Ryan Dunne (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is a local baseball player who dreams of playing in the Major Leagues. He helps his dad with his landscaping business and takes care of Veteran's Field, where his team, the Chatham A's play. Ryan is poor. Over the summer, the town is full of hopeful youngsters who want to play in the local Cape league and show off their talent to the big-league scouts. This includes kids like Billy Brubaker (Matthew Lillard), Mickey Dominguez (Wilmer Valderrama), Miles Dalrymple (Marc Blucas) & others. Ryan, in his dedication to making the pros, has sworn off girls and drinking to avoid distractions. Chatham A is coached by Coach John Schiffner (Brian Dennehy), who is a tough cookie and doesn't appreciate Ryan taking the league lightly (Ryan shows up to training late and often in thongs as a result of his previous late-night debauchery). This changes when Ryan sees Tenley Parrish (Jessica Biel), as he and his father Sean (Fred Ward) are mowing the Parrish family's lawn. Tenley is a rich girl whose family summers at cape cod. Tenley is smoking hot. Tenley is interested in Ryan. Tenley's sister Katie Parrish (Zena Grey) is a huge fan of the Chatham A's and a fan of Ryan. Mickey has a unique problem that her Lusty House Mother (Beverly D'Angelo) has the hots for him. Billy tells Mickey to go for her. Mike Dunne (Jason Gedrick) is Ryan's brother and is a bartender at a local watering hole. Mike is a failed ball player and is always tough on Ryan. Mike fells Ryan is very talented but is wasting his life away. Mike thinks Ryan is acting like a victim ever since their mom died, and that Ryan feels that the world owes him something. The next day, the A's have their first game of the season where rival Van Leemer (Corey Pearson) shines pitching a shut-out, while Ryan is told to walk the stands for donations. That evening Ryan and Tenley have their first kiss. The next night Ryan is pitching in his first game of the season. The game goes well for the A's until the last innings when Ryan gives up a grand slam, allowing the other team to win the game. Billy continues to struggle for the first hit of his season, while Miles is hitting home runs at will. Ryan returns home to find his dad drunk and upset about the loss. Billy wants to quit and leave, but Ryan convinces him to stay by hooking him up with the town slut Dede Mulligan (Brittany Murphy). Later, Ryan visits Tenley, where he confides about his rocky relationship with his father and concerns about failing as a baseball player. The next night, Ryan and Tenley take an evening swim in her pool as it's raining, falling in love with each other, before being chased off by her dad Rand (Bruce Davison). Ryan is distracted by Tenley and feels a lot of pressure from scouts, family, the Parrish family, and friends. He is told that he's getting the start for an upcoming big game. That night, Mike has a tough chat with Ryan and Ryan feels very low. He goes to meet Tenley and finds that her ex-boyfriend has come to meet her, and this is guy whom her father favors as the right match for Tenley. For Ryan this is a devastating blow as he feels he is just a summer fling for Tenley. The next night, Ryan starts out well, but comes apart later. Billy scores his first runs. The loss causes Ryan to be demoted to the bullpen in a relief position. Despite the bad outing, Hugh Alexander (John C. McGinley), a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies in attendance, shows interest in Ryan's talent. Ryan's friends tell him not to pity himself and continue believing in himself. Rand calls Ryan and tells him that if he doesn't leave Tenley alone, he and all his rich friends will pull away their businesses from Ryan's dad. Rand wanted Tenley to take a job with her uncle in SFO, even though she wanted to study architecture. Ryan tells Tenley to take the job in SFO, even thought that would mean that the both of them will never be together. When Sean finds out about Rand's threat, he quits Rand's business and presents him with a final bill. Eric Van Leemer and Dale Robin (Christian Kane) are kicked off the team not only for their bad behavior, but also for accidentally burning down a press box, and since Ryan has the freshest arm and the most rest, he is designated to start the final game. Tenley tells Ryan that she's leaving for San Francisco for a job opportunity the following night, which is the night of the final game. She tells him to let himself be great, before tearfully hugging him goodbye. Mike (finally sheds his hostility for once) also gives Ryan a pep talks before the game. Mike tells Ryan not to throw his fast ball at every instance and bring variations. Inspired by Tenley's words of encouragement, Ryan pitches one of the best performances ever seen in the Cape League, dominating the game with a no-hitter, with his friends, dad and brother, and several major league scouts, including Alexander, in attendance. Late in the game, he notices that Tenley has stopped by on her way to the airport to watch him. He proceeds to strike out the current batter, marking his eleventh strike-out of the game, and looks back to see that Tenley is gone. Ryan rushes to the airport where he catches Tenley before she boards her plane. They both profess their love for each other, and she agrees to forgo her job in San Francisco and stay. Ryan's dad and brother soon arrive with the scout Alexander, to tell him that his team won the game with a combined no-hitter. Alexander offers Ryan a contract with the Phillies that will start him out at their minor league affiliate, which he happily accepts. Later, everyone is gathered to watch Ryan in his Major League debut as a relief pitcher for the Phillies. He delivers his first pitch to Ken Griffey Jr., who launches it into the stands for a home run.
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