A boarding-school youth wrestles with self-doubt while striving to earn a place on the school baseball team, training through practices, scrimmages, and other athletics. He confronts temper, injury, benching, and a series of tests — including rescues, a track meet, and a maritime mishap — that reveal character and skill. Guided by teammates and a few candid confidences, he refines his pitching and competitive instincts, learns about teamwork and sportsmanship, and ultimately overcomes setbacks to prove his value to the squad and to himself.