Kyle stepped up to bat with the same face he uses against batters . The kind of face that says: I'm going to own you .
From the corner of my eye, I could see Noah putting on his helmet . I turned to look as he put on his batting gloves .
He caught me looking . "What?"
I shrugged . I didn't have anything in particular to say .
AdvertisementBut that didn't stop Noah from explaining his actions . "Kyle will get on . The odds of me coming up to bat is pretty high . I need to make up for my first two at-bats . " He held up his bat . "Check my grip for me?" He stood up and found some room to get in a batting stance .
"Swing halfway . " I said in a low voice . "Like where your bat would meet in the strike zone . "
He held his bat like I asked .
I got up and nudged his hands higher up on the handle . "Choke up on your bat and you'll have a more compact swing . "
He did so . Then he pulled his bat back and swung halfway . "Feels different . "
I nodded, then sat back down as he messed around with his swing . He looked up at me, "Aren't you going to get your helmet on? You'll come up too!"
I raised an eyebrow . Noah had a lot of confidence in his brother . Even if he got on, there would be Kelvin, Chris, and Noah before me . There was plenty of ways the inning could end before I even get a chance to go up .
"Stop being such a Debbie-Downer . " Noah rolled his eyes . He went to my bag, grabbed my helmet and replaced my baseball cap with it . "You have to prepare yourself mentally . "
The 'ding' of an aluminum bat rung in the air . Noah swiftly turned back to the field and we watched as Kyle's hit bounced off the outfield fence . He sprinted from home plate to second base, without needing to slide . The team in the dugout yelled and hollered for him, and same with the crowd . Kyle looked over at us and gave us a fist pump .
"That's what I'm talking about!" Noah whooped . He smirked at me and wiggled his eyebrows . "Always follow my lead on betting . I know how to read . " He thrust my bat in my hands before grabbing his own and heading to the entrance of the dugout to wait 'in the hole . '
He knows how to read? Read what? The situation? The atmosphere? I shook my head to push aside these thoughts . One thing's for sure, I would never bet against Noah . I don't think I've seen him in a losing scenario .
I held my bat in my lap and watched on . Kelvin followed up with a single, pushing Kyle to third . Chris came up only to pop out to the second base, leaving no chance for the runners to go anywhere . Noah moved to the batters box, and I finally dragged myself to the on deck circle .
Noah was excited, swinging his bat wildly as if changing his hands positioning could allow him to hit by itself . I wonder if he knows that he has to not only see the ball too, but also get the timing of the swing as well? There was also a chance that he could hit into a double play, strikeout, pop out, and so on .
Once Noah stopped his practice swings and stepped into the batters box, he became serious . His feet were shoulders length apart, slightly bent at the knees, back elbow up, and bat steady . The pitcher threw a couple wild pitches; probably worn out already . With a 2-0 count, he sent a strike towards home . Noah didn't squander the opportunity; he stepped forward with his left, and started his swing . The ball jumped off his bat when they met over the plate . The ball soared to right-center field .
Kyle easily jogged in from third, and got Noah's bat out of the way for Kelvin, who was hustling thanks to Mr . Miller's signals . But the ball came back to the infield in a brisk manner, stopping Kelvin at third and Noah at second .
Noah raised both fists in the air as if he drove in the winning run, accepting the applause and cheers from those nearby . 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth .
Kyle took Noah's bag to the dugout and I took over the batters box . I wasn't able to foul off many pitches thanks to the pitcher getting tired and already throwing all over the place . I easily earned my walk and jogged to first base so Sean could come up .
For Sean, the Lincoln's coach came out and changed pitchers . But instead of calling someone from the bullpen, he pulled the left fielder in and sent someone from the dugout to left field . Coincidentally, the left fielder was the one to hit the home run off of Kyle . He was tall and lean, with a baby face that couldn't even grown a pre teen mustache . He warmed up and threw some excellent practice pitches to his catcher while his coach went back to their own dugout .
Chapter end
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