The Hitting Zone

I didn't take long to get ready and stood in the hole with some eagerness.

"You have something you want to do?" Bryce asked with a small laugh.

I shrugged. "I just want to get some swings in. Try for that homer from the left side again."

Bryce placed a hand on the top of my helmet and gave it a shake. "Give it your best shot. We're rooting for you."

I grinned and nodded.

Kyle popped out to short very quickly, but at least he didn't look so angry this time coming back. His attention must still be on pitching and how he could finish this game.

I went out to the on deck circle, leaving Bryce in the hole. Noah was at the plate, tapping it with his bat before getting set. He was 0-1 today with a walk and a run. Not exactly bad, but I know he wouldn't be happy without at least a hit. He didn't get it this time either, poking a slow roller to second. The second baseman dealt with it swiftly and threw him out at first.

Just as he was coming back, the coach from Gridley came out of his dugout and announced a pitcher change. He went to the mound and took the baseball from his player and waited for a new player to come from the bullpen.

"Ooh. A challenger?" Noah lifted his eyebrows in surprise.

I gripped my bat tighter in excitement. I smiled. "As long as they're not calling in a new guy just to intentionally walk me."

Noah laughed. "Not likely, but also not impossible." He went back in the dugout.

Bryce came out to take practice swings too as we watched the guy get some practice pitches off the mound. After a few, the ump waved for me to come up.

"Get him, Jake!"

"Crush another one!"

"Let's add a few more to the scoreboard!"

I got in the lefty's box for the second time today. I pulled my bat back and got set, happy to know that the pitcher wasn't going to walk me intentionally. The first pitch came, just a little outside. I fouled it down the line, behind Mr. Miller in the coaches box. I did that a couple more times.

Until Mr. Miller clapped loudly. "Straighten it out Jake!" I could hear a bit of impatience in his voice. I felt a little guilty. He probably didn't like me fouling pitches off his way.

I tried to pull a few down the right field line, successfully avoiding Coach Riley. The pitcher started to get annoyed, throwing a ball almost right at me. I jumped back to dodge. The next pitch bounced before home plate, making the count 2-2. It was time to go for it. Otherwise I might be seeing a walk.

The next pitch wasn't perfect, but I still pulled it to right field. I dropped my bat and started to run. The right fielder got under the fly ball and made the catch, not needing to show off like before. I frowned and headed back to the dugout.

I picked up my bat on the way and stepped into the dugout.

"Good try." Coach told me. "Take a seat. Dalton is taking over."

"Okay." I twisted my lips.

"Anything wrong?" He asked.

"No. I just didn't like the pitch I chose to try to hit." I told him honestly. "There were a lot of better ones."

"Yea. That you wasted." Mr. Miller joined us. He wagged his finger at me. "I know you like to play around against live pitching but one of these days you'll mess up and hit me. You can expect to run for the whole season if you do."

"Sorry." I cringed. I knew it. He was annoyed.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Mr. Miller said. "Yet."

Coach laughed. "Okay, I think we should have more faith in Jake. He would never intentionally hit anyone with a baseball." He patted me on the shoulder. "You're fine. Take a seat and relax."

I nodded and left them for my bag. I took my helmet off and nodded at some of the guys who were late to leave the dugout. Then my batting gloves. I stared at them for awhile, wondering when I had become used to a layer between me and my bat. Oh yea, my bat. I picked it up and looked it over too, happy to not find any splinters or dents despite the long at bat and how many foul balls I had hit.

Top of the fifth inning, Kyle showed a jump in speed and batters were starting to struggle. The guy that previously hit a homer off him, struck out swinging. The nine hole spot was the new pitcher and he struck out looking. Back at the top of the lineup, Kyle did walk the number one batter but bounced back immediately with a force out to Noah at short who flipped the ball to Dalton at second base to get the runner to end their half of the inning.

Bottom of the fifth. Bryce got pegged on the back on a 1-1 count. Coach went out to check on him, ultimately guiding him back to the dugout and sending out Korrey to be a pinch runner. Bryce assured everyone that he was fine, but Coach wanted to play it safe so he gave him a look and sent him to the bench.

Garret went up next and surprised a lot of us by going down swinging. He strikes out very rarely, the last time being against Servite. Brian struck out too, making the pitcher look a whole lot better. But then the pitcher walked Sean. Followed up by an RBI single from Jason. Then another RBI single from Mitchell, making it 8-2. The activity was broken up by another pop out in foul territory by Kyle.

"I never get to come up with people on." Noah complained as he switched gear. "I just want to pad my stats too before the season ends."

"I thought you only cared about winning?" I joked.

"Well, we are winning." Noah said. "So why not add a little more?"

"You already scored a run." I pointed out.

"I want moreeee." Noah dragged out as he headed for the exit.

I understood what he meant. I think all players would.

Top of the sixth started with Adam. Kyle made short work of him, earning his sixth strikeout of the game. The cleanup hitter became strikeout victim number seven. The next guy got walked, but Kyle continued on, getting another strikeout to end the half.

"Beat you." Kyle told Garret as soon as Garret made it in from center field.

"Beat me into the dugout?" Garret asked, confused. "No duh. You could walk and beat me."

"I have more strikeouts than you did last week." Kyle smirked.

"That's like the only stat you've beaten me in." Garret rolled his eyes and brushed past Kyle. "I gave up less walks and runs."

"Not hits." Noah pointed out as he pulled on his helmet.

Garret slapped him on the head. "Shut up and get out."

Noah snickered and hurried to finish getting ready.