Before I could help myself up, I felt two different hands pulling me up by my arms. Julian and Mahki were also tracking the fly ball so they were close by. They reached me first and pulled me to my feet.
"You okay, kid?" Julian asked.
I opened my glove to make sure the ball was still safely in there. "Yea, I'm good."
Mahki laughed. "You just wanted to make the catch more dramatic, huh?"
I blushed. Then I remembered Noah's advice to just laugh it off. So I tried smiling as I threw the ball to the mound. "I made the catch."
"That, you did!" Julian hit the bill of my cap down so it covered my eyes.
I fixed it and followed everyone back to the dugout. Some of the guys laughed and made jokes as I passed them by.
I tried to see the humor in embarrassing myself like that, but the most I could do was share a smile. At least, up to the point where I ran into Kyle.
Kyle slapped my arm with a grin. "You really had me going, Jake! I was scared that you were going to drop it intentionally."
I pouted. "I wouldn't even be worried about falling if it wasn't for you."
"Meh." He shrugged it off. "You did well."
"Yea, unlike you." Noah told him. "One hit, one run. Aren't you a little too efficient for the other team?"
Kyle scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed. That made me feel better in a twisted way. "I don't know what's wrong with me. The ball just isn't going where I want it to go."
"Better get your act together before you get pulled from the mound." Noah stuck his tongue out and went to stand near Coach and Zeke. He'd be the third batter up this inning.
"Don't mind." I told Kyle before going to my seat.
Kyle stood there, lost in his thoughts. I wasn't knowledgeable in pitching and the mentality it takes so I just watched him from the corner of my eye. Maybe Dave will talk to him. Or Zeke.
Bottom of the second, we went three up and three down. No one reached. Mahki struck out looking. Jason smacked a line drive right to the shortstop. And then Noah ended it with a foul pop out to the third baseman.
Top of the third, we took the field again, but this time, with a more focused Kyle. He shut Servite down with back-to-back strikeouts followed by a pop fly to Noah. It could have just been a bit easier thanks to the bottom of the lineup.
Unfortunately, Kyle's good pitching doesn't translate to good hitting. Not that he's a good hitter to begin with. Alex hit a fly ball to right. Kyle struck out swinging. Then, from the on deck circle, I watched Garret hit a long fly ball to dead center. It didn't have the height to go all the way and was caught for the third out of the third inning.
Top of the fourth, Coach told Kyle to not worry about his pitch count and to finish strong. By the look of Kyle's crestfallen face, I guess that was a hint that he was coming out soon. Kyle nodded solemnly and got back on the mound.
"I could never be a pitcher." Noah whispered to me as we headed towards second base. "Not being able to play every game would kill me."
I looked out to Garret in left field. "But...Garret plays almost every game. And he's a pitcher. I think it just depends on what kind of pitcher you are..."
Noah rolled his eyes. "Jake...I can't hit like Garret. There's no way Coach would let a pitcher play shortstop on the days they weren't pitching. Too much of a chance for an injury. You saw Dave, a ripped nail kept him out for almost two weeks. My nails crack all the time from diving in the dirt and making awkward plays."
Ok, so we shouldn't compare ourselves to Garret. He's an exception.
We both went to our spots as Kyle finished his warmup pitches. Kyle really worked hard, knowing that he probably wasn't going to come back. His pitch count soared as he battled the beginning of Servite's lineup again. The number two batter hit a grounder right to me and I easily made the play to first base for the first out.
After another high pitch count against the number three batter, he bounced a grounder between Jason and Noah. Noah made the dive and the grab, then followed it up with a long throw to first base from his knees. The home crowd went wild for the amazing play as soon as the ump called the batter out. Jason helped Noah up and clapped him on the back. Even Kyle lifted his hat to him.
"Great play, Noah!"
Two outs, no one on, top of the fourth and Kyle's nemesis was back at the plate. It was the player who had hit the homerun in the second inning. Kyle started off with a fastball right down the middle for a called strike. I shivered. What a risky pitch. 0-1. Kyle placed a pitch inside, backing the batter off the plate. 1-1.
On the third pitch, Kyle got him to swing and miss on an outside pitch. 1-2. Next, Kyle aimed fast and high, but the batter didn't let it pass for a ball. He took a big step forward and used his bat to smash it to left field. I moved to cover second as I watched Garret chase down the fly ball.
As a team, we were helpless and had to watch the ball become out of reach for our outfielders. Another solo shot. Down by two.
I glanced at Kyle and noticed his fist were clenched.
"Next one, next one!" Alex hollered, throwing Kyle a new baseball as the batter went around touching all the bases.
Kyle reset himself on the mound physically, but he was losing the mental battle. His pitches became sloppy and the fifth batter was able to connect on a fastball. He hit a line drive towards right field. Mahki sprinted in and had to lay himself out to make the diving catch.
The got the crowd a little excited, but it was still a little quiet since the second homerun. Everyone ran back to the dugout, eager to get off defense.
"You pitched well." Noah told Kyle as we entered the dugout together.
"No, I didn't." Kyle sighed, studying his right hand like it would have the answers for him.
"Giving up only two runs isn't so bad." Dave said. "We still have a chance. It's not like you were bombed."
"It's a 4.5 era for this game." Kyle sighed and slouched on the bench.
I wanted to stick around to listen, but I would lead off this inning so I had to switch out my gear and then leave the dugout. Zeke was already out on the circle, carelessly swinging his bat. Looking at his relaxed attitude made me feel like we were the ones winning by two.
Zeke nodded at me. "Get on. We've got work to do."
Ah, but still as serious as ever. I nodded and took some practice swings while I watched Sanchez throw some practice pitches off the mound.