The crowd was still making noise for their team as we switched to defense. When Garret took his practice pitches, I could tell that he was still distracted by his run to home in the last half inning. So could Coach. He came out after the practice pitches, and went to the mound, waving for us all to join him.
"What's up Coach?" Garret asked, gripping the baseball. Probably scared that he might be pulled.
The rest of us fielders surrounded them, Coach versus Garret.
Coach stared him down. "Are you sure you want the ball?"
"Yes." Garret hid it in his glove. "I can do this."
"Are you sure? Because to me, it looks like your head is somewhere else. On the last play, perhaps?"
Garret shrugged, looking guilty.
Coach laid his heavy hand on Garret's shoulder. "I'm telling you now, if you give up one hit, I'll pull you. I don't care how well you have done so far. If you're not here mentally, you can easily lose us this game."
"Wow, Coach." Garret grimaced. "No pressure, huh?"
Coach wasn't bothered. "Yes. There is pressure. Lots of it, too. If you can't perform well this inning, you could cost us this game. If you cost us this game, you might put us out of the race for first place in the league. This is all on you. I'm asking you now, can you handle it?"
Garret straightened up. "We'll win. We'll win it all!"
"That's what I want to hear!" Coach patted his shoulder and let go. He looked around at all of us. "Forget the last play. You can't go back and change it. There are no replays or redos. You can only focus on the present and look forward to the future."
"Yes, Coach!" The other infielders agreed. I nodded to show I understood.
"Time." The umpire walked up to us. "You all need to break it up."
"We've got your back, Garret!" Noah smacked Garret's back with his gloved hand. Julian and Jason did the same as we all headed back to our positions and Coach went back to the dugout.
Garret got lucky that he would begin with the bottom part of their lineup first. So even if he was shaken by his failed slide, he doesn't need his best stuff just yet. He started with batter number eight. He wasn't much of a challenge. He got jammed and popped the ball up. Noah came in to the inner grass just behind the mound and made the catch.
"One out, two to go!" He tossed the ball to Garret.
Garret tipped his cap and grinned.
Batter number nine was Brady. With him batting this inning, it looks like they'll be keeping him in. They want him to finish out the game I guess. Not like he's been doing poorly. He only gave up three hits over six innings. Only one run.
As Garret faced him, I realized...Garret still has the no-hitter going! My heart started to pound. Noah kept telling me not to talk about it so it slipped my mind, but, yea...the only baserunner was the walk from the first inning to that lefty that bats second.
'Ding!' The ball soared off Brady's bat. Noah jumped, but it was too high.
Did I just jinx Garret?
No!
Zeke was sprinting in from center field. He dove at the hit from an angle, then rolled in the grass. He popped up, back on his feet, holding up his glove triumphantly. The crowd clapped for the amazing play regardless of what team they were cheering for. Zeke threw the ball back in to Noah, who threw it to Garret.
Garret raised a hand up in Zeke's direction. Zeke raised two fingers in response. Two outs.
The lead off batter was up again. He had struck out twice now. While Garret couldn't make him swing and miss a third time, he still got the batter out by getting him to hit a ground ball right to Jason. Jason fielded the ball smoothly and threw him out at first to end the inning.
We jogged back to the dugout with smiles. Just one more inning to go.
"No ten strikeouts for you." Dave scoffed at Garret once he sat down to rest. "Not only did I do it in less innings, but you couldn't do it at all."
Garret glared at him. "One more inning to go. I could still pass you."
Dave raised an eyebrow. "You think you'll get to finish out the game? You were looking pretty tired up there."
Garret flexed an arm. "I still got it."
"..." Dave's eyebrow twitched. "That's your right arm...I'd be more inclined to believe you if you flexed your pitching arm."
A couple of the guys laughed.
Even I giggled a little as I sat by Noah and our bags.
Noah was holding his helmet in his lap, drumming his fingers to a beat in his head. "Do you think I've got a chance?"
"To bat?" I nodded. Mahki, Zeke and Tanner would lead us off. "There's a chance." The three of them are a combined 0-6 at the plate today, but there's still a chance. I would never count Zeke out.
We watched Brady get back on the mound and throw his practice pitches. Against Mahki, he continued to throw in good spots, only slowing down just a little. Mahki got a piece of one, pulling it down the third baseline. It bounced once before the third baseman got it, and then proceeded to make an amazing throw to first to get him out.
Noah pouted.
Zeke was up next. He came out swinging, pulling the first one foul of the third baseline. The next pitch was also sent foul, going high before hitting the fence. The third was sliced, going right of the first baseline, almost hitting Coach Luis. The fourth pitch, Zeke got ahold of, sending it dead center. It flew to the fence in the outfield and Zeke was sprinting. The center fielder tracked it down to the warning track, before making the jump and robbing Zeke of a homerun. Zeke turned back and came back to the dugout.
Noah groaned.
I patted his shoulder sympathetically. "You're in the hole spot now. You can put on the helmet at least."
Noah shot me a glare out of the corner of his eyes.
I moved a few inches away.
Tanner didn't even graze a pitch like Mahki and Zeke. He went down swinging, and missing, striking out for the second time today.
Noah grunted, throwing his helmet back in his bag. He picked up his glove and sprinted out to the field, being the first one. I guess he has some energy to burn off.
I mean, I understand the feeling. I can't believe how many times I was left standing in the on deck circle, unable to get my own chance to help our team.
Garret was pulled aside by Coach before he headed out. Their talk was brief, but Garret didn't look angry so I don't think Coach will pull him. We were three outs away from a win and a no-hitter after all.
Garret came out and did his practice pitches with Alex before facing his first opponent of the seventh inning. He had to start with the number two batter. Who had a walk in the first and had hit that grounder to me in the fourth inning.
I backed up, putting my heels on the outfield grass. I wanted to give myself enough space to cut off any grounders coming this way. After all, a lefty is more likely to hit my way than Noah's.
Garret's cut-fastball wasn't useful so he tried shutting him down with just his fastball. The lefty connected with his pitch, a loud resounding 'ding' made my ears ring. I jumped my highest to try and swat down the line drive, but it was no use. I was too short. It made it to right field, bouncing right before Tanner. A hit. Garret's given up his first hit of the game.
The crowd started to clap and cheer. For both Garret and the batter. Garret lost the no-hitter and the batter was the home team who stopped it.
Tanner threw the ball back in to me and I threw it to Garret on the mound, trying to not look as upset as I felt. My eyes stung. I was just a few inches away from stopping the hit. If I was taller...if I could jump higher...if I had better reflexes. I sighed and shook my head, trying to straighten myself out before Garret took on the next batter.
Garret didn't look bothered by the hit, nor did Coach. I guess they must have thought something like this would happen and that's what they could have been talking about. Garret closed out the next batter with a swinging strikeout. His tenth of the game. He sent a smirk towards our own dugout. No doubt it was intended for Dave.
With one out, one on, a double play would be ideal. Noah discreetly waved for me to scoot over closer to second base. The cleanup hitter was a righty so I shouldn't be too scared of him hitting a grounder in the gap between me and Julian. He had a history of a strikeout and a fly out to Jason.
Garret did his best to corner him with a 1-2 count, getting the batter to pull the ball towards his left, towards Noah and Jason. Noah made a spectacular grab and threw the ball to me from his knees. I was already on second base when I caught the ball. I was transitioning from catch to throw as the first base runner came sliding into second. My throw to first turned sloppy as I fell into the dirt, tangled up with the runner.
Julian stretched out to a near split, digging my bad throw out of the dirt as it bounced near him.
"Out!"
"Out!"