Dave was a bit behind getting on the mound since he was the last batter, but it wasn't like we could play without him. The umpire still gave him adequate time to throw some pitches off the mound.
Dave looked to be completely comfortable and not at all worried about Marie's pitching stats. He came out strong, aiming at some good spots in the strike zone. The first Porterville batter up, went down swinging on three pitches. The next batter was also quick to swing, but it just meant quick to get out since all he did was hit a pop fly to Noah. The third batter up, saw the most pitches, getting to a 2-2 count, before grounding out right to Noah.
When we got back to the dugout, the team clapped and congratulated Dave on a three up, three down inning. Noah and I moved to get our helmets on and bats ready. He would be up third, and if someone can get on base, I would get a chance to hit too.
Your extra chapter!