432 Game @ Golden West (2) (1/2)

"I'm feeling good today!" Garret roared as he came back in the dugout.

"Simmer down!" Dave rolled his eyes. "You already lost a perfect game with that walk."

Garret puffed out his chest. "How many strikeouts did you have last time? I think I can beat that!

Dave glared. "I had ten. In four innings."

"Meh." Garret shrugged. "I could get ten today!"

"In four innings?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just in this outing alone." Garret smirked in Dave's direction. "It's not my fault you had to leave due to injury. It's your own fault for not taking care of yourself."

The pair continued to bicker as everyone else moved away. Tanner and Jason moved out of the dugout, getting prepared to start the second inning. I sat by my bag, where Noah was getting ready to bat as well.

"They're so rowdy." I mumbled. "It's like Garret isn't scared of Golden West at all."

"Why should he be?" Noah asked. "He's one of the best pitchers in the league. On par with Brady and Sanchez. I guess the twins are right behind them." He glanced down at them. "It's definitely more lively in the dugout with Dave in here."

"It's probably because he gets anxious with being unable to play." Mahki told us, passing by. He stopped. "It's not bad to have somebody loud and outgoing in the dugout. Especially if they aren't playing. They'll always keep their head up."

"True." Noah nodded. "Keeps the morale up too. No one likes a silent dugout."

Tanner grounded out to the shortstop so Noah had to leave to go stand in the circle. Jason followed it up with a grounder to second. Then Noah ended it with a swinging strikeout. Three up, three down...and not in a good way.

We switched to defense.

"I'll get ten for sure!" Garret told Dave before running out onto the field.

"In your dreams." Dave huffed.

Zeke smacked him on the knee with his glove. "Be more supportive."

Dave rolled his eyes. Then yelled out to Garret. "I hope you get nine."

Some of the guys laughed as we took the field. Zeke just shook his head at Dave's antics, but didn't have the time to scold him.

Garret continued to pitch well, getting the fifth batter to hit a grounder right to Jason at third. Jason fielded the ball smoothly, getting the first out without a hiccup. The next batter hit a hard one down the first baseline. Julian dove at it, making the stop. Seeing that the runner would beat me and Garret, Julian scrambled for first himself, diving at the bag.

"Out!" The umpire declared.

I sighed with relief, watching the batter head back to his dugout. That was a close one.

Julian threw the ball to Garret and then patted the dirt off his uniform.

Garret ended the inning by strikeout. His fourth of the game.

Back in the dugout, Dave was quick to rub it it. "One strikeout an inning isn't going to cut it. Especially if you get pulled off the mound."

Garret was at his bag, switching his gear in order to go bat. "Don't worry about me. I'll catch up and I definitely won't need a relief. I'm feeling it today." He grinned before leaving the dugout.

"What a cocky-" Dave let his comment trailed off after a glare from Zeke. "I mean, I'm only worried because I believe he can do it."