I couldn’t believe we were playing a college team. I’ll give them credit; they didn’t act like a bunch of ass-hats. My guys followed my lead and showed we also had class. We’d played some games in football we weren’t supposed to win. Wolf and Tim showed some leadership, even though they weren’t playing baseball. They pulled us all together.
“I hear Johan, Jim, and David got us into this,” Wolf said. “I want you all to know that everyone thinks you’re probably not going to win. State is a college team and a good one. What they don’t know is Lincoln High are the Bulldogs. A bulldog can take down a bull that’s several thousand pounds heavier than it is. If you saw the two before the battle, you’d think the bull would crush the bulldog.”
He shook his head, and Tim jumped in.
“You’re about to show State that they might be the better team, but they just ran into bulldogs who don’t give up. When a bulldog gets into you, you have to kill it to get it to let go. Go out there and make us proud!”
We sprinted out onto the field to the sound of those damned cowbells. State was the visitor, so they were up to bat first. I looked around and saw that our guys were all focused and on their toes. That gave me a good feeling.
The first State batter looked confident as he came up to the plate. I guess I would be too if I were in his shoes: used to college ball and about to face a high school pitcher. What he didn’t know was that Justin wasn’t just good, he was one of the best high school pitchers I’d seen. He was still learning, but under the right circumstances, he could get just about anyone out.
I grinned when Moose had me move into short center field so we had essentially an extra infielder. Moose had me standing on the edge of the dirt behind second base. Our other two outfielders cheated towards center field to help cover me deep. The batter got a big smile on his face when he saw our unorthodox defense.
Justin got ready and threw him a high hard one. Their batter couldn’t hold back and hit it a mile high, right to me. I didn’t even have to move. The next hitter was shocked to see Justin throw a nasty slider that tailed away from the left-handed batter. Justin got him to swing at three straight pitches. I grinned when his teammates gave him good-natured shit about being struck out by a high school boy.
Moose had me move back to my regular position. We were now into the heart of State’s order and what should be their best batters. Justin threw a big curve that was smoked. Fortunately, it rocketed right to Yuri who threw his glove up in self-defense and caught the ball. Our guys almost bounced off the field, they were so happy we’d taken them down in order the first inning.
The crowd came to their feet when I stepped out of the dugout, and
I waited for the stomping and singing to stop before stepping into the batter’s box. Moose had warned me they would try to throw a fastball by me to start the game. I’d been practicing with the pitching machines set at maximum. If I could hit those balls, I could hit a college pitcher. I took a deep breath and remembered everything I’d been taught. It gave me a rush when I saw that Moose was right.
I heard it before I saw it—the sound of a ball well hit. The pitcher’s head snapped around as he watched the ball rise out of the park. He was pissed that a kid had just gone yard on him. Our fans acted like we’d just taken the lead in the World Series. I’d never heard so much noise at a baseball game. My entire team waited for me at home plate. The State infield was out at the mound, talking to their pitcher to calm him down.
He did just that and got our next three batters out. State hadn’t scored when I came back up in the third with two outs and no one on. Coach Haskins signaled for me to bunt. State respected my power and played their infield deep. I’d hit six home runs in my last six at-bats, information the announcer so helpfully provided. I think it surprised everyone when I squared around to bunt and laid it down the third base line. The third baseman almost killed the pitcher as they both arrived at the ball at the same time. I was easily safe.
The State pitcher hadn’t had to face a baserunner all game. Coach Haskins wanted me to steal if I got the chance. On the second pitch, I took off. If the catcher hadn’t thrown it high, he would have gotten me. With two outs, I’d be going on the sound of contact. Yuri hit the ball hard up the third base line. Coach Haskins waved me home. The outfielder tracked the ball down and came up throwing to the third baseman. He spun and threw home. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the ball bounce into the catcher’s glove. I didn’t try to sneak in but used my size, strength, and speed to run him over. Something I was really good at was hitting someone on a football field. The ball went sailing to the backstop.
