159 Game: VS Katella High School 3 (2/2)

Noah nodded.

Alas, our offense died there. Jordan grounded out to second. Chris struck out looking. And Tony grounded out to third. The team switched to defense.

A sigh came out. I looked to the one looking depressed and found that it was Sean who had let out that heavy breath of air. ”Are you okay?” I asked.

Startled, he stared at me, wide eyed. ”Are you talking to me?”

I turned red with embarrassment, but was able to force myself to nod and continue. ”You sighed. A heavy sigh. Like you're not happy.”

Sean gave a tight smile. ”I'm not happy. Tony is still hitless, yet I'm still on the bench. It's a hard life.”

I scrunched up my nose. ”That doesn't make your life hard...just a little sad. For a moment.”

”Yea Sean.” Noah jumped in the conversation. ”You don't have a hard life. Just a hard moment you have to suffer through. You calling this a hard life is an insult to others who've been through something truly awful.”

Sean patted his own head awkwardly. ”Oh. Sorry, Jake. I didn't mean it so literally. Just an expression.”

I shrugged. ”I wasn't saying that to make you feel bad for me. Even I don't have a hard life. Just hard moments.”

Noah smiled. ”I'm so proud. Look at you talking to someone for so long and with such deep meanings.”

I blushed and pushed him away, trying to put my attention back on the game. Garret got the first guy to groundout to short and the next guy to strikeout swinging, bringing up the ninth batter who had a single at his last at-bat. Strangely, Garret walked him by pitching all over the place.

Up next was Brett McCauley. And just like last time, there was a runner on first and two outs. Unlike last time though, he didn't chase Garret's cut fastball, and instead, patiently waited for a ball over the plate that matched up to his taste. He sent a line drive between Zeke and Tony in the outfield and took off running. The runner on base didn't waste any time either and hustled to third as the batter made it to second for a stand up double. The Katella dugout went wild, cheering for Brett's hit.

”He connected on all three of his at-bats versus Garret.” Noah remarked. ”He's good. No doubt.”

I nodded in agreement. Although...I could connect against Garret any time on any pitch. But it's wrong to compare oneself with someone of lesser skill. Now, comparing our fielding, there isn't much to say since there wasn't much to see. As for pitching, he easily beats me. I struggle so desperately with arm strength, that I'm not even a cutoff man when I should be.

Garret didn't let it get to him, and still came at the following batter just as fiercely, getting him to strikeout for the third time this game. The dugout whooped as our team jogged back in.

”Gotta get that boy a sombrero!” Sean hollered our happily. Then stood up to clap Garret on the back for a job well done.

”A sombrero?” I asked aloud, more than slightly confused.

”It's when you strikeout three times in a game.” Noah explained. ”A golden sombrero is when you strikeout four times in one game. Platinum for five. Titanium for six. But those are super rare. The record for strikeouts in a nine inning game in the mlb is five. The players who got six, had extra innings. Giancarlo Stanton, from the Yankees, was the first major leaguer to record two platinum sombreros in one season. There have only been eight guys with titanium sombreros. But again...they all went in extra innings.”

Noah started to rattled off weird stats that I couldn't fathom, and spoke of players I've never heard of. I didn't want to say anything, but I never really watched the MLB. I couldn't at home so it was only in passing in public locations, where you would be unable to hear the broadcasters. So...I nodded along and pretended to understand.