414 Game VS Servite (3) (1/2)

Before I could help myself up, I felt two different hands pulling me up by my arms. Julian and Mahki were also tracking the fly ball so they were close by. They reached me first and pulled me to my feet.

"You okay, kid?" Julian asked.

I opened my glove to make sure the ball was still safely in there. "Yea, I'm good."

Mahki laughed. "You just wanted to make the catch more dramatic, huh?"

I blushed. Then I remembered Noah's advice to just laugh it off. So I tried smiling as I threw the ball to the mound. "I made the catch."

"That, you did!" Julian hit the bill of my cap down so it covered my eyes.

I fixed it and followed everyone back to the dugout. Some of the guys laughed and made jokes as I passed them by.

I tried to see the humor in embarrassing myself like that, but the most I could do was share a smile. At least, up to the point where I ran into Kyle.

Kyle slapped my arm with a grin. "You really had me going, Jake! I was scared that you were going to drop it intentionally."

I pouted. "I wouldn't even be worried about falling if it wasn't for you."

"Meh." He shrugged it off. "You did well."

"Yea, unlike you." Noah told him. "One hit, one run. Aren't you a little too efficient for the other team?"

Kyle scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed. That made me feel better in a twisted way. "I don't know what's wrong with me. The ball just isn't going where I want it to go."

"Better get your act together before you get pulled from the mound." Noah stuck his tongue out and went to stand near Coach and Zeke. He'd be the third batter up this inning.

"Don't mind." I told Kyle before going to my seat.

Kyle stood there, lost in his thoughts. I wasn't knowledgeable in pitching and the mentality it takes so I just watched him from the corner of my eye. Maybe Dave will talk to him. Or Zeke.

Bottom of the second, we went three up and three down. No one reached. Mahki struck out looking. Jason smacked a line drive right to the shortstop. And then Noah ended it with a foul pop out to the third baseman.

Top of the third, we took the field again, but this time, with a more focused Kyle. He shut Servite down with back-to-back strikeouts followed by a pop fly to Noah. It could have just been a bit easier thanks to the bottom of the lineup.

Unfortunately, Kyle's good pitching doesn't translate to good hitting. Not that he's a good hitter to begin with. Alex hit a fly ball to right. Kyle struck out swinging. Then, from the on deck circle, I watched Garret hit a long fly ball to dead center. It didn't have the height to go all the way and was caught for the third out of the third inning.

Top of the fourth, Coach told Kyle to not worry about his pitch count and to finish strong. By the look of Kyle's crestfallen face, I guess that was a hint that he was coming out soon. Kyle nodded solemnly and got back on the mound.

"I could never be a pitcher." Noah whispered to me as we headed towards second base. "Not being able to play every game would kill me."