บท 6: Stepping Up To The Plate (1)
Linus sat on the bench, watching the game with mild interest. It was only the bottom of the second inning, and though the game had its moments, it wasn't exactly at a critical point yet. The sixth batter stepped up to the plate, and Linus leaned back slightly, keeping an eye on the play without feeling too invested.
The batter connected with the second pitch, sending a hard grounder toward second base. The second baseman reacted quickly, diving to his left to knock the ball down. The runner on second easily made it to third as the fielder scrambled to his feet. His throw to first was rushed, and the batter hustled down the line, beating the throw by a step.
The umpire's call of "safe" was met with some light cheers from the dugout. The batter pumped his fist toward his teammates, clearly pleased with his effort.
Liam, sitting beside Linus, stood up and stretched. "Looks like we've got a good chance to score. We might actually come up to bat this inning," he said with a grin.
Linus nodded, standing up as well. "Yeah, maybe," he replied, casually getting ready for the possibility. He wasn't nervous, but the game was moving along, and he knew his turn at bat was getting closer.
Liam chuckled, glancing back at the field. "Unless the next batter hits into a double play."
"What's a double play?" Linus asked.
"That's when the fielders get two outs in one play," Liam explained quickly. "Don't worry too much about it; you'll figure it out as we go."
Linus nodded again, taking in the information. "Should I do something different to avoid that?"
"Nah," Liam said, shaking his head. "Just focus on hitting the ball."
Before Linus could say more, the next batter struck out, the crack of the ball hitting the catcher's mitt echoing across the field. The dugout let out a collective groan.
Liam stood up, grabbing his bat with a confident grin. "Alright, I better get to the batter's box," he said, adjusting his helmet. "Just to keep it fair, I won't go for more. Then after that, it will all be up to you to see if we can score."
He flashed Linus a quick wink before walking toward the plate, completely sure of himself. The way he said it made it seem like getting on base wasn't even a question—it was a guarantee.
Linus felt a shift in the atmosphere. All on me? The casual confidence in Liam's voice stuck with him as he remained seated on the bench. Is this why he said it would be more interesting with me here?
As Liam's at-bat got underway, Linus tapped his foot lightly, feeling the weight of what Liam had said slowly settling in. He wasn't rattled, but the realization crept up on him. Why tell me not to worry and then put all the pressure on me right after? His mind started running through the situation, thinking ahead. He reminded himself that he had already imagined this moment. His turn at bat. He just needed to focus on one thing: making contact with the ball. Everything else would follow. He had to just connect with the pitch and hope for the best.
Liam's at-bat progressed steadily. The count soon reached full, and Linus watched as Liam fouled off pitch after pitch, staying in the fight. Linus reassured himself, repeating the simple goal in his head: Just hit the ball, that's it. One good swing.
Finally, on what felt like the tenth pitch of the at-bat, the pitcher delivered one just outside the strike zone. Liam let it pass, standing still as the umpire called, "Ball four!"
Liam shot a quick glance back toward Linus, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He walked back toward the dugout, casually handing Linus the bat before heading to first base.
"Alright, all up to you now," Liam said with a wink.
Linus took the bat, feeling the moment fully arrive. His heart beat steadily, his mind calm but focused. It was his turn.
Linus felt the weight of the bat in his hands, thinking it wasn't as heavy as he thought it would be. He took one practice swing, the bat cutting through the air smoothly, before stepping into the batter's box. He found his footing and looked straight at the pitcher, gripping the bat tightly. His mind was focused, his body ready.
The pitcher started his windup, moving deliberately, and then threw the ball toward the strike zone. Linus swung, but he was a little late. The ball zipped past him and landed cleanly in the catcher's mitt. Linus sighed to himself, realizing he needed to gather strength from his legs earlier. The pitch was too fast to wait until he was sure he wanted to hit it.
The catcher had already thrown the ball back to the pitcher, and Linus reset himself, focusing again. The pitcher started his motion once more. This time, the pitch looked like it was heading wide, out of the strike zone, so Linus let it pass. He also wasn't confident that he would hit it well if he swung at it.
"Strike two!" the umpire called out.
Linus frowned slightly, not knowing the strike zone well enough yet. But now with two strikes, he knew he couldn't afford to let another pitch go by without swinging. He'd have to go for it, no matter what.
As the third pitch came, Linus started preparing earlier, gathering his energy from his legs. The pitch was within his range, and this time, he felt certain he could make solid contact. He swung with confidence, sure he'd connect cleanly and send the ball flying. But as the bat met the ball, he felt it hit the underside of the bat.
The ball bounced weakly on the ground, dribbling toward third base. Linus quickly realized the third baseman would easily get to it, leaving him with no choice but to sprint to first as fast as he could.
Without thinking about anything else, Linus took off, legs pumping, eyes locked on the first base bag. He had to make it in time.
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