The Hitting Zone

"Back it up, boys." Coach told the team. "Let the trainer have some room."

A middle-aged man came into my line of vision, looking down at me. "Hi there. My name is Steve. Pull away the towel for a second."

I did so.

"Scrapped you pretty good." Steve pushed my hand back to my chin. "I can clean it real quick and put a bandage on it. Should be fine."

I sighed with relief. I wasn't the only one. All the guys nearby started to talk about me, reassured that I could stay in. It's a special feeling knowing that you're needed by a team. Even if there was no guarantee that we could keep it tied and get another chance to bat in extra innings.

Steve, the trainer, handed his bag to Mr. Miller and used him as a makeshift table. He pulled out some supplies to clean my chin, making it sting. He used a bulky bandage and molded it to my chin. It felt awkward and made me feel silly, but I knew I couldn't play if I kept bleeding.

"Good as new." Steve gave his verdict, packed up the trash, and hurried to leave the field.

Mr. Miller and Coach had to leave the field too, going back to our dugout.

"Okay, okay. We're fine. We're rolling." Noah clapped with his glove as we held a small meeting on the side of the mound. "We're in a decent spot. Double play is the goal." He looked at Brian. "But don't worry if it goes to the outfield. A fly out can only advance a runner."

Brian nodded.

I touched my bulky chin.

"Anything to add, Jake?" Noah asked me, noticing that I had something on mh mind.

"It's probably not much." I shrugged. "But this guy has lifted the ball in the air twice. Both to Garret."

Mitch nodded. "Yea. Don't worry. I remember. This guy drops his shoulder a lot in his swing." He pulled his mask down. "I have a pitch sequence in mind. It might help. It might not."

"We play the ball." Noah added, covering his mouth with his glove. "Jake, keep closer to second base. We won't do check throws, but I want to hang more back so Jason can guard the line. Sean, play normally and don't worry about your guy. Lead runner is priority. We give up that run and it's over." He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "And I don't want it to be over for us. We still have to return the favor from last year."

"Yea!" We agreed and left Brian on the mound alone.

I tried to smooth the bandage over my chin as I got into position. It was a little bothersome. Like Noah instructed, I stayed closer to second base than he did. Jason played closer to the baseline and Noah played back, nearly on the grass. It gave him more angles to cut a lot of grounders off.

Mitch and Brian got to work on the sixth batter. Starting with a low one in the dirt. The batter let it pass for a ball. Brian got the ball back and got set again. He looked back to make sure the runner wasn't too far off. Then back at the batter. The second pitch was outside, yet the batter swung and missed. 1-1. Third pitch, Brian threw inside and the batter swung, getting jammed. The ball was popped up. A short fly ball to the left. Noah sprinted and ran it down, catching the ball practically over his shoulder. He didn't stop and slow down afterwards. He turned and threw the ball back to Jason covering third base, sending the runner back to second base.

Jason walked the ball back to Brian at the mound, said some words, then jogged back to his position. Two outs, bottom of the seventh. One out left and then we get a chance. Brian just has to focus on the batter. That's probably what Jason told him or something. No pressure of baserunners if you just get the batter out.

Brian was zoned in on batter seven, but the batter was just as focused, pushing the count to 3-2. I nervously kicked the dirt between every pitch wondering what was going to happen. A hit? A grounder? A fly out? Just no hit. With the full count, I had the hope of a strikeout and the anxiety of what would happen with a walk.

The batter put the next pitch in play. A grounder up the middle, but Noah was there. He scooped the ball up and simply raced to second base, tagging it for the force out to end the inning.

He grinned as we jogged back to the dugout. "Not a bad result at all."

"Brian, get a helmet on." Coach instructed once Brian got in the dugout. "You'll bat."

I glanced at Brian who was barely two feet away from me. "Can you hit a curve? The guy has major movement."

Brian laughed. "Yea, of course I can. I'm a pitcher. That makes me a better hitter."

Quite a few pairs of eyes drifted to Kyle at the other end of the dugout.

"What's his excuse?" Noah joked.

"I heard that!" Kyle hollered.

A lot of the guys laughed and started to give Kyle some grief.

A pitcher that could hit wasn't necessarily rare in high school, but I knew that at the higher levels, they would start to shift more. Especially with the use of a designated hitter spot in the pros.

"You alright, Jake?" Alisha asked me, looking directly at my chin.

I touched the bandage. "I think so. It doesn't hurt or anything."

"Gonna look ugly the next couple days." Noah laughed.

"I'm glad you're feeling quite cheerful, Noah." Coach squinted at him. "I better see it transition to you doing well at your at bat."

Noah saluted. "You can count on me, Coach." He pulled my sleeve. "Let's get our stuff on, Jake." We went back to our bags together.

I moved slower, putting my glove down and taking my hat off.

Noah was already pulling his helmet on. He glanced at me. "Scared to jinx it?"

I cracked a smile, laughing how easy Noah could read me.

"Don't worry." Noah stated confidently. "I got this guy once before. I can do it again."

"Another bunt single?" I questioned.

Noah shrugged. "They might play in on me. It'll depend on the situation."

The atmosphere felt pretty light. Maybe too light considering we were playing last year's division one champs. Maybe because it was the ginormous difference between last year and now. Last year was a swift defeat. This year, we're taking them to extra innings. The exact opposite.

I pulled my helmet on, glancing down at the batting gloves. Do I wear them? Do I not?

"Put them on." Noah nudged me.

I sighed and did so.

'Ding'

"Nice hit!"

"Go! Go!"

Claps and cheers rained down as Brian sprinted for first. He had attacked the first pitch, hitting it to center field, dropping the ball just out of reach of the center fielder, who came sliding in. The center fielder hurried to get the ball and threw it in so Brian had to stay at first. A leadoff single.

I tightened my batting gloves and picked up my bat. Noah left me and the dugout to move to the on deck circle.