The Hitting Zone

The good times didn't end when we started to get settled, taking off our helmets and batting gloves. Garret hit a double off the center field fence, making it to second base easily with no need to slide. Korrey got a piece of an outside pitch, hitting a slow roller down the first baseline. The first baseman chose to scoop the ball up with his glove and tagged the incoming Korrey, allowing Garret to reach third. Jesse who just had a double last inning, hit the pitched ball to the outfield again for an RBI single. 5-2.

Franklin's coach came out of the dugout and signaled for a pitching change. He took the ball from his pitcher and sent him back to the dugout while waiting for the new guy to come from the bullpen.

"Even without our best pitchers, this game doesn't feel anywhere as stressful as it was against University." Noah said as we watched the new pitcher warm up.

"I agree." I stretched out my legs. Normally after an error, I'd be on edge for the rest of the game. But with the mixture of winning, getting comforted by Noah and the guys, and even hitting two homers already...I was feeling good.

The new pitcher came in and finished a couple of practice pitches off the mound before the ump called for the game to resume. Tanner hit a solid line drive right to the second baseman for the second out. Mitch hit a line drive to, getting it to the outfield but the center fielder made a spectacular dive and catch to end the inning.

Top of the fourth. Joey dealt with batter's six, seven, and eight. Groundout to Jesse at third. Fly out to Tanner in right. A groundout to Jason at first. Three, up, three down. Unfortunately, we did something similar in the bottom half of the inning. Jason struck out swinging. Joey hit a fly ball to left field. Then Noah got really unlucky, striking out on a foul tip.

He came back to me on the on deck circle with a look of distress. "Dang it. That was my chance. I really wanted to continue my hit streak." We walked back into the dugout together.

"What hit streak?" Garret laughed. "You didn't have a hit in the last game against Eastside."

Noah frowned. "My last at bat was a bunt single."

"The catcher hit you with the ball." Garret laughed. "Pretty sure that counts as an error."

"No way. I had it beat even without the bad throw." Noah looked to Alisha. "What did you put it down as?"

"Umm." Alisha averted her eyes. "Well, it's not like my notes are official. I just take them for Coach."

Noah's jaw dropped and he looked for Coach. "Did you mark that as an error?"

"Why worry about it now?" Coach narrowed his eyes. "Are you going to take the field or get benched?"

Noah didn't argue and hurried to his bag. I was right behind him. Everyone else took it as a warning as well.

Top of the fifth. The last batter in the lineup was replaced with a pinch hitter. He made solid contact early on in the count, pulling a line drive to the left. Jesse jumped up and snatched the ball out of the air, easily saving an extra bases hit.

Back at the top of the lineup, Joey earned his fourth strikeout of the game. Followed up by a fly out to center to end their offensive. Joey had only given up two runs over five innings and one of those wasn't even earned because of my error. Not a bad outing at all.

Bottom of the fifth. I was first up and hurried to get my gear switched out.

"I wouldn't rush if I was you." Noah said with a shrug. "I doubt they'll try pitching to you for a third time. I think they get that you're unbeatable by now."

My lips twitched. "I'm not unbeatable."

"Nearly." Noah laughed.

I grabbed my bat and headed out. Garret wasn't far behind. The two of us watched the pitcher take his pitches then I was soon called up.

The catcher stayed standing and turned to the ump. "Intentional walk."

The umpire looked at me and gestured to first. "Take your base."

I tossed my bat back towards the dugout and started to jog to first as 'boos' rained down from the stands. Even though I knew they weren't for me, I still felt bad.

It only lasted a minute before Garret's name was announced. Then a new batch of cheers for him took over. Garret put in the work, getting to a full count before hitting a fly ball down the left field line. I went further out, watching the ball carefully as the left fielder tracked it down. He made the catch beyond the foul line and I retreated back to first.

"He's got to put more power into his swing." Coach Luis shook his head in disappointment.

Korrey came up next. He had been hitless all weekend. A depressing stat for a former offensive mvp from the JV level. He finally came through with a single, pushing me to second. But Jesse, who had two hits already today, came up empty, striking out. Tanner struck out swinging too, leaving us stranded with another scoreless inning. Score was still 5-2 in our favor though so it was hard to be sad about it.

"I'll need someone to get a hit for us next inning." Noah said as I took off my helmet and stuffed it into my bag. "Not even a real hit. Just get on base. By walk or error."

"I thought Coach implied you didn't get a hit last game?" I whispered, trying not to be caught by Coach.

"Doesn't mean I can't start a new hit streak." Noah shot back. Then shrugged. "Besides. Last game was still today. So I could technically claim to have a hit streak going by referring to how many days it lasted and not how many games."

I stifled a laugh.

We grabbed our gloves and hit the field.

"You think Joey will last the whole game?" I asked as we saw him take his practice pitches with Mitchell.

Noah shrugged. "I don't know. Depends on him. Depends on Coach. We've got a comfortable lead so I don't know if it would be better to let him have at it, or let the bullpen get some work in. Tough decision." He grinned and smacked the inside of his glove. "Either way, I'm hoping the ball comes to me."

"I hope so too." I mumbled, but Noah still overheard and laughed.