Their talk didn't take very long. Garret jogged to the mound and Jordan to home plate. The coach waved us over as Zeke headed to his teammates in the outfield.
"What's up Coach?" Noah asked as we got close. Garret started to practice some pitches with Jordan so we were still having a face off; we just didn't know what the change was.
Coach jerked a thumb at the team in the outfield. "Zeke is getting some players to fill in. Make it more game-like. Sure, Jake can hit some pretty sweet pitches, but I want to know if he can hit them to the open spots in the field. I don't want just a player hitting right to the field players."
Noah looked at me. I shrugged. I've never tried avoiding players or hitting to open space. In the cages, I can't really tell where the ball would go so I like hitting it right back to the pitching machine. Noah gave me a pat on the back and whispered. "I won't be fielding against you so just hit up the middle. Just don't hit Garret. He IS the ace."
I nodded. Sounds fair. I wouldn't want to hit anybody. Especially the best pitcher on Noah's team.
"Looks like the whole team is going to watch. Kind of makes it feel like a scrimmage or something." Noah commented as Zeke came back with the whole group.
Some players went to positions right away, probably wherever Zeke assigned them. The assistant coach and leftover players went to the dugout to watch.
"Oh? This is getting serious." Mr. Miller came out of nowhere, making me jump.
Noah patted my shoulder. "You need to stop being so tense. People coming from behind don't usually attack. You always react like you're doing something you're not supposed to." I gave a weak smile. Technically I was doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing. He gave me a push to the batters box. "Go. Remember the plan. Kick butt and we win extra desserts."
I nodded and left him with the coach and Mr. Miller. Unlike before, I took a few practice swings as a left handed batter.
Jordan threw the ball to Garret, then glanced down at me. "You want to try batting lefty against a lefty?"
I nodded.
"Aren't you afraid of the curve? It'd be more beneficial to hit right handed just in case."
I shook my head. Noah said to watch out for the cut fastball, which would come inside for a righty. Noah knows him better than I do so I should just stick with the plan.
Jordan raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Well, if you can do it, then do it." He squatted behind the plate.
I stepped in the lefty's box and got set. Facing down Garret wasn't as scary as the twins. He was calm and there was no specific expression on his face. I looked past him and took note where all the field players were. Dropping a hit just past the infield and right before the outfield would be best, but the outfield looked like they were playing in. If I hit the ball like I normally do, it would be a line out for sure.
Garret started his motion and I gripped my bat a little tighter than normal. Noah said to hit it just over his head, right between the shortstop and second baseman. His pitch wasn't the cutter, it was an average fastball, not much different from the twins. I hit it perfectly up the middle.
As the ball was fielded by the center fielder, only Noah was clapping and cheering for me. Everyone else just seemed focus on the next pitch.
Garret started to work, throwing pitches around the strike zone and at various speeds. I easily sent them to the same spot over and over.
"Can you hit it anywhere else?" The coach approached me at the batters box after the tenth hit.
I looked at Noah. He was the one that told me to hit it there. Was there somewhere else I should hit to?
Noah jogged over. "Sorry Coach, that's where I told him to hit it to."
"Are you saying he can hit anywhere he wants?"
"Within reason I suppose." Noah answered. "I've seen Jake bat in The Cages. He likes to hit in the same spot over and over. Just like how he can do continuous fouls. He's like a machine, right?"