Matthew Erikson's coach only lets him in his baseball game because the opposing coach reminded that all players must participate - and strikes out, losing as the coach predicted. Shutting himself in his room, he tosses his ball to himself - and it falls into the baseball diamond of the model town he and Todd brought home. Taken into Karlsville, he's announced to be the star of that night's game that an invisible crowd watches. But it's a one-man game, where the pitching machines seem to aim to injure the batter once he's locked into place, the bases move and lava-flows spring up to keep them out of reach, and the only other players eventually called in and even the ball are monsters.
—brainybrailler@comcast.net