Chapter 794 - V3 ch29 (Challenges 2)

Alisha should be happy. For the first ten pitchers, I knocked their first pitch out. The most time consuming part was the pitcher getting a few warmup pitches off the mound. I understand that it made it fair, but I saw it as a waste of time. I just had to patiently wait for the better pitchers to show up. 

The catcher eventually changed to a familiar Junior I've seen around. He hung out with Mitchell, but that didn't mean he was as good as him. He did stand out more than the earlier freshmen and sophomores though so that's something. He also had slightly better pitchers paired up with him. I say slightly because I handled all of them with ease. 

I got to face a special sophomore. Someone I completely recognized and didn't like. Marshel. Marshel Butler. Friends with Austin. He stood out to me from the bus incident and winning 'best sportsmanship' award on the freshmen team in the spring. What a joke. A hypocrite.

Simply putting his pitch into fair territory wasn't enough for me. I smacked his first pitch as far as I could, dead center. With no outfield fence, the ball rolled until the grass slowed it down to a stop. Definitely would have been a homerun. I smiled to myself as Marshel walked off the mound with his head down. Too bad Austin isn't a pitcher too because I'd like to give him the same treatment. 

The first pitcher that required more than one pitch was Matt. He was now a senior like the twins and Garret, but he was hardly used last year during the season. Just a few relief spots here and there. He worked hard regardless of his play time though so he stood out. 

Seeing how almost everyone tried starting me off with a fastball, Matt went a different route, throwing a curve outside. I chased, getting a piece of it, but the ball dribbled foul. 

I stepped out of the box and glanced back at Coach. "Is it too late to switch batting sides?"

Coach shook his head. "As a switch hitter, you can change sides during an at-bat as long as it's not during the pitcher windup. To be safe, always declare 'time' and then switch."

I nodded. "Time." Then walked behind the catcher and Coach so I could bat as a lefty. 

"Make sure to note down his switch." Coach called out to the home team dugout. Alisha nodded obediently and scribbled on her paper. 

"Is the switch significant?" The catcher glanced back at Coach to ask. 

Coach shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. We'll see."

Everyone got set again. 

I didn't think the switch was necessary, but I thought it would be easier. Trying something new. It'd be cool to incorporate switches in games when I find out what the pitcher can throw instead of just waiting for my next at-bat. Not that I expect to struggle enough to warrant changes. It would just be nice to realize I have this option and not to be embarrass when I want to try it out. 

Matt throws curves away from right-handers, so what will he do now that I'm a lefty?

Matt started his motion, and the ball came my way. Literally. He threw a fastball inside, trying to jam me up. It's not easy to hit something coming right at you. But...it should be a ball. I let it pass. 

"Ball." Coach confirmed. 

The catcher threw the ball back to Matt. Matt got set again, shook off the catcher's first sign, then nodded at the next. He started his motion and the ball came out of his hand. Another curve. I watched as it broke in towards me. I brought my bat down and hands in, swatting the ball to where a second baseman would probably be. Not pretty, but my only job was to put it in play. 

Matt left the mound in a relaxed manner. He met me off to the side, near the dugout Alisha was in. "Hey, I thought for sure you would let that one pass too."

I glanced to see the catchers changing and a new pitcher warming up. Seeing that I had a minute, I explained to him my thought process. "It would have been a borderline call and Coach isn't really fair."

Matt let out a laugh. "Yea, he's a bit tough on you. I thought I would give it a try though."

"If there we're position players, I probably wouldn't have made contact on that pitch." I told him honestly. "You saw how it went to the second baseman spot. I would have like for it to at least get past the infield." I smiled at him. "You picked a tricky spot."

Matt grinned at my compliment. "Thanks. I've been working on my control. Aiming for those corners."

I nodded and listened to him a little more before Coach called me back to the plate. I walked over with my bat in hand. A senior catcher from the JV team and a junior I didn't know on the mound. It was another one and done pitcher. The catcher stayed as an unfriendly opponent took the mound to warmup. Joey. 

Ugh. 

I wasn't scared of Joey's pitching, but I was definitely worried about him as a person. He reminded me of Chris. Just too...aggressive. The need to be right. To be on top. 

I watched him throw a few pitches off the mound before Coach called for me to step up. I chose the righty's box. From what I remember, Joey only switched between a four-seam fastball and a two-seam fastball. Slight difference but no big breaking ball to be wary of. 

Joey was set. I pulled my bat back, ready as well. Joey nodded, straightened up, then kicked his leg forward. I forgot how aggressive his pitching was too. It matched his personality. 

I swung, but the ball took a small dip. I fouled the ball back into the catcher. 

"Strike one." Coach spoke up as the catcher got up to throw the ball back to Joey. 

I pursed my lips together. I was obviously a little too eager, not even waiting to see if it was the two-seamer or the four. I calmed myself down and got set again. I don't need to be mean and hit a bomb off him. Just hit into fair territory so he doesn't get a free pass to be on the varsity team. 

Joey got set once more. His second pitch went outside and dipped again. Two-seamer again. I held back from swinging. The catcher caught it near the corner of the strike zone. 

"Strike two." Coach declared. 

Coach really isn't fair. I pouted back at him. 

"I may have blinked." Coach shrugged as the catcher threw the ball back. 

I didn't believe him for a second. He might just want to know what would happen if I had an 0-2 count. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Joey doesn't have anything on me. I've got this. 

Joey got set and started his motion. Knowing him, he will want to finish this at-bat off at once. Using his fastball right down the middle. I started my swing as soon as the ball left his hand and timed it right. Surprisingly, the ball started to dip again. A third two-seamer?? I frowned and pointed my bat down more to get a piece of the pitch, then pulled it down the third baseline. 

"Fair." Coach called out as the grounder hit third base without going beyond the foul line.