"You can do that another time." Kyle told him. "Today, I want to see what I can do. Especially against Dave."
Everyone conceded to Kyle.
I probably understood the best on our team. I watched Kyle go from camp to camp, and even begged to go to this expensive camp. He needed some assurance that it was worth it.
The top of the first inning, Garret headed for the batter's box, stretching on his way there. I stood outside the dugout to take some practice swings even though there weren't any circles to stand in.
Dave finished his warmup pitches off the mound and waved for Garret to step up. "Come on! Let's see how rusty you've gotten this summer!"
Garret's lips pursed as he got into the lefty's box.
Dave got set, as did everyone else. Mr. Miller squatted behind Mitchell. Dave started his motion and started Garret off with a fastball right down the middle. I furrowed my brows as Garret grinned and swung his bat, making contact. The contact hit the bottom part of the barrel, and bounced to Noah at short. Noah fielded the ball in time, beating out Garret's run.
"One pitch, one out!" Noah hollered. "Oops. I meant, one out, two to go!"
Garret picked up his dropped bat before coming back to the dugout, frowning.
I moved up to the batter's box, getting in the right-handed side.
Dave whistled. "Feeling nervous, Jake? I just got Garret out." Dave was really having some fun out here today, talking smack to us batters.
I shook my head as a smile creeped to my lips. "Name a time you've gotten me out. I'll wait."
My comment made a lot of the guys laugh. From both my team in the dugout and Dave's team on the field.
"He's got you there." Noah laughed the hardest.
"You little punk." Dave squinted at me as he got set.
I fixed my footing and scanned the field. I had to get the ball to the outfield, but nowhere near the center where Zeke was. Left field was Brian, while Sean played in right field. Sean has experience playing everywhere. Brian has experience playing in left field too, but it was rare. Dave was a little smarter than Kyle, picking pitchers that have some fielding experience. Who else does he have?
I thought a little bit more as Dave threw his pitches. I let the count become 2-2, fouling off a couple of pitches. I didn't want to aim for a homerun just yet, especially when Dave showed some pitching changes. He had improved.
Theo, playing third, caught my eye. He wasn't guarding the line very well, almost in Noah's territory. Seeing the opening, I made a decision. On the next pitch…just kidding, he threw inside for ball three. Okay, the next pitch. I was set. Dave went through his motion and threw the ball, low and outside.
I sped up my swing and pulled the ball down the right field line. Then I took off sprinting. I rounded first base without hesitation and sped up to reach second just as Brian was throwing the ball to Noah.
Noah tagged me with his glove, but wasn't even close to getting me out. He grinned. "Nice hit."
I smiled back at him.
"Hey! Don't compliment him!" Dave scolded Noah from the mound.
Noah shrugged and threw the ball back at him. "It's not my fault he got the hit."
Dave turned his back to us, facing home plate as Mahki stepped up. Dave got him swinging and missing the first pitch, but Mahki made solid contact, hitting a line drive to the corner of left field.
Seeing that Brian wasn't going to be abled to make the catch, I took off. I wanted to score. This was a well hit ball, and I'm faster than I used to be. I can do this. I tagged third and headed home. Bryce was picking up Mahki's bat out of the way and gestured for me to slide.
I clenched my teeth and dove for home plate, stretching out my hands. I felt the dirt scratch up my hands, the smoothness of home plate, and then a heavy pat on my arms.
"Safe!" Mr. Miller declared.
Bryce pulled me up and dusted me off. "Way to get it, Bambi!" He gave me a slap on the back and I went stumbling back to my dugout.
Jason nodded at me as I passed him by in the on deck circle. "Good to see that you didn't slack off this summer."
I grinned. He doesn't even know that I've been practicing for homeruns yet. I wonder if they'll be surprised.
Inside the dugout, I was greeted by high-fives, fist bumps, and compliments. This was my team. Nothing like being in that camp where everyone was looking out for themselves.
Dave cut the smack talk after giving up the run, and put some more effort in his pitches, aiming for the corners of the strike zone. He got both Bryce and Jason to strikeout looking, to end the inning. His team went to their dugout as we came out of ours.
Kyle got on the mound and stretched before doing some warmup pitches with Alex. I let out a small gasp as I watched. Kyle…had changed his motion. Not just a few tweaks like Dave…but, completely changed. Him and Dave…won't be the same anymore.
I wasn't the only one to notice. I could hear a few murmurs and mumbles from around, but no one outright said anything or asked Kyle what he was doing. If this was the path he was going to take…he had to do it on his own. None of us were pitching coaches.
Brian was surprisingly their lead off man. I've seen him hit before, but not very often. At least, not enough to cheat a certain way or another. It didn't matter, because Brian connected on the first pitch, hitting it above my reach towards center field. Mahki came sprinting in, picked up the ball, and threw it to me before Brian could make a try for second base.
I threw the ball back to Kyle on the mound.
"Tsk." I heard him let out before he faced his next batter, Noah.
Everyone got set.
Kyle checked on Brian at first before starting his motion and throwing a fastball towards Noah. Literally. He threw the ball at Noah's feet. Noah was quick enough to hop out of the way, but Alex couldn't get in front of the wild pitch. The ball hit the backstop and Brian was already halfway to second. Garret covered second base, but by the time Alex got the ball and turned to us, there was no chance for a play.
Alex called for 'time' and walked the ball back to the mound, where Kyle was. Garret also made a move for the mound, getting the rest of us infielders to follow.
"Dude, what's happening?" Garret slapped Kyle on the back in a relaxed manner.
Kyle rolled his eyes and stepped away from Garret. He accepted the ball from Alex. "Still adjusting throwing to actual players okay."
Garrets eyebrows raised. "This new?"
"Just got back last night." Kyle answered. He shrugged his shoulders up and down, then shook out his arms. "It's hard to change my motion in a week, okay? Plus, we didn't have a whole lot of batters to pitch against. I'm good in the pen, but I just feel like I'm going to hit the batter with my new form."
"Hit them." Alex shrugged. "For the most part, they'll be abled to dodge like Noah. Just relax and focus on every movement for now. Coach can probably help guide you when the camp starts."
Kyle nodded.
