The Hitting Zone

Mitchell got cornered on the fastballs and chose to watch the curveball go by.

"Strike! Out!" The umpire declared.

Mitchell looked at the catcher's glove and then up to the sky. On his way back, he shared a sentence with Bryce. Bryce nodded and then went to the batter's box. Noah moved to the on deck circle. I hurried up with my gear.

"Would you still walk Jake if Bryce and Noah got on?" Dave asked Kyle. "Knowing Garret is next?"

"Depends if I've gotten Garret out multiple times so far in the game." Kyle answered. "But knowing him and myself, and adding in Jake? Yes. I'll absolutely walk him and load the bases. Me versus Garret? I would destroy him."

"Bro, you would probably only have a 50/50 chance." Dave argued. "A strikeout would be improbable so you would have to rely on your fielders."

Kyle rubbed his chin then lit up. "Oh! I know! After walking Jake. I would just do some check throws in hopes that he would make a mistake."

I shivered and turned away from the pair. I already hate walking and check throws would just make things a hundred times worse. Just as I got to the 'hole' spot, there was a loud 'ding'. Bryce was running while the ball was flying to left field. The left fielder tracked it near the foul line and dove for it. He slid in the grass after making the catch. Cheers came from the stands and their dugout as the guy jumped up and threw the ball back in. Then their whole team ran back to their dugout.

Noah and Bryce came back too.

Bryce sighed while trailing behind me back to the bags. "I think I got the two-seamer too. Even as a righty. Second pitch should have been fastball...I mean technically it was. But it came in a little. Almost like a small cutter from Garret."

I nodded, not sure what to say. Bryce was just letting me know that the two-seamer wasn't exclusive to lefties.

"I feel like only the first pitch to everyone is a fastball." He continued. "If you don't get a jump on it early, then he has a bigger advantage with those breaking balls." He sighed again. "I hate guessing games."

"You're a pitcher." Noah rolled his eyes as we switched to our gloves. "You have the advantage of knowing what a pitcher thinks." He looked at me. "Don't be afraid to rack up his pitch count some more for us. I'm afraid he might be their ace." He put his hat on. "Maybe we should have asked Jeremy for some insider information."

My lips twitched. "He hasn't been in high school for years. He hasn't played with these guys."

Noah wasn't convinced. "One of them is the cousin he was raised with. I'm sure they've done pick up games at the park or know one another from travel ball."

Oh. Maybe then...

We hurried to take the field to finish up the third inning. Garret made quick work of the end of the lineup. Batter eight hit a fly ball right to Bryce in center field. Batter nine was the pitcher, Blake. He struck out swinging. Back to the top of the lineup, the leadoff popped out to Jesse at third base.

"I think I am going to try to bunt that first pitch fastball." Noah mumbled to me as we got ready for our plate appearances again. This time it would be us leading things off.

I tugged my batting gloves on. "I thought you said it was hard?"

"It is. It will be. But I have to take a chance." Noah put his helmet on and picked up his bat. "Like Bryce said, every first pitch is a fastball in the zone. Except to you."

"Are you going to tell Coach?"

"Nah. Mr. Miller will probably tell me to swing freely anyways." He paused. "If I get on...Don't foul. Get a hit on the first pitch. I'll get to third. Maybe home if you can get it to a tough spot."

I nodded. "Okay." A hit and run with Noah on and me up to bat would be ideal.

Noah and I left the dugout together, taking a few practice swings, timing it with the pitcher's warmup stuff. Noah left me in the on deck circle when his name was called.

"Let's go, Noah!"

"Get it this time!"

Noah took a stance in the batter's box, not at all looking like he would bunt. But as soon as the pitcher started his motion and the ball came out of his hand, Noah made his move. His right hand went up the bat, he bent at the knees and then when the ball came, he used his bat to push the ball in the direction of the second baseman. The ball was rolling and Noah was sprinting. The pitcher was the fastest to the ball, picking it up with his barehand and throwing while falling off balance. The first baseman stretched out for the catch and Noah came barreling down the line. It was close.

"Out!" The umpire signaled.

The crowd roared. Either in disbelief that he was out or in disbelief of the great play.

Noah got his bat and came back with a small shake of his head. He didn't say anything to me, just jogged past to get to the dugout.

I walked up to the plate and made a decision to bat from the right. If I wasn't going to be allowed to attack the fastball, then I was going to aim for the curve. Get it to a spot in the outfield and try for a double.

The pitcher nodded at the catcher, straightened up, then started his motion. I simply watched the first pitch. A curveball outside.

"Ball."

I blew out a puff of air. Sure enough. No fastball. Maybe he would still throw the two-seamer inside. The second pitch came, another curveball falling outside the zone.

"Ball."

Tch. I gripped my bat. I thought the curve was closer. At least it was for Mitchell. He was called out for looking.

Pitch three. Same curve, same trajectory. I gritted my teeth, shifted my hands towards the knob of my bat and reached for the curve, getting a piece of it. The ball flew opposite, down the right field line. I dropped the bat and took off. I tagged first just as the right fielder was getting to the ball in the corner. I pushed myself to go faster. Second base was the goal.

There were a lot of screams and shouts coming from all directions. I focused on the shortstop covering second base. He looked ready to make a catch. I need to slide. Feet first or head first? I made a lunge for second base, landing hard on my stomach, sliding a little over the bag. A heavy pat came down and stayed on me.

"Safe!"

I refused to move an inch with the tag still on me. After a beat, I looked up and a little back towards the umpire. "Time?"

"Time!" The umpire granted.

The shortstop took his glove off of me and walked the ball to his pitcher on the mound. I slowly got up and dusted myself off. The bandaid on my chin was hanging off my face so I took it off and stuffed it in my pocket. I lightly dabbed my chin to make sure I didn't cut it open again. Nope. No blood. Stings a bit but it was just a surface wound from yesterday.

The umpire called for the game to resume. The players got back into position and Garret's info was announced.

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