th, 11:59 UTC – Feb 11th, 11:59 UTC

Please read the following rules and FAQ completely and carefully if you plan to participate in this fest, and then, if you haven't already:

check out the How-to-Claim doc in which the link to the Claiming Form can be found - which will be open once the claming timeframe starts!

Come say hi on our discord server!

Eager to get to know your teammates? Here's a set of icebreaker questions!

Table of contents:

Most important Rules/Infos

Most recently asked questions

What is Severitus?

How does this Big Bang and Reverse Big Bang work in general?

How can I participate?

What types of works am I allowed to create?

I have no way to access to the pitching / claiming form in the given time frame, but I still want to pitch / claim! How do I do that?

Do I have to pitch to claim?

Can I create works based off of already existing fanworks?

When will this happen? Important Dates:

What happens if I can’t make a deadline/have to opt out?

How will the teams be formed?

I would like to be paired with [XYZ, a specific person]. How do I let you know?

I'm not quite comfortable working with others. Can I still participate?

What happens if I don’t get along with my team members?

Why are there mandatory check-ins?

What happens if I miss a mandatory check-in?

This is totally different from what I know from other Big Bangs. Why?

What is pinch-hitting?

How do I post my work?

I have never posted a work to AO3 - how do I do it?

I do not want to open an AO3 account / do not want the contents of this fest to be associated with my AO3 account. Is there still a way for me to participate?

Can I post my work to other sites besides AO3?

Can I add my work to other fests or collections?

I really want to participate, but I don't have any ideas currently! Is there a prompt list?

I have a question that is not on this list! How and where can I find you?

Most important Rules/Infos

This is a Severitus-centred fest. As such, we will only allow works that feature Severus Snape and Harry Potter in any platonic/non-romantic/non-sexual setting. No Snarry works will be allowed. 

Most important dates: Pitching starts: Jan 1st 2024 Pitching closes: Jan 28th Claiming opens: Feb 3rd Works due: May 17th Posting begins: June 1st 

If you can’t make the deadline, please reach out to the mods as early as possible so we can make arrangements and give you an extension. 

Pitching and claiming will be hosted via google forms. The links to those will be posted accordingly. There will be mandatory check-ins once you have claimed. Please stay in contact with the mods (see FAQ). Fics must NOT be Snarry. Ages to participate: 13+, creation of works rated M or E: 18+ 

Minimum requirements for your works: 

Fic: 2500 words

Poetry: 500 words OR 6 poems

Traditional or digital art: 600x600 px (scans in reasonable quality), and a basic description for accessibility

Spoken audio work: 15 minutes, and a written summary (transcript nice-to-have; podficcers may be allowed to pod an excerpt of their template if the final product is at least 15 minutes long)

Original music: 3 minutes, and a basic description (for instance lyrics, chords, sheet music) for accessibility

Song parody: 2 songs, (link to) reference work, and new lyrics

Playlist: 7 elements

Moodboard: 7 elements

Original dance: 3 minutes, and a basic description for accessibility

Fanbinding: one complete typeset: check out this post for details

Other forms: please contact the mod(s)

There are no maximums.

We do NOT accept AI generated content. 

The works must be original to the fest and created by you. They can be part of an existing universe, but must be understandable as stand-alone. 

Posting Please post your works to the AO3 collection and add the mod account (Severitus_Big_Bang_Mods) as co-creator. We will not change your work in any form, we just want to make sure it is appropriately tagged and rated and we can change the publication-date according to the posting-schedule. After reveals, we will delete the mod account from your works.

We want this to be a respectful and safe space. So the following general (fandom) rules apply:

Be respectful, no bullying, no harassment, …

No character or ship shaming/bashing, SALS - ship and let ship

Works created in this event must NOT feature characters under 18 in sexually explicit scenarios

Like most other fandoms, Harry Potter as a canon/fanon/fandom grapples with various issues, including but not limited to transphobia/transmisia, racism and other forms of discrimination. When creating fanworks, it can be helpful to keep various resources in mind, as well as doing additional research. Writing with Color’s Stereotypes & Tropes Navigation is one way to begin examining racism in fanworks creation - please especially refer to the colour stereotype post in regards to the term "Black / Dark Magic" which is deeply rooted in racism. Magical Trans is a community for transgender individuals in the Harry Potter fandom. If you have resources you’ve found helpful and would like to share, please let us know. (We trust this caution isn’t necessary, but if you don’t agree with the linked resources, please do not contact them with negative comments.) (Thank you to @bluedreaming for drawing our attention to this issue, and for allowing us to use their stipulations.)

Most Recent Questions:

Can I invite fellow creators? (Yes!)

Are side ships allowed? (Yes, all apart from Snarry are!)

Detail questions about pitching

You can find the answers HERE: https://severitus-big-bang.tumblr.com/post/738225193133244416/answering-some-more-questions-about-the

I have a question that is not on this list! How and where can I find you?

Mail: severitusbigbang@gmail.com

Discord: in the Severitus Big Bang Discord server or in the Big Bang channel of the Potions&Snitches Server

Tumblr @severitus-big-bang

AO3: Severitus Big Bang 2024 AO3 collection  

Your Mods:

Serena: she/her, @serenaew (discord, tumblr, AO3)

Trueliarose: she/her, @trueliarose (discord, tumblr, AO3)

Eso; any/they/them; esotericsevitus (discord), @esotericsnape (tumblr), esoteric_creature (ao3)

Binte: she/her, @bintemuhammad (discord, tumblr, AO3)

You can find the rest of the FAQ under the cut. 

What is Severitus?

For the sake of this fest, Severitus is every form of fanwork where Severus Snape and Harry Potter have a non-sexual / non-romanticrelationship. 

Severus’ and Harry’s gender don’t have to be male. We welcome any female/non-binary/trans or other queer characters, and characters of any race, and of any other identity, in our works.

Please note that it is our foremost goal to create a chill fest and good experience for everybody participating. That means we need to create a safe space for Severitus shippers and as such, we cannot allow any works that even wander the line to being read as sexual or romantic in the sense of “Snarry”. 

Severitus includes the following:

Snape as Harry’s father/father figure (biological, adopted, stepfather, uncle, godparent)

Snape being Harry’s mentor (Professor, Master in apprenticeship setting, friendly neighbour, you name it)

Severus and Harry being siblings

Severus and Harry being platonic friends

Reverse Severitus: Harry being Severus’ parent/uncle, mentor…

For more information you can also look through our prompt ideas which you can find on our tumblr.

How does this Big Bang and Reverse Big Bang work in general?

The Severitus Big Bang is a fanworks fest centred around Severitus and Reverse Severitus works. 

Creators pitch their ideas of any form to other creators to work on them together and create two or more intertwined fanworks of different kinds/media. 

The spirit of this fest is to connect creators and encourage each other's creativity to collaborate and celebrate Severitus together. If you don’t feel comfortable collaborating with others, it is technically possible to sign up as a “solo team” and create multiple projects for the same idea on your own; however we hope (and we give our best) to create a safe atmosphere without pressure or negativity for our teams to flourish. 

Creators can sign up (pitch, claim, or both) to create works, which, ideally, should be ready by the submission date. (See: [What happens if I have to opt out]). After submission, we plan to reveal the works in a staggered reveal (ideally, we will get new Severitus content every day in June).  All the works will be part of the Severitus Big Bang 2024 AO3 collection. 

For more information please read the following FAQs.

How can I participate?

This bang is more formalised than just posting within the given time frame.

To participate, creators should sign up and can either pitch, claim, or both to create works. 

You are allowed to pitch and/or claim as many works as you feel you can manage in the creation time span.

1. Pitching Pitching means you offer up an idea of yours for other creators to claim later on so that you can create fanworks in collaboration. This is the perfect opportunity to get ideas/prompts that have been on your mind for a long time, but you didn’t have enough time or creativity to work on, out there so that others can share in your joy. 

Please note that a pitch is more than just a one-line prompt; the requirements will be finalised and posted closer to Jan 1st. 

If you ask yourself why all the effort: it is the mods' attempt to formalise the process of presenting your idea for collaborating with other creators so that you needn't know your collaborators' identities to have a high likelihood to create something you both / all like. The process consists of a Google Form. 

All is explained in a great more detail here.

2. Claiming Later on, creators can claim any of the given pitches that request collaborators. 

There will be three rounds of claiming. To ensure that we have the best possible overlap with our creators' needs and wishes, we (the mod team) will work out the best fitting teams, and as many matches as possible, after each round of the claiming period. After matching, any open or partly-open pitches will be opened for claiming again. We hope that all pitches will be claimed after the third round; the unclaimed ones will be open for pinch hitting and will receive at least a little something from the mods. 

For more details about Ho-To-Claim, please refer to this document.

You will then be notified about your claim and how to proceed. 

You then have a period to create. Let your creativity strike, discuss your ideas and works with your co-creator(s) and simply do what you do best. Ideally you have your work ready by the submission date. (See: [Important Dates]) After submission, we plan to reveal the works in a staggered reveal (ideally we will get new Severitus content in June).

What types of works am I allowed to create?

You can create any type of fanwork associated with the pitch you claimed. 

Here is a list of possible types of media:

Written works such as fanfiction, poetry

Traditional or digital art, crafts

Comics, manga

Spoken audio work such as podfic, podcast, audio play

Music (both original music and song parodies)

Fanvid

Playlist

Moodboard

Original dance

Fanbinding

Recipes

…

For further inspiration and clarification especially for the term "art" please refer to this extensive list: https://unconventionalfanworkex.dreamwidth.org/14316.html. 

If you are unsure if the work you want to create will fit the parameters of this fest, please feel free to contact a mod; in these cases, we also advise you to check in with your fellow team member(s)

I have no way to access to the pitching / claiming form in the given time frame, but I still want to pitch / claim! How do I do that?

If you know you won’t be able to pitch / claim during the according period, please contact us and we will send you the pitching or claiming form in advance so you can participate.

For reasons of fairness, please let us know when you will need the form by so that we can pre-release the forms to all participants at the same time.

Pitching or claiming early will not influence your likelihood of being paired with your first choice(s).

Do I have to pitch to claim?

No. You can pitch and not claim or claim and not pitch or do both, it is up to you. However, we hope to receive a lot of pitches and claims to make this fest work, so it is super, duper awesome if you can do both.

Can I create works based off of already existing fanworks?

For your own pre-existing universes, yes, as long as the Big Bang work(s) are newly published and understandable as stand-alone! If at all possible, we would like to ask for your pitch to stay anonymous until claiming ends. 

You can use an already existing fanwork as your pitch if you have permission to create secondary/derivative fanworks by the original author/creator. Please note that we (the mods) can not grant you this permission and can also not monitor if every pitch meets this stipulation. 

If you as a creator want to give permission for others to use your works as such, maybe add a fanworks permission statement / transformative works policy to your profile. You can find a statement builder here or check the mods' profiles for inspiration.

When will this happen? Important Dates:

Pitching starts: Jan 1st 2024

Pitching closes: Jan 28th 

Claiming opens: Feb 3rd (Round 1)

Claiming closes: Feb 17th (Round 3), or earlier if all pitches are claimed to the max

Icebreakers (Check-in 1): Feb 18th

Check-in 2: Mar 3rd

Check-in 3: Mar 31st

Check-in 4: April 28th 

Works due: May 17th

Posting begins: June 1st

What happens if I can’t make a deadline/have to opt out?

Of course, we hope that every one of you will be able to make the submission date, but as we all know: Real life happens. 

If you realise you won’t be able to make the deadline, please contact us early so we know and can plan accordingly. It is completely okay if you have to ask for an extension or drop your claim. We want this to be as accessible and chill as we can make it. 

Just please inform us because we (the mods) have to plan the posting schedule.

How will the teams be formed?

You can either sign up as a pre-formed team with your fandom BFFs (with or without the option of pitching for more team members/claiming as team for a pitch), or the mods will assign you your team member(s) based on who responds to your pitch/which pitches you claim. 

We encourage you to be open to other creators and share the spirit of this fest.

I would like to be paired with [XYZ, a specific person]. How do I let you know?

If you want to be paired with XYZ, the best way to make sure is to sign up (pitch or claim) as a preformed team with yourself and them.

If you pitch your work on your own, we cannot say in advance who you will be paired with until the claims come in at the beginning of February and we can not guarantee that we will assign XYZ as your (only) claimer, because we will have to take all the claims into account.

We will also not reveal the pitchers and claimers to each other until the teams have been decided, and will not reveal the final teams until publication of their works. (So only the teammates themselves know who works together with them until the reveals.)

I'm not quite comfortable working with others. Can I still participate?

If you don’t feel comfortable collaborating with others, it is technically possible to sign up as a “solo team” and create multiple projects for the same idea on your own; however we hope (and we give our best) to create a safe atmosphere without pressure or negativity for our teams to flourish.

What happens if I don’t get along with my team members?

In your claiming form we ask you to give us your Do Not Wants. We try to match the team members to the best of our ability, taking those Do Not Wants into account, and hope that you will get along fine. 

If, despite all this, you notice that you can under no circumstances continue to work together with your teammate(s), please contact the mods. We do not want to force you to work together with someone you can absolutely not stand and we will then find a solution if this might happen.

However, we want to encourage you to be open-minded and give others the benefit of the doubt. We hope to create a fun experience for everybody.

Why are there mandatory check-ins?

We plan to do four mandatory check-ins with you (our participants) to ensure that everything is alright and you are still participating in this fest.

This has several reasons, foremost to make planning for us easier and to ensure that we can help out if that is needed. 

Please note that we don’t want you to feel pressured or patronised. It is completely okay if you just answer “I’m still here.” and tick the box in the relevant google form for those mandatory check-ins. You don’t need to report your work progress to the mods; however, we do recommend using these dates to check in and report to your team (yes, we know, some of us are procrastinators). 

We hope to simply offer guidance and act as a reminder, as life can get busy sometimes.

What happens if I miss a mandatory check-in?

You will have one week to respond to each mandatory check-in. If you missed it, the mod team will reach out to you. Just shoot us a quick response and you are fine. 

If one more week passes without response, we will have to assume that you dropped out. 

If you already know in advance that those just happen to be the two weeks where you are away without internet access, that's fine. Just let us and your collaborator(s) know in advance and we'll mark you as checked in.

This is totally different from what I know from other Big Bangs. Why?

Things evolve and for this, Serena wanted to make the concept of Big Bang more versatile and therefore adjusted it to what she (we!) thought would fit this fest best. 

The goal was to allow as many different types of media as possible, as well as allow the claiming of as many different works/ideas as one wants. Therefore we allow any type or art, artists can claim artists and so on. 

For this fest, the working together and connecting aspect is the focus (and we are of course rewarded with tons of wonderful works). We like to think that connection spikes creativity and helps us to create our own fandom safe space in which we can thrive. 

We also want to make this as chill as possible to take away pressure - which is why we set the minimum word count for fics as low as 2,500 words.

What is pinch-hitting?

Pinch-hitters are people who volunteer to take on an extra pitch later on if somebody has to opt out and drop their claim.

Can I claim after the deadline if I finish with my first project earlier and want to take on a second pitch?

If there are projects looking for pinch-hitters, yes, absolutely. Please feel free to contact a mod if you finish early and want to take on a second pitch.

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I really want to participate, but I don't have any ideas currently! Is there a prompt list?

There is not the usual prompt list, but we have made this list of typical Severitus themes/prompts and starting points. We hope this helps to start off your creativity.

[dinosaurwithablog]

In extra innings, Juan Soto gets a pinch hitting RBI double!! A wild pitch to Soto got the first run of the 10th inning and then Soto's double scores, too!! I love this guy sooooooo much!!😍 it's now 4-1, after Anthony Volpe gets on base for a third time!! This 10th inning has exploded!! Spectacular!! I love these guys. Gerrit Cole, definitely, deserves the win, and my boys are gonna get it for them!! LET'S GO YANKEES!!!!!

[citizenscreen]

19-year-old George Herman “Babe” Ruth made his #MLB debut on July 11, 1914, pitching seven innings to give Boston a win over Cleveland, 4-3. #Baseball #BabeRuth #OnThisDay

[goldenarmyofficial]

⚾ Midnight Challenge – Part 4: The Last Stand Begins

The fog curled tighter around the field as the 8th inning began, twisting like something alive, something refusing to let go. The Phantom Aces still stood tall, their uniforms black as the void, their eyes as empty as the mist that surrounded them. But for the first time, there was a glitch in their perfection.

Isaiah Crowe was gone.

He had been their ace, their impenetrable wall. But Herc’s return had cracked him. His pitches had lost their bite, his control had slipped, and in the end, the Aces had no choice but to pull him.

Now, on the mound, stood Samuel "Eclipse" Harlow (#18).

The air around him felt... wrong. Like something wasn’t fully attached. His form flickered like a mirage, like he wasn’t entirely here. Even the dirt beneath him seemed to bend strangely, like the weight of his presence warped reality itself.

And then, there was the other change.

Nate Voss was missing.

No one had seen him leave. No one had seen him step away. One moment, he had been there. The next? Gone. The dugout was silent about it. No one spoke his name.

In his place stood Dorian "Specter" Lowe (#29).

His uniform looked untouched, his stance too fresh. Like he hadn’t played a single inning. Like he had simply... appeared.

But Gold didn’t hesitate. Not anymore.

Top of 8th – The Grand Slam That Shakes Reality 

Score: 7-8, Phantom Aces Leading

Brock (@brockgold) cracked his knuckles as he stepped into the batter’s box.

He had spent the early innings locking down the Phantom Aces’ offense, but now? Now it was time to break their defense.

Samuel Harlow didn’t blink.

First pitch—fastball. Brock tracked it perfectly. CRACK! A sharp liner to left field. He was already sprinting before the ball even landed.

Safe at first.

The dugout erupted.

Roman (@roman-golden-68) followed. His stance was calm, unshaken. He had spent hours training for this, conditioning himself to not fear the Phantom Aces, to see through the illusions.

He swung without hesitation.

A clean single. Brock to second.

Then came Leander (@leander-gold-88).

Before, he had doubted himself. But now? He saw the cracks in the Phantom Aces’ perfection. He saw the way their movements weren’t seamless anymore.

First pitch—ball. Second pitch—contact.

Another base hit.

Bases loaded.

And then it was supposed to be Dylan’s at-bat (@dylangold20). But he didn’t move. 

Instead, he turned to Ares (@goldengod-ares10). He knew this was the moment to crush the Phantom Ace and the Gold Knights needed their best hitter for that.

Dylan’s golden eyes flickered, his movements smooth as he handed over his bat. He didn’t need to explain. Ares understood immediately.

Ares inhaled, feeling the weight of it.

For innings, he had fought through frustration, through doubt. Herc had been gone, and the fire in his chest had flickered because of it. But now? Now his twin was here. The weight was gone.

Now, Ares felt unstoppable.

The Aces shifted, they knew what was coming.

First pitch—Ares let it pass. Ball one.

Second pitch—he swung hard, a foul that sent the ball screaming into the upper deck.

Samuel Harlow adjusted. Tried to change the rhythm. Tried to make Ares second-guess himself. But it didn’t matter.

Third pitch—contact.

The crack of the bat echoed like thunder.

The ball vanished into the sky.

For a moment, time stood still.

And then—

🔥 GRAND SLAM. 🔥

Ares didn’t even watch it land. He just dropped the bat, grinning sharp as a blade.

The dugout erupted, the cheers deafening.

Gold Takes the Lead. 11-8.

Samuel Harlow stood on the mound, motionless. No anger. No frustration. Just an eerie flicker, as if his form was struggling to stay together.

Mack (@polo-drone-070) stepped in next.

He could still feel the energy of Ares' home run vibrating through the ground, but his focus stayed razor-sharp. First pitch—foul. Second pitch—CRACK.

Deep drive! Double.

Briar (@polo-drone-050) followed.

He had hesitated earlier. Let the shadows creep into his head. But now? Now he fought.

He swung hard, forcing the Phantom Aces into tight defensive play.

A grounder, but Mack advanced to third.

1 OUT.

Then Herc (@goldenherc9) stepped up.

Harlow stared at him, his flickering form still shifting unnaturally. Herc didn’t care.

First pitch—line drive. Mack sprinted home.

🔥 12-8. 🔥

Brandon (@brandongold58) followed.

And across from him, standing perfectly still, was Vincent Moreau.

They had been testing each other all game. Moreau had tried to call for the perfect pitches to shut Brandon down. To keep Gold from getting momentum.

But Brandon had studied him, too.

Harlow threw. Brandon tracked the ball instantly. He adjusted his swing, not going for a massive play, but just enough.

The ball shot toward short. Maddox moved before it even hit the dirt.

🔥 Ground out. 🔥

But Brandon had gained the upper hand.

He had read Moreau’s signals. Next time, he’d win the duel.

2 OUTS.

Brody (@brodygold) stepped in last, determined to push for one more run. But the Phantom Aces had recovered, snapping a perfect double play.

🏆 End of Top 8th: Gold Leads 12-8

The Phantom Aces didn’t react. No frustration, no anger. But something was wrong.

The mist twisted in unnatural shapes, the lights above flickered erratically.

🔥 Bottom of the 8th – Gold Locks Down the Phantom Aces

Dorian Lowe stepped up first.

His shadow didn’t match his movements.

First pitch—he swung.

A grounder to third.

🔥 Brock reacted instantly—fired to first. OUT. 🔥

Samuel Harlow followed.

He battled to a full count, but when the ball came—🔥 Leander made a diving catch. OUT. 🔥

Then came Maddox Kane.

For a moment, time seemed to slow.

Herc exhaled, rolling his shoulders. The ball sat heavy in his grip. Maddox watched him, expression unreadable.

🔥 First pitch—strike.

🔥 Second pitch—strike.

Herc wound up, and Maddox swung hard.

🔥 MISS. 🔥

🔥 STRIKEOUT. 🔥

The Phantom Aces' captain had fallen.

Gold’s dugout roared—but the shadows surged.

Something wasn’t over.

🏆 End of 8th Inning – Gold Still Leads 12-8

But the curse wasn’t done yet.

The Stadium Warps

The 9th inning begins, but the field is no longer the same.

The bases stretch further apart, the foul lines twist unnaturally, bending into the mist before snapping back into place. The pitcher's mound feels taller, steeper, the very air around it thick with resistance. The stadium itself shudders, shifting as if fighting to hold its shape.

Grayden (@polo-drone-084) raises his sword, his golden glow flickering against the creeping darkness. “GOLD ARMY, HOLD THE LINE!”

Milo (@polo-drone-151) barks, his sleek polo-drone form twisting through the air, snapping at the shadows that refuse to disperse.

But the Phantom Aces are no longer playing baseball. They are fighting to keep their reality intact.

Tamerlan (@polo-drone-073) sees it immediately. His fingers tighten around his armrest in the dugout, frustration boiling beneath his skin. He had prepared for this. He might have not anticipated the trick they used to bring back the pain of his old injury, but visual illusions were well within his tactical predictions. Since getting out, he had been busy adjusting his work to account for the property of the strange place they were in.

Without hesitation, he pulls out  two pairs of goggles and shoves them into Brandon and Brock’s hands.

“Put these on. Now.” His voice is sharp, urgent.

Brandon pulls them on first. The bases snap back into place. The distortion lessens. His breath steadies.

Brock follows, his grip tightening on his bat. No hesitation. No second-guessing. Time to finish this.

Top of the 9th – Gold Pushes Through the Illusion

Score: 12-8, Gold Leading

Samuel Harlow still flickers on the mound, his shadow moving before his body, a half-second ahead of reality.

Brock steps up first. He doesn’t think about the unnatural pull of the stadium. He trusts the goggles, trusts his training, trusts his bat.

First pitch—a fast curveball, breaking too late. Ball one.

Brock grips the bat tighter. He sees it. The illusions don’t work.

Second pitch—he swings, clean contact!

🔥 DOUBLE. 🔥

He’s on second before the mist can try to trick him.

Roman follows.

The fog tightens, creeping toward the plate. He knows what he has to do.

First pitch—strike.

Second pitch—he squares up, bunts toward first.

The Phantom Aces react too late.

Brock charges to third. Roman is tagged out.

🔥 1 OUT. 🔥

Leander steps in.

The Aces adjust. The stadium twists.

First pitch—strike.

Second pitch—strike.

Third pitch—he swings at nothing.

🔥 STRIKEOUT. 🔥

🔥 2 OUTS. 🔥

Ares grips his bat. He inhales sharply, pushing the weight of the shadows off his shoulders.

He knows the feeling of being watched. But he also knows the feeling of being stronger.

First pitch—strike.

Second pitch—strike.

He exhales, adjusting.

Foul.

Foul.

Foul.

The Aces won’t let him through. But he won’t stop.

Next pitch—contact.

🔥 Brock sprints home.

🔥 13-8. 🔥

Ares plants himself at first, his breath even, controlled. He refuses to look at the mist creeping toward the bases.

Mack steps up. The Phantom Aces stall, twisting the air around him.

First pitch—ball.

Second pitch—ball.

Third pitch—a sharp grounder.

Ares breaks into a sprint, tearing toward third.

Mack barrels toward first—🔥 SAFE. 🔥

The Final Play: Briar’s Gamble, Ares’ Divine Sprint

Brandon turns to Briar as he steps up, his voice low and steady.

“Vincent’s trying to shut you down. He’s adjusting the calls too fast. He’s expecting you to swing hard. Don’t.”

Briar listens. He adjusts.

First pitch—strike.

Second pitch—strike.

Vincent locks in the kill shot. He calls for a fastball, expecting Briar to swing through it.

🔥 But Briar bunts. 🔥

A soft roller down the first-base line.

He charges.

The bases warp. The distance stretches.

🔥 They are trapped in an illusion. 🔥

Briar pushes harder, but he’s not fast enough. The tag is coming.

Ares doesn’t think. He moves.

The shadows try to drag him down, but he burns through them.

🔥 HE DIVES. 🔥

🔥 SAFE. 🔥

🔥 14-8. 🔥

Ares managed to score just before Briar was tagged out. 3 OUTS. Inning over, but momentum is Gold. The dugout erupts. 

Bottom of the 9th – The Curse Fights Back

Score: 14-8, Gold Leading

The mist rises again. The field stretches farther, pulling away.

Brandon tightens his mask. He sees through it.

The curse is pushing back harder than ever.

🔥 The Final Duel: Brandon vs. Vincent Moreau

Vincent steps up.

For eight innings, they have been testing each other. Every pitch, every signal, every play at the plate.

Now, it comes down to this.

Vincent’s expression is unreadable. But his grip is tighter.

Brandon sees it.

He smirks.

“Not today.”

First pitch—curveball, outside.

Vincent doesn’t swing. Ball one.

The mist ripples. The field warps.

Brandon calls for a fastball, inside.

Herc fires.

Vincent swings—🔥 MISS. 🔥

🔥 STRIKE ONE. 🔥

Brandon adjusts. Breaking ball.

Herc winds up.

The mist claws at the ball, tries to twist it.

🔥 Herc pushes through. 🔥

🔥 STRIKE TWO. 🔥

Vincent adjusts his stance.

Brandon grins. Final call.

🔥 Fastball, high.

Vincent swings.

🔥 MISS. 🔥

🔥 STRIKE THREE. OUT. 🔥

The dugout erupts.

🔥 The Curse Fights Back – The Fog Closes In

Vincent Moreau was out. Struck down by Brandon’s perfect call and Herc’s sheer power. But the Phantom Aces weren’t finished.

The stadium groaned. The mist curled thicker, heavier, unnatural. The field itself was twisting, stretching.

Jesse Briggs stepped up, his body moving with an eerie calm precision.

First pitch—contact!

A fast roller toward first.

Brody moved for it, his stance solid—but the ball flickered.

His glove closed on nothing.

Illusion.

The real ball zipped past him, skipping toward Briar in right field.

Briar reacted fast, snatching it up, but Jesse had already sprinted past first. He slid into second, untouched.

One on second. No outs.

The fog grew thicker. The air felt heavier.

And then came Maddox Kane.

Herc exhaled sharply, gripping the ball tighter. This was it.

He wound up, threw a vicious curveball—

Maddox swung—contact.

A high fly ball.

Leander was on it immediately. He adjusted, tracked its path, glove open, ready to end it—

But as the ball dropped into his glove…

🔥 It wasn’t real. 🔥

The illusion shattered in his hands.

The real ball hit the dirt.

Too late.

Jesse charged past third. Maddox reached first.

Leander reacted fast, launching the ball to Brandon.

Jesse held. Maddox held.

The Phantom Aces weren’t pushing their luck.

Runners on first and third. No outs.

The stadium groaned again.

And then came Dominic.

The mist coiled around him. The air stretched unnaturally.

Herc inhaled sharply, then fired a fastball.

🔥 Time slowed. 🔥

Dominic’s eyes gleamed. His body adjusted unnaturally, like he had already seen the pitch before it was thrown.

CRACK.

The ball shot deep.

Ares took off.

It was too far. Too high.

🔥 Jesse scored. 🔥

Maddox rounded third—

But Ares planted his feet, fired a perfect throw to Brandon.

Maddox stopped in his tracks.

Dominic on first. Maddox on third. One out.

🔥 14-9. 🔥

The fog surged. The lights dimmed.

The curse was trying to rewrite the game.

🔥 Julian at Bat – The Phantom’s Trickery Peaks

Julian Graves stepped up.

Herc tightened his grip.

Brandon signaled.

But—

🔥 He couldn’t see Brandon. 🔥

The fog was too thick. The shadows too strong.

First pitch—ball.

Brandon called for a fastball.

Second pitch—🔥 STRIKE. 🔥

Third pitch—🔥 STRIKE. 🔥

The dugout leaned forward. One more—

Herc wound up, launched a perfect fourth pitch—

Julian bunted.

🔥 The ball disappeared. 🔥

Brandon saw through it.

“ROMAN—DIVE!”

Roman launched himself forward, stretching for the ball—

🔥 Too late. 🔥

Maddox tore across home plate.

Dominic advanced to second.

Julian safe at first.

🔥 14-10. 🔥

The dugout went silent.

The Phantom Aces were gaining momentum.

The stadium was breaking.

🔥 Time Out – Herc’s Final Words

Herc lifted his cap, his golden aura flaring.

The team looked at him. The mist tightened, the shadows creeping closer.

“Listen up.” His voice was firm. Unshaken.

He met each of their eyes.

“Tricks won’t save them. Tricks won’t win this game.”

His gaze locked on Brandon.

“Call it. I’ll end it.”

Brandon nodded.

The dugout stood taller. The Golden Knight raised his sword.

Milo barked.

🔥 They would not lose. 🔥

🔥 The Final Out – Ezra Faces Fate

Ezra Quinn stepped up.

But he wasn’t alone.

🔥 Maddox’s shadow still loomed over him. 🔥

The stadium turned pitch black.

🔥 The field vanished. 🔥

Only Brandon. Only Herc. Only Ezra.

But they didn’t need to see.

Brandon signaled.

Low pitch.

Herc threw.

Ezra settled for a ground roller.

🔥 Mack sensed it, reacting immediately. No thoughts involved.

He scooped the ball, tagged Julian out.

🔥 OUT. 🔥

Mack spun, launched the ball to Brock.

🔥 The ball disappeared.

🔥 Illusion.

But Brock saw through it.

🔥 He clutched it, tagged Dominic. 🔥

🔥 OUT. 🔥

🔥 THREE OUTS. GAME OVER. 🔥

🏆 THE FINAL OUT. THE CURSE BREAKS.

For a moment, everything is still.

Then—

🔥 THE PHANTOM ACES VANISH. 🔥

The mist collapses inward.

The stadium shudders, cracks splintering through the dirt.

The curse unravels.

The Phantom Aces are gone.

Only Maddox Kane lingers. Herc watches him. Maddox smiles—just a little, before fading into the mist.

And Gold?

🔥 Gold has won. 🔥

FINAL SCORE: 14-10 – GOLD ARMY BREAKS THE CURSE

🔥 The Unbeaten Have Fallen. 🔥 The Phantom Stadium Crumbles. 🔥 Gold Has Done the Impossible.

History has been rewritten.

______ (Pictures by @polo-drone-151, @goldenherc9 and @polo-drone-070). Join the Gold now to face such challenges with us. Contact @brodygold, @goldenherc9 or @polo-drone-001.

[leicamoments]

Eyes To The Heavens

I pulled into car park ‘A’ at around 8am, relieved to hear security on the Headingley Stadium gate confirm he was expecting me. Parking under a tree, I looked up at the sign that adorned the side of the building still trying to work out the logistics of the day in my head.

I was at Headingley to cover the Yorkshire Cricket Board’s Finals Day being held at both Headingley Stadium and a couple of miles away at Weetwood.

To be fair, it was already raining and the prospects for the day didn’t look good. Maybe there could be a chance of some cricket later, but recently the weather forecast has been unreliable, so I was simply going to watch the radar and see where the main rain was falling.

I chatted with Katie Stewart who was greeting the teams at reception, then met with Grace Pearson up in the Long Room, overlooking the Headingley pitch. I found out that the start was going to be delayed, so decided to head down pitch side to see what photos I could get in the meantime.

A quick discussion with the umpires and grounds people had, I headed around the boundary to get different shots of the stands and Pavilion – all to help with telling the story of the day.

A further delay and then word that the softball final had potentially got underway, meant that I hopped back into the car and headed to Weetwood Park. Depressingly, it rained while I made the short journey and was still spitting slightly when I made a real hash of parking the car into one of the narrow spots in the car park.

Unfortunately, the games hadn’t started, and I was informed that they were on the verge of calling the day off due to the continued poor conditions. However, we still had some team photos to capture, and we set about getting the various shots of the eight teams attending.

Eight photos and one big group shot later, the decision was to postpone the softball finals, so I headed back to Headingley as they had apparently started one of the hardball semi-finals there.

I got to the ground just as the first innings was ending…seemingly a monster innings of hitting as Sessay had managed to get over 150 in their ten sets. Wow! I felt really disappointed to have not been there to see that!

I grabbed shots of Sheffield Collegiate’s response and had no time to settle as the next game between Doncaster Town and Saxton got underway – trying to beat the menacingly dark clouds racing towards the stadium. Unfortunately, as the first innings of that semi ended, the rain returned and, well…that was that.

Cricket in September is always going to be at the mercy of the elements and so it proved on Sunday…the weather gods in this case prevailing.

Disappointment put aside, we managed to get a big group photo downstairs in the indoor training area, and Paul Cummins gave a few words of thanks to the assembled group of players, supporters and staff of the Yorkshire Cricket Board who had organised the day.

It was wonderful to see such a huge group of people at both Weetwood and at Headingley to support women’s cricket, I think it is a testament to all involved that the game is growing in Yorkshire so quickly, and I am looking forward to getting out to cover more games next season. 

From conversations had in the past day, I believe that the finals for the softball competition will happen at the beginning of the 2025 season. The hardball finals will be concluded on Sunday at Walton Park Cricket Club near Wetherby, starting at 11:30 for the remaining semi-final and then the final kicking-off at 1:30pm.

It would be great to have you pop along to support the teams!

[zoeology31]

Series sweep! 🧹🧹🧹🧹

Yeah, you're supposed to beat bad teams, but 4-game sweeps are hard, especially with a doubleheader thrown in. This was a great series with a lot of action and lots of fun stuff happening. The team is hitting its stride offensively and has the confidence to come back from any deficit, the City Connects and everyone's custom gear look great, there's a Prince-themed homer celly now, etc.

Pitching was... interesting this series, but Ryan and Ober both had genuinely strong starts, and half credit to Varland for shutting things down through 4+ innings after Paddack got lit up. Also strong performances from Jax, Alcala, Staumont, and Duran out of the bullpen, all four of them have really been great in their own way.

Royce Lewis is unbelievable, man. Every day he hits a homer and there's a new stat about how historic his pace is in franchise history. Genuinely if he keeps this up he should be an All-Star, forget about the missed time.

On a similar note, what a heater Correa's on right now. Extremely deserved AL player of the week, hitting a ridiculous .548/.576/.871 with 17 hits and 3 homers, and expanding that window slightly he has 24 hits in his last 11 games. It's the best stretch of his career (yes, including 2017) and the best by any Twin since 2010, and damn is it fun to watch.

Other position player shoutouts: Buxton had some clutch hits and played his usual amazing defense, Kepler of course had his night on Friday, and Santana, Miranda, and Larnach all came up big at various points. Also welcome back Austin Martin, who's already had some well-timed hits and that insane homer-robbing catch last night (MLB play of the week and #1 on SportsCenter top ten!). I have a feeling he'll be sticking around this time.

(On-brand closing note: Duran's kids threw out the first pitch for Father's Day and it was the cutest thing in the world)

Half a game back from KC and five and a half from Cleveland (thank you Jays). Let's have some fun.

[brandstifter-sys]

Coach

For @dukexietyweek Day 8: Kids              (Ao3) (login required)

Word Count: 1786

Rating: T

Characters: Virgil, Remus, Roman, Andy (TS Shorts Anxiety), OCs, Pattong (mentioned)

Warnings: mentions of toxic parents, death mention, sex mention

Virgil is one of the best coaches the local Little League has, and the kids love him. And so does one of their older brothers. And why wouldn’t Remus adore the one person more than willing to help him with Roman after losing their parents?

---

"Alright, bring it in!" Virgil shouted to his team. It was almost time for the first game of the season and he wanted to make sure his kids were ready. 

About a dozen kids flocked to his dugout from the field, ready for the first huddle of the season. He was already proud of these kids, all between 10 and 11 years old. They had spirit and they trusted him to keep the team in line and in good spirits. 

"Great warm up out there. Now we're fielding first. Andy, you think you can pitch this inning?" Virgil said and eyed his cousin.

"No." 

"Alright, do you want to pitch at all for this game?" 

"No." 

"Okay. So you, Mike, and Damian won't go on the mound. That makes this easier. Davis, you're pitching first. Mike, left. Abdul, center. Wayne, right. Carlos, first. Andy, second. Roman, shortstop. Demitri, third. Toshio, catcher—Coach Pat will help you suit up. Damian, Benny, you're on the bench for now." 

"I don't want to be left field!" Mike complained. He was the difficult one. He wanted to be the star. The hero. 

"Everyone is going to be in every position at least three times. It's important to know how to play in different positions so you know what to expect from your team." 

"But we won't win if I'm in the outfield!" 

"That's not true, and we don't have to win. Little League is more like training. We're here to play, to learn how to be a team," Virgil said calmly, "it's no fun if you only care about winning." 

"My dad is gonna be mad." 

"If we don't win, I'll talk to him. And that goes for all of you, if you're scared that your parents will be mad, I'll talk to them. Now, who's ready to play ball?" 

The kids cheered, bringing a smile to his face. 

"Hands in, on three," he said and held his hand out, palm down. The kids slapped their own hands in with his and counted with him, except for Damian. He was keeping his distance.

"One! Two! Three! Jumpers!" 

Virgil smiled at the kids who ran onto the field. Or to the bat box in Toshio's case.  Then he eyed Damian and Benny. 

"Benny, there's some granola bars and apple slices in this backpack , take it slow so you don't get an upset stomach. And I won't send you out there until you're less dizzy," he said and crouched by the bench to get something out of his bag. It was an oral thermometer. He stepped out of the dugout and approached Damian.

"Stick this under your tongue and have a seat," he told Damian, "I know you want to be out there, or at least watching, but I have to send you home if you have a fever or if you throw up."

"But I wanna be here for my friends," Damian pouted and stuck the thermometer under his tongue without sitting down on the grass or the nearest bench. 

"You've got the spirit, Champ. And I don't want to discourage that. I also don't want you to get sicker by being out here. Sometimes the best way to support your team is to take care of yourself." 

The thermometer beeped. Virgil slipped it out of the boy's mouth and read it. 103°F. 

"Is your mom here?" 

Damian nodded. 

"You need to go home and rest. You have a high fever," Virgil told him, "I'll make sure you get to her." 

Damian was unhappy as he and Virgil headed for the bleachers. The poor kid was such a great team player, he felt bad that he couldn't stay. 

The bleachers were intimidating, full of rambunctious family members. Virgil didn't like having to go near them if he could help it. He was glad to see Damian's mother on the lowest bench, chatting with Roman's brother, Remus, a wily man with a mustache, about her hair routine. She always had a way of making her tight coils look incredible.

"Momma," Damian said softly, getting her attention. 

"What's wrong, Baby?" 

"Coach Virgil said I need to go home," Damian said and pouted, on the verge of tears. His mother turned her gaze on him, ready to fight him for making her baby cry.

"He has a temperature," Virgil admitted and held up the thermometer, "I know he wants to stay for the team, but I can't let him stay like this." 

"I want to stay!" Damian sobbed. Virgil knelt by him and rubbed his back. 

"You gotta take care of yourself, Champ, even if it makes you a little sad. There'll be other games and we'll be happy to have you feeling better on the field." 

Damian nodded and dried his eyes. Virgil offered him an understanding smile and got up. 

"Thank you, Virgil. I'm sorry for the mess." 

"There's no mess, don't worry. It's great to have someone this dedicated on the team," Virgil said shyly, "But I'll let you get going. Drive safe." 

After a quick goodbye, Virgil went back to the dugout to douse his hands in hand sanitizer and to make sure Benny wasn't shaking anymore. He didn't realize that someone was watching him like a hawk from the bleachers. 

"Look alive out there!" he called to the outfielders as the next batter came up. He knew the kid, Phil, was actually really good at hitting the ball. 

"Thanks, coach," Benny said when Virgil sat down next to him. 

"I can't let anyone on my team go hungry," Virgil said and grabbed his clipboard, "Which is why I want you to put this in your bat bag and give it to your mom." He pulled an envelope from the clipboard and handed it to the kid. 

"What is it?" 

"A gift card for the grocery store. Let's keep it a secret between us," he said and started writing things down. Benny hugged him and hurried to hide his present. 

Virgil smiled to himself and watched the game. These kids made the extra work worthwhile.

.

The game itself was pretty standard without too many incidents. Virgil was so glad he didn't have to fight with angry parents over the ump's calls. Even if they didn't win, his team played well. 

"You guys did great out there today," Virgil said in the team's last huddle, "You're really coming together as a team and I'm proud of all of you. Now go get some rest and relax, you earned it. I'll see you on Tuesday for practice." 

He broke the huddle and his team scattered, except for Andy and Roman. 

"Hey, Squirt, can you get the bases and bring them to Coach Pat?" Virgil asked and started packing up. Andy rolled his eyes and trudged onto the field. 

"What can I do, Coach Virgil?" Roman asked brightly. 

"You don't have to do anything, I know your brother is here and probably wants to go home." 

"He says he needs to talk to you," Roman pouted, "And he doesn't shut up. I don't wanna be bored." 

Virgil's eyebrows rose slightly. Remus needed to talk to him? What could that feral babe need from him? Roman seemed to love being on his team and he was doing good. It wasn't like he had any reason to need to talk with a boring baseball coach. He could understand Remus might want to talk to him, they were best friends and they acted like boyfriends, and they spent a lot of time watching Roman. But need set off alarm bells. 

"You can check the field for any balls. You don't have to go far, or you can see if Coach Pat wants help," Virgil said, "I'll try to make this quick." 

Roman beamed at him and ran off to help. Virgil took a moment to finish packing and lean against the fence to calm his nerves. Remus probably wasn't going to yell at him for anything. He was probably just going to talk about Roman. It would be fine. 

"Hey there, Coach" an imp purred by his ear, "wanna show me your bat and balls?"

Virgil yelped and spun around. Remus was leaning forward, holding the fence and arching his back coyly. He was grinning and taunting Virgil with his sparkling eyes. 

"Jeez, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Virgil huffed and tried not to stare. Remus looked good in his low rise jeans, neon green shredded crop-top, and spiked leather jacket. 

"Nope!" Remus giggled, "You're just so cute when you're startled!" 

"Ro said you need to talk to me?" 

"Yeah! Are you busy tonight?" 

"Why?" Virgil asked and picked up Andy's bat bag and his own. 

"Do you want to get dinner and watch old horror movies at my place? Roman is sleeping over with Phil and it won't smell like formaldehyde or anything!" Remus grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. If he weren't an embalmer, Virgil would have questions for Remus. 

"Depends. Is there more to it than cuddles?" 

"Only if you're my boyfriend," Remus hummed, "Because I was planning on asking you anyway." 

Virgil blushed and rubbed his neck. 

"If you're sure." 

"Yeah! Do you want to make things official?" Remus asked with a little shimmy. 

"We don't have to kiss, do we?" 

"Only if you want to!" 

Virgil stepped out of the dugout and coaxed Remus away from the fence. The little imp was grinning and bouncing on his heels. He was so cute. Virgil couldn't resist kissing his forehead. 

"I'll stop by after work and I'll bring Chinese food," he said with a smirk. 

"Tease!" Remus huffed and grabbed his shirt. He dragged Virgil into a surprisingly chaste smooch. 

"Gross!" Andy complained as he and Roman trudged over to them, both eager to leave.

"It could be grosser!" Remus teased, "I could accidentally sneeze on him too!" 

"That's way grosser," Virgil agreed and rolled his eyes. 

"Can we go home now?" Roman asked, glancing between the pair. 

"Sure! Don't want to stop and say hi to mom and dad?" Remus asked. Roman shook his head. He didn't want to go to the cemetery. He wanted to shower and then spend the night with Phil and play video games. Remus was more than okay with that. 

"Alright, then let's go!" 

"See you tonight," Virgil said as Remus left with Roman. Then he turned his attention to Andy, who was picking up the backpack.

"Ready, Squirt?" 

"Yeah. Are you and Remus dating?" 

"We are now." 

"Mom owes me 10 bucks. she said you wouldn't get together before I turn 11," Andy said mostly to himself. Virgil sighed and shook his head. He would have to have a talk with his aunt later.

[optimistredsox]

19 May, BOS @ STL, 11-3, win

There’s the offence we knew was there but seemed to have little or no sense of timing. What a way to break a losing streak. And it wasn’t just offence. Nick Pivetta had day on the mound whilst Jarren Duran made at least one catch that I’m not sure should’ve been humanly possible. Do I wish we got our shit together a few games ago? Yes. Was I delighted that we seem to be getting it together now? Also yes. Do I think this is how every game is going to go for the rest of the season? No. Am I going to let that bother me whilst I enjoy how much fun that game was? Also no. Were there bright sides? Fuck yeah there were bright sides.

Nick Pivetta pitched a one hitter over six innings. The only hit was a dinger. He didn’t walk anyone and he struck out eight. He also only threw 72 pitches, 51 for strikes. Damn.

Raffy Devers hit another home run, but this time not only was someone on base at the time but we also won. That’s cool.

Tyler O’Neill had a bit of a slump buster, hitting a dinger and going 2-for-3 with three runs scored. He also didn’t strike out once, which made a nice change from some of his recent at bats.

Connor Wong went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and also our starting catcher is batting .352. That’s a thing.

Dave Hamilton, who’s struggled, pinch hit and hit a dinger.

Dom Smith knocked in three runs.

We didn’t make an error.

Jarren Duran hit a triple and played great defence.

Wilmer Abreu went 2-for-3 with a RBI.

Chris Martin struck out the side in the ninth.

We won!

We’re heading to Tampa Bay and I am convinced we’re a better team than them. Here’s hoping we can prove it.