I took a seat on the bench. Noah trailed after me and sat down too. I looked at him, expecting a pep talk of some sort. He noticed me looking at him and looked right back at me. We stayed that way for a beat too because Kyle noticed.
“Are you two practicing your twin telepathy?” He came over and questioned. “Why are you staring at each other like that?”
Noah snorted. “We don’t need practice. I know all there is when it comes to Jake.”
I nodded in agreement. Noah was pretty good at reading my mind. He was the easiest to communicate with because he didn’t always require me to talk.
“So? What is it then?” Kyle leaned in and did an exaggerated whisper. “Are we talking shit on Garret for nearly giving the game away halfway through?”
A half-empty water bottle hit Kyle.
“Ow! Hey!” Kyle narrowed his eyes on the culprit: Garret. “That’s abuse of power! I’ll get you impeached.” The guys nearby let out some laughs.
Another water bottle was thrown; this time it was completely full. Kyle caught it. He walked it back to Garret and started to talk to him. No doubt giving him a hard time for that last inning.
“I don’t think you made any mistakes in that last half.” Noah told me now that Kyle was gone.
“Maybe not officially.” I sighed. “But you probably could have fielded that grounder.”
“We all have our talents.” Noah laughed. “I don’t compare my hitting to you, so don’t do the same to my fielding. Plus, it was a hard play. If you aren’t anticipating, then it’s probably a 50-50 chance.”
“How do you anticipate something like that?” I asked, a little exasperated.
Noah shrugged. “Instincts. I don’t know. It’s a feeling.” He gave my shoulder a light pat. “You probably just need more game experience. You’ve only played a season. You’re great. Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
“I want to be better.” I kicked my cleats together, a little anxious. I don’t mean to nitpick or refute everything Noah was saying, but I don’t like knowing I could have done more.
“Then we’ll practice more.” Noah answered simply. “Honestly I would grade your fielding on par with anyone else on our team and in our league. Not every ball that comes your way is going to be an all-star play. Get the ones you can. If anything, I think you should put in extra practice on your slides. Especially getting walked like that all the time. If they walk you, you should go steal second. Every time. Make them pay.”
That’s not the extras I was hoping to do for the team.
Noah laughed at my look of distress. “Stop. It’s not that hard. You get used to it. Wouldn’t it be awesome to punish the opposing team every time they walk you?”
Punish them? Or myself. Noah had a point, but I was a little unwilling.
Bottom of the fourth. Mitchell struck out swinging. Jesse popped up to the second baseman. Tanner did the most work by making the pitcher throw ten plus pitches before poking a single right up the middle. Wheatland’s coach came out of the dugout, signaled for a pitcher change, and went to the mound.
That was quick. We didn’t do much damage to the pitcher’s ERA or WHIP but we got him to step down. Before Garret too.
The new pitcher came in. There wasn’t much we could see as Korrey was called out on strikes. The umpire’s strike zone was definitely a little questionable.
“Back to basic, boys.” Coach instructed as we got ready to take the field again. “Don’t worry about stretching out your at bats, and worry more about getting on base. New pitcher, new mindset.” He gave Garret a pat on the back. “Finish strong out there.”
Garret nodded. He did his best, going three up, three down. The first guy got a solid line drive off him, but it went right to Jesse in center field. The last batter in the lineup hit a routine grounder to Jason at third. Back to the top of the order. The guy randomly dropped down a bunt, thankfully right in front of Garret. He made a spectacular grab and throw to first to end the inning and his outing.
“Damn. They really want me off the mound.” Garret wiped the sweat off his forehead under his hat. “That bunt had to be intentional. Who bunts in that situation?”
“Anyone who notices that the corners are hanging back and are playing flat-footed.” Coach answered, sending looks to Sean and Jason.
Sean let out a self-conscious laugh. “Looks like I’m first up. Better go get ready!” He scampered away to his bag, leaving Jason alone for the lecture.
Noah and I went to our bags too. Hats off, helmets on.
“Better be getting some gloves on, Jake!” Coach hollered from the entrance of the dugout.
I stiffened up. I’m not used to them.
“Wear them.” Noah grabbed a pair from a smaller pocket of his bag and handed them over. “It’s not like it’ll matter. Chances are, they’ll probably intentionally walk you again. But maybe you’ll have a chance to steal so protect the skins of your hands.”
I sighed, and reluctantly accepted the gloves. They were used and already broken in. Much thinner than I thought. I opened and closed my hands a few times before picking up my bat. Wearing gloves isn’t something I should draw the line on. I warily looked at Noah’s bat as he led the way towards Coach. That’s where I draw the line.
Sean was first up, facing the new pitcher that came out at the end of last inning. He took a few practice swings as did Noah, who went out to the on deck circle. The ump called for balls back and for Sean to step up to the plate.
He got in the lefty’s box and showed a bunt.
Garret laughed as he joined me near the dugout entrance. He wasn’t the only one. Half the guys in the dugout chuckled and joked how Sean was messing with the guy because of their last batter.
Wheatland corners hesitated but were still drawn in. The pitcher started his motion and Sean drew his bat back real quick. The pitch came and Sean swung, blasting the ball out of the infield. Then the outfield. A homerun!
The guys went crazy cheering for him as he rounded the bases. The crowd was just as loud. I high fived Sean on his way in and on my way out. He pumped his fists and greeted the team in the dugout.
4-2.
That was Sean’s second homer of the day. Game one, he went 0-3, but for the rest of the tournament he hasn’t been shutout at the plate. He has the power to get the ball out of the park. He was only behind me in homers. Then again…only the two of us have homered in this tournament. Garret had one from the Christmas tournament, but it was starting to look like he was going more for contact and getting the ball to empty spots around the field.
