As I left the dugout, I noticed the pitcher change immediately. He wasn't very tall, but his speed was impressively hanging around the low 80s just for a warmup.
"He doesn't have any breaking pitches." Zeke said from behind me, also ready for his at bat. "He could possibly reach 90mph, but it depends on his condition. I want you to get hit off the first pitch, if you can."
I nodded. "As long as it's in the strike zone, I can do it."
Zeke patted my shoulder. "Good. I'm counting on you."
I was stunned. As the umpire called for me to step up to the plate, I moved mechanically since Zeke's words were still sinking in. He's counting on me? Counting on me. On me.
A smile took over my face as I got in the lefty's box to face the new pitcher. He wasn't anywhere near as tall or scary as the pitcher's on my own team. Why can't we score a few runs off him? The first pitch came, a little outside, but it was still within reach. I extended my arms and swung my bat, connecting with the ball and sent it to the opposite side aka the left field. I dropped my bat and took off.
I was able to make it to second base without needing to slide. I clenched my fists in excitement. Good start. I looked to the pitcher and found him glaring at me. I nervously looked away as fast as possible.
After waiting a few seconds, I slowly turned to look and found him already facing down Zeke. The catcher stayed in his squatting position, indicating they wouldn't do another intentional walk. I guess they think that they have enough of a lead to be able to face him head on.
I'm okay with them coming to that conclusion. Especially since we need quite a few runs. Zeke didn't disappoint. He also crushed the first pitch like me, but unlike mine, his went clear over the center field fence without any hope of being caught. I ran around the bases, happy to cut the lead down 9-5. Four more to tie, five more for the win.
We both returned to the dugout and received a few compliments, but everyone's main focus was the batters box. We still had a long way to go. It's not like everyone else could hit home runs on demand like Zeke.
Garret was up next. He didn't copy us on swinging at the first pitch, and instead took as many pitches possible, before finding one he liked and sending it past the infield. He easily earned a single. Mahki, who had been struggling all day, copied him and also earned a single. Garret was fast enough to reach third, sliding in to avoid the tag. Great. Two on, no outs.
James was supposed to be up next, but coach replaced him with another pinch hitter: Tony. Tony couldn't come up with anything and ended up striking out, which isn't as bad as a double play I guess.
Sean came up to bat, and stepped into the righty's box. I guess he wasn't going to try a bunt when that would give them a chance for the double play. Sean didn't play mind games with the pitcher: i.e. swinging on the first pitch, like me and Zeke,or taking a whole ton of pitches, like Garret and Mahki. He settled on a 2-1 pitch, that could have possibly been called a ball. But he swung and sent it to right field. This time there was no super catch like last inning, the ball dropped and the runners advanced. Sean was safe at first, Mahki made it to third, and Garret scored to make the score 9-6.
Kelvin moved to the batter's box and Julian went to the on deck circle.
Noah grinned at me as he grabbed his bat. "It's happening! The momentum is with us! Get your helmet on too!" He left to go stand in the hole.
I did what I was told, put on my helmet, and I held my bat in my lap. My bat was extremely dirty and I could feel a few small dents in it as I ran my hands over the wood. I barely had it for a month, but it felt like a prized possession now. It was one of the few personal items I could actually call mine.
The 'ding' of a bat made me look up. Kelvin had hit a high fly to left field. The left fielder got under it and caught for out two, but was slow to throw it back to the infield, allowing Mahki to tag up and score. Kelvin's sacrifice fly made the score 9-7, with two outs.
Julian was up next, with Sean still on first. Any kind of fly ball could be an out, or any infield grounder too. I slowly moved to the edge of the dugout, feeling a little lightheaded.
A familiar heavy hand landed on my shoulder. "Don't think so much." Zeke said, helmet on and bat in hand. "Like Noah said, it's three runs to go. Not one more out until we lose."
I smiled, thinking it was weird for Zeke to quote Noah when it's usually the other way around.
Zeke let go of my shoulder. "You must be pretty relaxed if you can still smile." Uh? "Usually your on puns and needles even when it's not a do or die situation."
I blushed. "I-I just can't-umm." I paused and tried to find the right words.
"It's okay. Just continue to be yourself." He pushed me out of the dugout.
While we were talking Julian smacked a hard grounder just past the third baseman, moving Sean to second. Noah stopped up to bat and I was now in the on deck circle.
Be yourself. I didn't really know what that meant. I couldn't be anyone else...but also, I was changing. That's what I wanted to tell him. That I was changing, and I wasn't as nervous as when I first came to the Atkins. Yea aggressive actions still made me flinch in fear, but I was back to talking again. I went months in a hospital without speaking one word, but being with the Atkins made me feel a little safer.
Noah took the first pitch as a called strike. I frowned. I didn't mind if we couldn't win, but I definitely don't want it to be Noah's fault. He shouldn't be the last batter up. The pitcher threw an intense sequence of outside and inside pitches. Noah pushed the count to 3-2. The next pitch came far inside. Far enough to hit Noah on the thigh.
Noah took a knee. I dropped my bat and ran to him just as the ump stepped forward and pronounced dead ball and for him to take his base. Then the ump pointed at the pitcher and threw him out. The crowd went wild and so did the Durham coach. He practically sprinted out of his dugout.
I helped Noah up. "Are you okay?"
Noah smiled at me. "Of course I am. Bases are load and my best friend, who is a hitting genius will end the game for us." He pushed down on my helmet. "Send anything to the outfield and I'll make it home for the win." Then he turned off to jog to first, pushing Julian to second, and Sean to third.
The Durham coach was still relentlessly attacking the umpire with his words, trying to defend his pitcher. He went so far as to accused that Noah had leaned into it. Which is silly since it would have been a ball four no matter what.
I went back to my bat and picked it up. I watched as the umpire sent the pitcher packing, and soon the Durham coach got the same treatment, sending the crowd into more of an uproar. This was my first time seeing such a chaotic scene in baseball. It lasted almost ten minutes with the umpires having to call security to send off the red-faced coach. The assistant took over and had a pitcher warming up in the bullpen until the game resumed.
I looked over to Zeke. "Any info on this pitcher?"
Zeke shook his head. "Must be a newbie." He looked down at me, straight in the eyes. "Go get him."
Finally the umpire called for me to step up. I joyfully stepped up to bat on the left side, facing a new pitcher. His warmups didn't show much so I let some of the pitches go. Reasonable speed. Reasonable placement. He just didn't seem to have anything extra. With a 2-2 count, he delivered a fastball high and inside. My step forward opened up my stance and I pulled it to right field. It went straight to the corner.
"Stay fair!"
"Run!"
"Go, Go, Go!"
Shouts came from everyone, everywhere. I only hesitated for a second before decisively starting to sprint. If the right fielder caught it, that would end the game. If it was foul, I would just have to go back to the plate. There wasn't any reason not to run.
As I rounded first base, I peeked at the ump and saw him indicating the ball was fair and the fielder was able to make the catch. I stopped at second, staying standing. I watch the relay from the right fielder, to the second baseman, to the catcher at home. Noah didn't doubt my hit and took off running as soon as it went off my bat, just as the catcher got the ball, he slid past the catcher and smacked home plate with his hand.
A three-run double. We win! 10-9! I stood on second not knowing what to do as my team bolted out of the dugout and headed straight for me.