The Hitting Zone

OLU was another private school with a good baseball stadium. Thankfully we played there during spring break, when not a whole lot of people would show up. Unless you were fans of baseball or had good friends on the team, there wasn't much that could make people go to school when they don't have to.

1 SS Noah Atkins

2 CF Garret Knudsen

3 RF Bryce Finn

4 2B Jake Atkins

5 1B Sean Isner

6 3B Jason Morris

7 LF Korrey Alvarrez

8 C Mitchell Torres

9 P Dave Atkins

Bryce was back in the lineup again against a good team. I couldn't imagine what the other outfielders were feeling. It's not like he's twice as good as them. He's just a little more consistent in getting at least one hit again. Guys like Tanner and Jesse could go hitless for a couple games and it kills the momentum.

"You guys should know what to do by now." Coach addressed the team, eyeing the early players in our lineup. "Get on, and advance the runner. I don't want to see any looking strikeouts today. With two strikes, you shouldn't be watching anything that close."

"Even if the umpire is blind?" Jason asked.

"The scorebook won't say the umpire was blind." Coach replied. He squinted at Jason. "Anything close, Jason. Defend that plate or go down swinging."

Jason nodded in a hurry. "Yes, sir."

Coach was taking this game as seriously as Servite and Golden West. This was a league game and you can't go easy. Winning league was key to going to CIF.

Noah and Garret left the dugout first, going out to take practice swings as the pitcher started to warmup off the mound. Bryce and I stood near the dugout entrance, looking out and studying the pitcher.

"I don't believe you'll see any action today, Jake." Coach rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

I tried not to show a look of disgust. "You think I'm going to be intentionally walked?"

"If the circumstance calls for it, yes." He nodded. "OLU likes to play it safe. Both of the games last year were close." He frowned. "The year before that. We lost to them and couldn't win league because of it."

Oh yea. I straightened up. This was the team that held Zeke and the twins down. With Garret too. And other seniors I didn't know.

"Servite had won the year before because of the record situation." Bryce sighed. "I was on JV as a freshman and they were always good no matter what." He frowned. "I'm going to go talk to Mitch to tell him to watch for the steals when there are baserunners." He went to look for our catcher.

The game officially started when the umpire called for the extra baseballs to go into the dugout and for Noah to step up to bat. I gripped my bat tightly in anticipation.

The pitcher threw a fastball and Noah tipped it for a foul. 0-1. The pitcher got a new ball, reset, did his motion, and threw a fastball way outside for ball one. 1-1. His third pitch looked to be top speed down the middle; Noah fouled it back. 1-2. Come on, Noah. The pitcher got a new ball, did a full windup, threw a fastball a little outside. Noah swung, hitting the ball near the end of his bat, sending a fast dribbler down the first baseline. The first baseman scooped it up and beat Noah to the bag for the first out of the game.

Noah jogged back. Garret went to the plate. And Bryce hurried back from his conversation with Mitch to get in the on deck circle.

"Geez." Noah took his helmet off. "I was just a millisecond late to that pitch."

I nodded in agreement. "Or if you had just gotten more under it to give it some lift." Would have been a single.

"Focus on the next at bat." Coach told Noah, patting him on the shoulder.

A loud 'ding' rang in the air and shouts started to be heard from all around. Garret was sprinting to first, tagging the base, going for second. The ball that he hit was picked up by the left fielder, who threw it in with an urgency. His throw was on the money, directly to the second baseman covering the base. The second baseman caught the ball and laid the tag down as Garret slid in feet first.

All eyes were on the umpire. He extended his arms. "Safe!" His declaration caused our dugout to shake the fence with excitement.

Coach held me back an extra second. "Be careful out there if they do pitch to you. It won't be simple and straightforward."

I nodded. He gave me a pat on the helmet and I went out to the circle.

Bryce had a decent at bat, fouling off four straight fastballs before missing on inside ball. He shook his head at me. "The guy is hitting some good spots around the zone. Tough to tell on those borderline calls."

Hmm. I nodded in acknowledgement and headed for the batter's box. I chose to be a lefty simply because Garret had success in his first at bat. I wasn't superstitious like Noah, but...the odds played a roll in my decision making.

I glanced back at the catcher, who stayed in a squat. Okay, so no intentional walk. That was a good thing. I could possibly make something happen. Garret could score from second even on a well hit single. Sure enough, Mr. Miller thought so too, giving us the signs. I could swing freely, and Garret would run on contact no matter what.

The pitcher did his windup. The ball left his fingertips and I tightened my grip, wanting to start my swing. However the ball came inside on me. Real inside. I hurried to jump back and the catcher caught the ball where I was just standing. Ball.

"He's aiming for our guy, ump!"

"Keep an eye on him!"

"Don't let him do it again."

"Good eye, Jake! Good eye!"

"Way to watch the ball!"

The catcher stood up to throw the ball back to his pitcher. He glanced at me. "It wasn't intentional."

My eyelid twitched. Somehow I didn't believe him. I don't know whether it's because I was skeptical of everyone and everything or whether it's because he didn't apologize. I rolled my shoulders back. It was just a brushback pitch. I could handle it.