Zane Grey 
The Young Pitcher [EPUB ebook] 

High school senior Ken Ward is on top of the world–he’s popular, a somebody. But as a freshman at Wayne University, Ken quickly discovers he’s a nobody who’s treated like dirt by upperclassmen. When Ken can’t stand the harassment anymore, he bursts out of his gloom by slugging a sophomore bully–who turns out to be captain of the varsity baseball team. It looks as if Ken’s dream of making that team has gone down the drain… until in a moment of wild excitement he proves himself with, of all things, a potato! And Ken keeps on proving himself until the last out of a heart-pounding league championship game.