Sandlot star Patrick Renna returns to baseball movies in You Gotta Believe trailer

Patrick Renna is heading back to the baseball diamond.

The actor who played Hamilton “Ham” Porter in the 1993 classic The Sandlot is back on the field in the new sports drama You Gotta Believe, which debuted its first trailer today. The film dramatizes the true story of an underdog Little League team from Fort Worth, the Westside All-Stars, who rallied behind the terminally ill parent of one of its players to reach the league’s World Series in 2002.

The opening voiceover in the trailer teases that final playoffs showdown, which it says was “The longest Little League World Series game in history.” The preview then makes a jarring cut to earlier footage of the All-Stars playing and practicing, showing off the players’ laughably terrible fundamentals.

“Son, you gotta keep your eyes open,” Coach Jon Kelly (Greg Kinnear) says to one of his players, who gets bonked on the head by a fly ball. “Technically, he didn’t drop it — it dropped him,” a teammate says.

Jon understandably has little faith in his team. “I’d say we’re looking pretty whooped here, eh?” he asks Bobby Ratliff (Luke Wilson), a father whose son Robert plays for the team. “What’re you talking about? We still got a chance!” Bobby responds. Jon seemingly wins this debate when he has to wake a player up on the bench. “Peter! No sleeping in the dugout.”

That’s when Renna enters the ball park. The Sandlot alum seemingly plays a Little League official (and/or supporter of the team?), who makes Jon an unexpected proposal: “Coach, I gotta proposition for ya: You manage the All-Stars and make a run for the Little League World Series.” Kinnear’s character insists that his team is the worst in the league. “You got 10 days to whip these boys into shape,” Renna’s character responds.

From there, we see tons of footage of Kinnear and Wilson attempting to do just that, as the young players intensely train for the playoffs. “The game can change with just one hit,” Bobby says before collapsing on the field.

“There’s nothing that makes me feel better than watching y’all play ball,” Bobby says to the team as he recovers from an unexplained illness.

Robert suggests that the team use his father as a motivator to take its game to the next level. “I got something to rally behind: my dad. If we could just win for him, I know he could get better,” he says confidently. “Bobby’s always been there for us. Now it’s time we’re there for him,” another player says.

The trailer ends with Bobby’s wife (Sarah Gordon) telling him, “It’s just a game Bobby.” He doesn’t agree: “It’s more than that.”

You Gotta Believe hits theaters Aug 30. Watch the full trailer above.