The Hitting Zone

"Motherfucker!" Dave's sharp yell overrode the umps call for an out. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Sean was there first. Noah and I got there near the same time to see Dave trying to yank his foot away from the other guy's shoe.

"Stop fucking pulling me." The other guy barked, yanking their feet in another direction.

"You both need to calm down." The umpire squatted down. "Your cleats got tangled. Stop and let me help you."

"Tangled?" Dave scoffed. "You mean his spikes got stuck in my laces because he purposely stepped on me. Are you just going to let that slide!?"

"I didn't purposely step on you!" The guy argued back. "You were in the base path. I have the right away."

"The fuck you do." Dave got up immediately once the umpire got his laces out of the guy's spikes of his cleats.

The other guy also jumped up and got into Dave's face. "You've got a problem, asshole?"

"Yea, I do!" Dave didn't back down. He pointed at the baseline. "You're supposed to stay outside that line. It's called interference when you don't!"

The two started to get louder as they shouted over one another. The umpire got between them and it didn't take long for the coaches from both dugouts to join too.

Sean and Noah got Dave away from the guy as the San Marino players started to leave their dugout. I awkwardly stood around as the umpires tried to cool down both sides. After a five minute delay, the home plate umpire warned both sides.

Coach met us infielders just beside the mound. He looked down at Dave, who was squatting down looking at his right foot. "How is it?"

"Doesn't hurt much." Dave shook his head as he re-tied the laces of his clear. "More annoyed than anything so I blew up on the guy. I rather we both get warned before something more serious happens."

Coach frowned. "Look me in the eye and tell me your foot doesn't hurt."

Dave stood up, just a little taller than Coach. He looked him in the eyes. "Coach, I'm good to go. Nothing more than a bruise. I swear."

Coach didn't look totally convinced.

"If I give up a baserunner, you can take me out." Dave tried to bargain. "We have two outs now. I'll end it now on the next batter. Then you can have a trainer look over my foot in the bottom half of the inning."

"Okay. You got it." Coach nodded and left us to go back to the dugout.

Noah handed me his glove and then started to massage Dave's shoulders. "Calm your heart rate down. Don't go in stressed and throwing wild. You've got this."

Dave rolled his head around, stretching his neck. He stepped away from Noah. "I'm good. You guys just stand there and look pretty."

Jason laughed. "Sure. I wouldn't mind being a model."

Sean grinned and shook his head. "Don't worry, we've got your back."

I nodded along and handed Noah his glove back. We all went back to our positions and Dave got on the mound. He did his best to stay loose, shaking out his arms. He came through and did what he said he was going to do: get the next guy out. He went down swinging and we went back to the dugout in a decent mood.

"Dave. Trainer." Coach said once we got inside. He pointed Dave towards a man at the end of the dugout. Dave went willingly.

Noah, me, and Jason all got ready for our turn to bat. Noah stopped just before leaving the dugout, causing us to stop too. He looked back at us. "I think I have a plan."

I was all ears.

He made eye contact with Coach, and Coach came over. "Why aren't you boys out there yet?"

"I want to take a gamble Coach." Noah stated.

My lips twitched while Jason outright laughed.

Coach kept a straight face. "I'm listening." His eyes glanced at the field. "Be quick about it."

Noah nodded. He kept his voice low. "I think I'll bunt to get on. The guys is a lefty, so when he finishes his motion and throws, he'll be turned around away from first base. Neither of the corner infielders play in. I'll try to go down the first baseline and then hopefully beat it out."

"It's an idea." Coach gave a small nod, finding his plan acceptable.

"That's just the first step. That's not the actual gamble." Noah didn't stop for questions. "I don't think they'll pitch to Jake. His walk will push me to second." He looked at Jason. "This is where you'll come in. On the very first pitch to you. I need you to have a very big swing, and a very big miss. I'll use that opportunity to steal third so you have to distract the catcher. Make some small talk." He looked back to Coach. "With me on third, no outs, I'll have ample opportunity to score. Off a wild pitch or anything to the outfield."

"Give it a go." Coach gave his permission, making Noah grin like he already won. He looked at me. "If they do actually pitch to you, give them hell. If they don't and you're on first, make sure to be off the bag, as far out as their first baseman. The pitcher will be looking at you. If you can distract him, that'll be good enough to get on base"

"Not to be a Debbie-downer, but what if Noah doesn't get on base?" Jason whispered.

"We can only hope that they'll pitch to Jake then." Coach said.

It was time for us to split. Noah headed for the plate and I stood on deck. Jason was right behind, still talking with Coach.

I mindlessly swung my bat around as I watched Noah's at bat. Like he said, the first and third basemen were back beyond the bases. No inside play. Then again, who do you know is dropping bunts to get on base? I nervously watched on.

Noah didn't show bunt, but as soon as the pitcher followed through on his motion, Noah dropped the bat and softened the ball's bounce off his bat. Everyone was moving all at once. Noah took off sprinting to first base. First baseman hesitated to cover base or to get ball, end up deciding to go with the former. The pitcher twisted to go to to the ball, but the catcher beat him to it. The catcher scooped up the ball and threw to first...it pegged Noah in his back. We heard a small yelp, but Noah still ran it out, tagging the base.

He looked to be in obvious pain as he talked with Coach Luis.

"You're outta here!" The umpire motioned an ejection and pointing at the catcher.

"What?!" The catcher screeched and rushed back to the umpire. "Are you kidding me!? You're going to throw me out for accidentally hitting the runner?"

"He stayed with his running lane." The umpire stated. "I can only assume you did it intentionally considering the circumstances."

The catcher was not happy about that explanation and started to go off, yelling at the umpire. The San Marino coach wasn't that far behind. He came storming out of his dugout and started to yell his opinion too.

I stayed back, inching closer to my own dugout, trying to stay away from the screaming match. Meanwhile the other umpires joined in the loud and angry discussion. It wasn't long before the umpire ejected the San Marino coach too.

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