Rhys got set again and Zeke was prepared. Zeke was able to foul off two more pitches, then let one pass for a ball.
"Jake?!" Rhys hollered.
I made eye contact with him and shook my head. "Ball."
"Damn it!" He cursed and grabbed a new ball.
I was slowly getting accustomed to his pitching. What was throwing me off wasn't so much the speed, but how he pitched. His left hand didn't reveal the ball until the last second. This gives batters less time to react when deciding to swing; his speed just made it that much more difficult.
Rhys threw another fastball in the zone, but this time Zeke got a piece of it, hitting a line drive into the netting.
"One at-bat completed." Zeke told Rhys. "You have to start from scratch again."
"I know." Rhys was solemn. He took his time, grabbing a new ball and relaxing his shoulders.
"Eh? Rhys looks like he's getting comfortable." Noah stated. He raised his voice for Zeke to hear. "Better watch out, Zeke!"
Zeke glanced back at us, but then turned his focus on Rhys. Rhys was prepared to start again. They both showed no expression, but you could feel the determination of the pair. Rhys started with a fastball inside and Zeke swung and missed.
"Strike one." Noah said.
I glanced at him. What a daredevil. I only called balls and strikes if Zeke didn't swing. I don't really want to get on anyone's bad side here.
The pair didn't pay attention to Noah and both got back into their beginning positions. I noticed that Zeke inched closer to the back of the batter's box. Rhys grabbed a ball and stepped on the rubber, he stood tall, eyed Zeke, then began his motion. He took a giant stepped forward and in a blink the ball was coming.
Zeke fouled it back just barely.
"Hey..."Noah whispered. "Wasn't that even faster than before? Or am I imagining things?"
I nodded. "Slightly faster." I hesitated before saying. "It had a lot of movement too."
"Was it a breaking ball?" He asked, surprised.
I shrugged, helpless. "I'm not sure." I knew the bare basics of pitch-types. "It's not something I've seen before. I think...he's trying to throw a certain pitch, but it's not working out. Or he's doing it intentionally to throw off Zeke's timing?"
"Good analysis." Noah told me.
We got quiet as Rhys prepared to pitch again. This time he threw a fastball just on the edge of the strike zone. Zeke didn't let it pass, swinging and fouling it with the tip of his bat.
"Strike two." Noah mumbled, a little more quiet now. He glanced at me. "Do you get the feeling that Zeke is on the defensive?"
I nodded and thought about something Zeke had once told me. "He has to defend the plate. Anything but a strikeout and he wins."
"But isn't Rhys in a favorable position now with two strikes?" Noah asked.
I nodded. "I think so too." I thought Zeke was the best player I know, but Rhys definitely looks like a professional pitcher. This showdown didn't feel like it was between two high schoolers. Even if they were just recent graduates. I don't think the twins, or even Garret, could compare to Rhys. I felt an itch in my fingers. I wanted to know what it would be like to face him.
Rhys got set and threw another pitch. I squinted and tried to watch the ball come out of his hands as closely as possible. Zeke started his swing as the pitch came, but was soon caught in a bind. He swung too early. Rhys, who had been throwing heat this whole time, had switched it up on him. And if that wasn't enough, the movement of the ball was falling. Clearly.
"A sinker!" Noah yelped as Zeke tried lowering his bat at the last millisecond. It was no use. He couldn't reach it and missed. "Strikeout!"
Zeke's finishing stance was disorderly so he stood up straight and faced Rhys on the mound.
Rhys grinned and blew a little on his fingers. "Got you."
"You learned a new trick, huh?" Zeke didn't look upset about striking out. Instead, he was interested. He glanced back at me and Noah. "You guys think you can hit that?"
Noah shook his head, looking a little sad. "Rhys throws so fast. I don't know if I can even touch his fastball." He looked at Rhys. "How did your speed come back so fast? And when did your control get so good?"
Rhys laughed. "Fast? It felt like eternity to get back to this level. Rehab five days a week isn't like practice. It felt like a prison. It does feel good to show off now though." He came off the mound and walked up to Zeke. He put his hand on Zeke's shoulder. "Thanks for being there for me this past year. I couldn't have made a comeback like this without you."
Zeke chuckled. "You didn't seem very thankful when you embarrassed me in front of my little brothers like that. I think you're very spiteful."
Rhys continued to laugh. "Hey! It's not an embarrassment to be struck out by me. It's an honor. I'll be in the big leagues showing off this same pitching in just a couple of years."
Zeke rolled his eyes. "It won't happen again, against me." He looked to us. "How about you guys also get three at-bats? Rhys is in good shape."
"Okay!" Noah nodded. "Are you going to do your third at-bat before us though?"
Zeke glanced at Rhys.
Rhys shook his head. "Let's keep it at a tie. Zeke with one hit, and me with one strikeout."
"Scaredy-cat." Noah said. To both of them.
"It's called friendship." Rhys corrected. "Why don't you come in first, Noah? I'll go easy on ya."
Noah made a face. "I don't like how you made that sound."
Rhys lifted an eyebrow. "Want me to try my best then?"
Noah frowned. Knowing him, he's probably trying not to compete with Rhys since he knows he can't win. But he also can't stand being talked down to.
"Just stick to fastballs." Zeke told Rhys. "Keep them in the zone too. Noah still struggles in the cages so it won't be fun to pick on the kid."
Noah's frown deepened. He turned to me. "I hope you crush Rhys. Knock him off that high horse."
Rhys scoffed before I could reply. "You think Jake could do just as well as Zeke?"
"I think you won't be able to strike him out." Noah claimed. "Jake is good at fouling off pitches. His vision is better than Zeke's. Tell him Zeke."
Zeke headed for the exit. "I don't have to tell him anything. He can just see it for himself when it's Jake's turn. Noah, grab your bat."
Noah picked his bat up and jogged to the entrance, switching places with Zeke. Rhys grabbed a bucket and picked up the baseballs from Zeke's turn, and carried it back to the fake mound.
"This reminds me of playing on a turf field." Noah remarked as he got set in the batter's box.
Zeke stood next to me after resting his bat against the fence, taking Noah's spot. He glanced down at me. "What'd you think?"
"Rhys is great." I said honestly.