Top of the ninth we go. Back to the very top of our lineup. Bryce and Noah would get their chance before me.
Garret and I stood just by the dugout entrance watching the two take practice swings.
"This is probably our best shot." Garret mumbled so only I could hear. "Not just to score but to prevent them from scoring. In the bottom half of the inning, they're back to their bottom end of the lineup."
I held my bat closely and whispered. "Do you think Bryce has a chance?"
"Against a lefty?" Garret smirked. "Of course. In the bullpen, he's probably seen me pitch the most out of all of you guys. Him and Brian. Then Mitchell and Oscar."
"Mitchell couldn't do anything..." I sighed.
"Mitchell has to put a lot more thought into calling the game." Garret shrugged. "He does twice the mental work. He's like a coach on the field."
That's true. I couldn't do something like that.
Bryce's name was announced and he moved to the plate. Bryce aggressively swung at the first pitch and got a hit over the infielders. He stood on first safely, clapping his hands as our dugout roared to life.
Garret grinned. "That was perfect!" He raised his voice. "Good hit!"
Bryce's grin was about to split his face. He had the first hit on the team besides me.
I moved to the on deck circle as Noah walked up to the batter's box. He checked Mr. Miller for the signs. Mr. Miller must have thought that Bryce had the right idea: attack early. He signed for a hit and run. Bryce would take off as soon as the pitcher started his motion. Difficult to do against a lefty that faces first base.
Sure enough, he did a check throw and Bryce had to dive back. This time, it was his turn to get booed. I don't know if Bryce knew he wasn't going to throw to first again or what, but as soon as the pitcher kicked up his leg and almost went forward, Bryce took off. The pitcher made a split second decision to throw the pitch away out of the zone. Noah read it well and stuck out his bat in gave the ball a small tap forward before sprinting for first.
The catcher was closest. He was prepped to catch a ball out of the zone but it turned to him scrambling forward for the ball. He picked it up, saw Bryce at second so threw to his first baseman. The ball hit Noah on his back shoulder on the left side. Noah tagged first and the cheers rained down.
I looked back at my dugout and knew it must have been okay for Noah to get hit by the ball.
Garret came out of the dugout, smiling. "Whatcha waiting for, Bambi? Noah's safe. The catcher will probably get charged with an error for that."
What a relief. I turned back to the field and saw that the whole infield was gathering at the mound. A coach came out from Eastside's dugout and joined them.
"Probably discussing what to do about you. And then me." Garret got closer to tell me and whispered. "You'll probably be walked."
"Then what about you?" I asked.
"They'll have to do a pitcher change for me." Garret told me. "No way they let me face a lefty."
Everything went as Garret predicted. I was issued an intentional walk to load the bases and Eastside's head coach came out to tell the umpire about a pitching change. I gave my bat a light toss back. There was no controversy regarding my bat since I wouldn't even get the chance to swing it.
"You gotta run on contact, kid." Coach Luis told me during the pitcher change. With the first baseman hanging near the mound with the other infielders, it was just us. Bryce and Noah both went to Mr. Miller for a quick meeting of their own.
"What if it's a fly ball?" I mumbled. "Shouldn't I try to tag up?"
Coach Luis let out an abrupt laugh. "With your lackluster baserunning? No. You go on contact. If it's a fly out, you better hussle your ass back to first. Leave the tagging to the speedsters."
I nodded. Alright. I could do that.
The game was soon called to resume. The infielders went back to their positions and my two teammates went back to their bases.
The new pitcher was right-handed. Facing Bryce at first, he did a check throw. Bryce had to stay closer to the bag, but so did the third baseman. The shortstop was shifted over more to cover the bigger gap. The second baseman was closer to second and a little back. The first baseman was way over. Coach Luis gave me a look and I knew I had to go out more. We didn't want to get into another double play.
Though a big part of that relied on Garret. He stood ready in the batter's box, patiently waiting for the pitcher to turn his attention on him. The pitcher did a second check throw before throwing his first pitch to Garret.
It was a fastball high. Garret let it pass. The catcher caught it while coming out of his crouch and did a check throw of his own to third. Bryce was safe. I also retreated a little more back to first, nervous to be targeted. Thankfully I wasn't the lead runner.
The pitcher's second pitch was slower, but moved like a curve. Garret let it fall in for a called strike. The pitcher did a check throw and collected his share of 'boos' from the stands. His third pitch was a fastball in the zone. Garret made contact. I ran for second, watching the ball fly to center field. Once it was clear it was going to be caught, I ran back for first. Coach Luis motioned for me to stay standing.
Bryce safely tagged home for the first score of the game.
"Safe!" A loud yell came from the umpire watching third. Apparently Carson out in center threw to stop Noah's advancement but couldn't.
"BS!" A coach came out of Eastside's dugout again. He stormed up to the umpire and shouted. "The tag was on him before he tagged the base. He's out!"
The umpire tried to distance himself as the home plate umpire came over to talk with the coach.
I looked to Coach Luis for his decision. He just stared them down at that corner.
All the umpires got together before sticking with the call. The coach went back to his dugout and the game continued. I was at first, Noah at third, only one out for Jason. Who...was having a bad day. He had hit into two double plays. I'm sure Coach would want to put in a pinch hitter if it wasn't for the fact that we needed Jason to play first. Coach probably felt he could use another chance since we already had a run scored.
I looked to Mr. miller to see what he wanted Jason to do. Only to find that he was giving signs specifically to me...to steal second.
