Dave came out strong and fast. He got the first two batters to strike out, completely whiffing. The third batter did a smidge better, making contact and lifting the ball to left field. Jesse was there to get underneath it and caught the ball with ease.
Noah and I jogged back to our dugout together.
"I know where everyone is." He told me in a low voice as we switched our hats for helmets.
I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he was talking about.
"Mom and Dad. Rhys and Zeke." He dropped his voice to a light whisper. "Jeremy and Rose."
"Oh?" I put my glove on the bench and picked up my bat.
Noah tugged his batting gloves on, picked up his bat, then led the way back to the dugout entrance. He paused before stepping out. "Look just past left field. I noticed them when Jesse was making that catch." He stepped out and started to take some practice swings.
My eyes drifted to left field. The outfield fence was a little high, but backed up to a slope so I could see them. Four men: Zeke, Rhys, Jeremy, and Dad were standing casually, eyes on the field. Mom and Rose stood behind them on higher ground, looking like they were talking.
Rhys seemed to notice me looking out there. Or maybe he was trying to get my attention, because he soon started waving an arm around. It was a greeting? Or maybe...
I gripped my bat a little tighter and turned to Coach, who was talking to Alisha about the lineup. "Coach?"
Coach looked at me.
I inched closer. "Can I...try to hit a homerun in my first at-bat?"
Coach didn't even look surprised. "If you're more than 75% positive that you can get it, then you try for it."
I nodded and went back to my spot. I have to watch the pitcher a little more to see how he is. I wanted to hit a homerun towards my family, but I don't know if it'll be possible. Especially...as I watched this pitcher throw wildly.
Sean walked on four straight balls. Noah was thrown only one called strike among four balls out of the zone. He jogged to first and pushed Sean to second. The catcher got up and went to talk to his pitcher on the mound.
"He'll probably try to throw a strike on the very first pitch." Garret whispered to me as we both stood near the on deck circle. "I heard what you said to Coach. If you want to hit a homer, first pitch is your best chance."
"Will it be a breaking ball though?" I whispered back.
Garret looked away, pretending not to show interest to those players on the mound. "As a pitcher, if you have back-to-back walks, you'll want a quick, solid, strike. So fastball. Probably even right down the middle."
I was skeptical. "Really?"
He gave a small nod. "Really. Stop thinking like a batter, and think like a pitcher. Pitchers want to get in good on the count after two walks. Batters are probably thinking, don't bother swinging until this guy throws a strike. Which is a good rule to go by normally. But you want a homer."
"Okay." I believed in what Garret had to say. He's a pitcher too after all. He knows the coin on both sides.
The umpire broke up the small meeting on the mound and called me to the batter's box. In the righty's box, I slowly got set, trying to give off an impression that I wasn't going to swing. I was going to watch and wait. I don't know if my indifference mattered to the pitcher or catcher, but Garret was right to predict that the first pitch would be a fastball in the strike zone.
The pitch was a little high, but that just made it easy on me. I swung my hardest and pulled the ball to the left field line and started my run to first. As I rounded first I had a good view of the ball going over the fence. I kind of assume that Rhys would be the outgoing type to try to catch it, but it was Jeremy chasing after the ball. He caught it with bare hands then held it up for me to see.
I grinned and rounded second base. After tagging home plate, Noah and Sean were there to give me high-fives before going back to the dugout together, where we were greeted by more high-fives.
"Dang, they're already pulling the pitcher?" Mitchell's comment grabbed everyone's attention as all eyes drifted to the mound.
The head coach for Lowell was already taking the ball from the pitcher's hand and waving at his bullpen.
"He did give up two walks and a homerun." Jason shrugged before walking to the on deck circle with Garret.
Mitchell shook his head. "Only ten pitches though. Ten pitches, then they pulled him? That's gotta hurt the self-esteem of any pitcher."
"High school baseball is cutthroat." Coach said, bringing down the atmosphere in the dugout. "I don't say this to be mean, but winning is important in high school sports. It points out the champions. The best around. It gives even more exposure to athletes trying to get into colleges or the big leagues."
"I don't know what you all are being sentimental for." Noah grinned and raised his voice. "We did that. We took a pitcher out before he even got his first out. We're just that good."
"You got a walk." Sean laughed. "Don't act like it was us. It was all Jake. Putting them down by three runs in the first inning? That sucks...for them." He grinned too.
"Hey, it's not my fault the guy didn't want to throw me any strikes." Noah rebutted.
The two bickered and joked as the new pitcher threw some warmup pitches off the mound.
"Hey, that was your brother with the catch, right?" Mitchell scooted closer to me after I sat down on the bench.
My lips twitched as I thought of Jeremy beyond the outfield, making the catch on my homerun. "Yea.."
"Wow. I can't believe he came." Mitchell murmured. Then stiffened up. "Not that I think he shouldn't come watch you. I just mean, that, I feel like, he should, I don't know, be preparing for baseball season?"
I let out a small laugh thanks to Mitchell's stumbling on what to say. "No. I understand. I didn't think he would come either. But he lives close by. And it's the weekend." I thought about it. "Coach hasn't announced it to the team yet, but he's going to treat the whole team to lunch today."
"Wow." Mitchell's eyes widened in disbelief. I understood. Sometimes I couldn't believe it either. Not that Jeremy was some baseball star, but that he was a star that wanted to be apart of my life. To watch my high school games, donate a gym to my school, call to talk about my classes. Sometimes none of it felt real. The Atkins taking me in, getting me into baseball, then adopting me. I've been on a lucky streak as of late.