395 Golden West @ Servite (5)

Top of the sixth. Servite was letting Sanchez stay in the game even though he's given up four hits and a walk. I guess as long as he doesn't give up a run, it wouldn't be right to take out a pitcher that's doing well. 

He started with the third batter in the lineup. The batter connected, but it was a grounder to second. The second baseman smoothly fielded it for the first out. 

"Do you think there'll be extra innings?" I asked Noah. 

"No way." Noah said. "Someone's bound to give up at some point. They're both good teams. And yea, both are good pitchers, but both have hitters."

As if to prove his point, the cleanup hitter for Golden West connected on a fastball, sending it out to the field. To the outfield. To the outfield fence. And then...over it. Home run!

Noah smirked at me as the Golden West fans cheered. "Called it."

I rolled my eyes. "You got lucky."

The cleanup hitter jogged the bases, pumping his fist almost like it was a walkoff. Too bad there's still an inning and a half to be played.

The pitching coach came out again to speak with Sanchez, but I wouldn't say it helped much. The next two batters both connected and sent long, scary, fly balls to right field. Sanchez really relied on his outfielders today. They stopped a bunch of would-be runs and hits. The right fielder caught both fly balls at the warning track.

"He's getting tired." Willie spoke up. 

"Who? Sanchez?" Noah leaned forward. "Still looks like he has the speed though.."

"Location and control are more important than speed right now. If he's throwing pitches that are easy to read, then the result won't be pretty." Willie was writing on his notepad as he explained. "It's just something he has to work on."

"Just take it as: he's not unbeatable." Zeke told us. 

"Are you saying that Brady is?" Noah looked up at him. 

"Not really. There's always a way to beat someone. Garret suffered a loss. Every pitcher can have a bad day." Zeke looked down at the field as Golden West took the field and a Servite batter stepped up. 

Brady was showing signs of fatigue as well. It didn't help that he had to start with the top of the lineup. The first batter was the leadoff guy again...he had doubled at his last at-bat, proving that Brady isn't perfect. He's just good. The batter sent a high fly to right, but it was short. The right fielder jogged forward a few steps then made the catch. 

The second batter also made contact after getting pushed to an 0-2 count. He grounded out to the second baseman. 

Before the next batter stepped up, Servite's head coach came out of the dugout and talked to the ump. The ump wrote something down on a tiny notepad before speaking with someone in the stands. 

"Pinch hitter." Zeke told me and Noah. "Look how he's holding the bat." He pointed at the player that was prepared to step up to home plate. 

"He's a lefty." I mumbled. 

"Like Willie said before, lefties have an advantage against a submarine pitcher. At the very least, they're not at a disadvantage." Zeke told us. 

"Do you think they'll tie it up?" Noah asked. "Will there really be extra innings?"

"I doubt it will be a home run." Zeke said. "If this lefty was capable enough, he would have been in the starting lineup. I won't say it's impossible, but it's highly unlikely."

The Servite coach went back to his dugout, leaving his pinch hitter at the plate to do his job. And he did it well; the lefty was able to smack a single just out of reach of the second baseman. He rounded first, but the center fielder was able to get the ball in quick. 

Servite fans started to get rowdy, cheering for their home team. 

The Servite coach came out of the dugout again and repeated the whole process of putting a pinch hitter in, once more. 

"Another lefty?" Noah asked. "How many do they have?"

"It's normal for a good varsity team to have a few lefties, even if they're on the bench. You have to prepare for all eventualities." Zeke explained. 

The second lefty proved that it was smart to put him in. He smacked a hard grounder in the wider gap between first and second. It was wider because the first baseman had to stay near first base to try and hold the runner. 

The Servite fans cheered even louder as they saw the player run from first, tagged second, and headed to third. With the throw coming from right field and with them already having two outs, the batter played it safe and stopped at first base. 

The throw came from right field to the second baseman, who made a somewhat long throw to third. It looked almost further than if I threw home. 

"Safe!" The ump declared. 

Servite fans were ecstatic. 

I turned to Noah. "Can we practice some relay throws tomorrow at the park? Like you can be the outfielder, and throw to me. Then I'll practice throwing to third base or home plate."

Noah looked surprised. "Sure, we can do that!"

This time the Servite coach didn't step out to put in another pinch hitter. He left the fifth batter to his own devices. 

"No more lefties?" Noah asked. 

"How many do you think there could be..?" Zeke raised an eyebrow. "How many do we have?"

"Two." Noah mumbled, eyes on the pitcher. 

"And Jake isn't even a real lefty." Zeke pointed out. 

We watched as the batter worked the count against Brady. 2-2, he connected. It was a fast grounder between first and second. The second baseman dived in the dirt, coming up with the ball, then threw to first. Out. Inning over. 

Noah sighed. "That's too bad."

I looked at him. "Were you cheering for Servite..?"

Noah looked incredulously at me. "Of course! Remember?? I told you that Servite has to beat Golden West to even the standings. We lost to them, so we need them to lose now. And then we'll beat them the second time around so they'll have two losses. That would be best." He let out a sigh. 

"It's fine." Zeke told me after glancing at us and the depression that radiated from Noah. "Even if they don't lose today, they have to play Servite again. And play us again. As long as we don't lose again, we'll win league."

"High hopes, huh?" Willie smiled back at us. "What I wouldn't give to be your age again. So hopeful and optimistic."

"Are you saying we can't do it??" Noah glared at the man. 

"Of course I wouldn't say that. It's just, you boys give me the feeling of youth. Don't quit. Keep working to your dream." He turned back to the field. "A pitcher change.." He started to take notes again. 

I looked to the field. Sure enough, the Servite coach was talking to his team on the mound, waiting for the pitcher to come from the bullpen. He arrived at the mound and received the ball. 

"One inning too late." Willie mumbled under his breath. 

"Why do you say that?" Noah asked. 

Willie pointed at a name on his notepad.

"Ernest J. Williamson." Noah read aloud. His face scrunched up as a smile took over his face. "Ernest?" He busted out laughing. "What an old fashioned name."

I started to laugh too, just not as loud and as noticeable as Noah. He was attracting attention from other fans. 

"Now on the mound for Servite, Ernest J. Williamson." The announcer said for everyone to hear. 

Noah laughed harder. Seeing that no one else was laughing besides a few Golden West fans, I tried to contain myself. 

Once Noah got a hold of himself, he poked Willie. "So? What's so special about him? Would it have made a difference if they brought him in an inning earlier?"

Willie grinned, not bothered by Noah's laughter and disruption. "He's currently the best relief pitcher in California. A bona fide closer."

"That's a little dramatic." Noah made a face. "How can you say he's the best in the whole state?"

"Because he hasn't given up a run." Zeke spoke up. "Not even to me."