The Hitting Zone
chapter-277

I jogged back to my dropped bat, picked it up and hurried back to the dugout with my head down.

"Don't mind it." Mahki patted over my helmet as he strode to the batters box.

Don't mind? How can I not? Batting is the only time I feel like I belong.

"Jake. Hold up." Coach greeted me as soon as I walked into the dugout. "Come here for a second."

I shuffled over to him, still keeping my head down, a little afraid to make eye contact.

I heard a sigh, then watched coach's knees bend to bring him eye level with me. "Son, don't get down on yourself. That was a good hit down the line. It's just unlucky that the third baseman was playing closer to the line. Maybe if it was also faster, it could have gotten through. But no matter. The play is already done. All you can do now is look up and look forward to your next at bat."

I tilted my head up, not too surprised that Coach knew what I was thinking.

He smiled, and straightened up. "Glad you're understanding the game a bit better." He thought for a moment. "You didn't think I was speaking to you when I told the team to 'come out swinging', did you?"

I looked up, not clearly understanding what he was asking. He said to come out swinging, Noah showed me that the pitcher was fast, so I came to the conclusion to swing at the first pitch I liked. Coach let out a sigh with a little chuckle. "Jake, you have confidence in your own batting don't you?"

I nodded. "For the most part." If it was the cages, then I would be 100% confident.

"Then you don't really have to listen to my speeches when it comes to hitting."

"But...you're the coach." I frowned.

"I know. And as your coach, there isn't much I can teach you when it comes to hitting. You have a good eye, an almost mechanical swing, and you have the power to place the ball to where you like. The only thing I can suggest is to use your head up there a little more."

"Oh." I thought to what I could have done better at the plate. "Maybe...wait for a better pitch? One that I liked?"

Coach nodded. "Not bad. But, think about your team for a minute. They're good players, but not many high schoolers can hit a 90mph pitch with as much ease as you."

Ok...and? I stared blankly at him, not on the same wavelength.

"Okay," He sighed. "Let's go with this: you're good at fouling a pitch right? Zeke had you do something similar in the beginning of the season."

Oh! It clicked with me, finally. "I can ramp up his pitch count!"

"Exactly." Coach nodded, patting me on the head. "Ramping up the pitch count will not only make him physically tired, but it can add mental stress on a pitcher. That may cause him to slip up and fall apart."

"Out!" The home plate umpire's voice made us turn in unison. We watched as Mahki shook his head in disappointment and headed back to the dugout.

"Okay, kid, go grab your glove." Coach patted my helmet a few more times. "Lesson time is over. Go out there and give the pitchers some support today."

I nodded and hurried back to my bag.

Noah waited nearby as I changed out my gear, then we took the field together. "You good?" He asked, squinting at me. "Coach spoke with you for a bit."

I nodded, slightly turning red from embarrassment. "He was just saying that I don't use my head when I'm in the batter's box."

Noah laughed and we split to our positions. Sean, who was now playing first base, started to take turns to roll the ball out to each of us as we warmed up. James was on the mound, throwing to Kelvin, getting ready for his first start since our first tournament together.

I never realized how much the twins and Garret monopolized the mound until Coach said he wanted to do a bullpen game. The ump called for the balls back, we complied and the first batter of the game stepped into the batter's box. James took control of the mound, nodding at one of Kelvin's pitch selections, then started to work.

He got the first batter to strikeout, the second hit an easy grounder to me, and the third guy had hit a grounder to Jason at third. It was a good feeling to go three up, three down after a bad start on the offensive.

We switched back to the offense with Garret, Brian, and Jason coming up. Garret was the replacement for Zeke as the cleanup hitter. On a blazing fastball, he swung and sent it right back up the middle, narrowly missing the pitcher. The center fielder was quick to field it back in, holding Garret at first base.

Brian Swoope was brought up next, finding his footing in the righty's box. I turned to Noah, trying to remember if we ever played with him in a game.

"Is this Brian's first game?"

Noah looked surprised. Thought about it. Then nodded. "It must be. He's a sophomore and it's his first year on varsity. We haven't seen him play in a game at all yet. Wow." Noah lowered his voice. "That makes me feel kind of bad."

"It's not like he plays shortstop though.."

"True. Very true." Noah nodded. "During tryouts last semester, he was only trying out for pitching, but Coach made him do a few scrimmages in the outfield. He's got a powerful arm. Like a cannon."

I've seen it in practice. Just during warmups alone, it would make me wish that I could throw that far.

"During a scrimmage, he had actually thrown out a runner trying to tag up off a fly ball and was able to get him out. It's just amazing."

"He should be a good pitcher too then, right?"

Noah let out a laugh. "Uhhh, not exactly. I don't know if he gets nervous up there or what, but he always gets wild. Coach and Zeke are firm believers in the phrase: there's no defense against a walk. So it'll be tough for him to ever make an appearance on the mound." Noah lowered his voice to a whisper again. "And it's not just walking batters that's the problem. He also has a tendency to hit them."

My eyes widened. I could see how that would be more than a little problem. "How is he at batting then?"

Noah shrugged. "Just the same as everyone else, I guess. You get some, you miss some."

Well with Garret leading off first, I could only hope that he would get one right now, and not miss. Brian was put in a corner quick, missing two fastballs down the middle, and had earned himself an 0-2 count. He swung on the next pitch, making a connection. Unfortunately that connection sent the ball right to the second baseman, who fielded the ball, tossing it to the shortstop on second base. He tagged the base and threw to first. A 4-6-3 double play. Dang it. That's worst than missing. Brian has just given up our only baserunner of the game so far.

"Don't look so sad." Noah laughed. "This is baseball. Sometimes you can go more than a few innings with no action."

Right. We've seen it before. Jason didn't do any better, flying out to right field for the third and final out of the top of the second inning. Ah, so quick. I grabbed my glove and headed back out to the field with Noah and the other starters.