268 Game: VS Shasta HS 3 (1/2)

Noah told me a little more about the pitcher and catcher dynamics as the bottom of the fourth inning started. Just like Shasta, our offense continued to struggle to get anything going. Unlike them, we didn't even get a hit this inning. Daniel struck out, looking, causing Noah to complain a bit more under his breath. ”How is this helpful at all? Does coach just wanna see why he should leave us in? Ugh.”

I didn't have any answers for him so I just shrugged.

We watched on as Julian and Mahki both repeated their first inning at-bats. Julian hit another grounder to second and Mahki had another long fly ball to the right fielder.

This time I sighed in unison with Noah. The game was moving awfully fast, but it wasn't a good sign since we haven't gotten a hit, let alone score a run.

”Do you think we'll lose?” I mumbled as the team took the field again.

”Hey!” He slapped me on the arm. ”What did I say about that negativity?”

I rubbed my arm. ”It was just a question...”

”Jake, I know you're a pessimist, but really, try and let that go. Simply change some of the words in your question. Instead of that, you should have asked if I think we'll win.”

”Doesn't that have the same meaning though?”

”It's about the wording! You make it sound like you're expecting us to lose.”

”I just wanted to know your thoughts.”

Noah sighed. ”Forget it. We'll work on that later. As for the game, of course we'll win.”

”Even though it's looking pretty even?”

Noah clenched his fists. ”We can only trust our teammates to get it done. And if not, we can trust Coach to put in a pinch hitter like Zeke or you to help spark the offense.”

”But Coach made it sound like he didn't care either way.” I glanced to where Coach and Zeke stood, talking to one another.

”He says that, and because it's not a league game, he's right. But something else to pay attention to is team morale. If losing this game puts the team into a funk, then we might struggle against actual important opponents.” Noah nodded to himself. ”Coach knows what he's doing. He's the best I ever had. I learned a lot from him last semester during the tryout season.”

”Oh.” I didn't have any disagreement there. I still remember day one when he taught me the three B's: ball, base, and backup. Coach really knew how to get through to his players. From veterans like Zeke to newbies like me.

Kyle was no longer shaken or on edge for the fifth inning. He was back to the three up, three down pattern and I had no complaints about that. Strikeout. Grounder to second. Then Julian caught a foul pop up for the third out. The team jogged back in almost as swiftly as they left.

”There's been a lot of grounders to second today.” Noah commented.

”Five total.” I stated. ”We've hit three and they had two.”

”Glad you're paying attention.” Noah patted me happily.

”Zeke told us to. Plus I like seeing others play second too. How they move and react. How they approach the ball.” I thought back to when Noah and Zeke were first teaching me how to play the position. ”You guys had only shown me videos of professionals so it's harder to relate compared to this.”

”That's true, I guess.” Noah glanced at our replacements as they came into the dugout. ”You could probably ask John for tips, but it's a little bit tricky since you took his starting spot. And you're the underclassmen. Well, we can always practice on our own or even have Zeke supervise. He's good at everything.”

I nodded.

The sound of an aluminum bat hitting a ball grabbed our attention. We looked to the field just in time to see Garret's hit fall right before the center fielder. A single! Our first hit for the team. The guys in the dugout, including us, clapped and yelled some encouragements for Garret. He gave us a fist pump then went back to focusing on the game.

Chris was up next. He was one the guys who had grounded out to second base previously. This at-bat wasn't any better. In fact, it was worst since he hit into a double play, forfeiting our only baserunner thus far.

”He's probably rusty since he was benched all last week.” Noah whispered to me, wiggling his eyebrows.

Does that make it my fault that he's not doing well at the plate? Nonetheless, I avoided eye contact with Chris and purely paid attention to the game. Kyle earned a walk, only for Kelvin to hit into a force out. The shortstop fielded the grounder to his second baseman, getting Kyle out to end the inning. Still 0-0.

Top of the sixth we go. Kyle was slow to take the mound since he was the last out, but that didn't mean it affected his pitching. If anything, he looked as strong as he did in the third. He held Shasta at zero as he struck out the first guy up, got the next one to pop up to second, then finished it out with another strikeout.

”This game is going by super quick.” I told Noah. ”Is this the first pitching duel we've had with another team?”