Senior Year Box Set

“No. No, that’s all right. We, uh, stopped in to tell our girlfriends that we wanted to go somewhere else to eat tonight,” Chuck said, obviously lying. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

“Well, okay, then. I’ll see you at the game,” I said to Chuck and then turned to the girls. “Ladies, it was a pleasure. If you decide to dump these guys …”

“No, they’re keepers,” Kayla said as she grabbed Chuck’s arm to guide him out the door before it got any worse.

They quickly left.

“And David wonders why he gets thrown at,” Moose said.

I acted put-out, which made the guys give me a harder time.

◊◊◊

My flirting with the girls had loosened the team up for the sectional championship. Big games like this could make you overthink what you’re about to do, and you end up playing tight. We were anything but that as we took the field to warm up.

The game was being shown on cable along with the other three sectional championships. We’d drawn the golden ticket in that we played tonight rather than Friday or Saturday when the other three games would be played. The State Championship Playoffs would begin on Monday, with the final game played Wednesday. By this time next week, we could be headed back to school as state champions.

When our time was up, Lemont took the field. I stepped into the dugout and grabbed a drink.

“David,” Jeff called to get my attention. “I sent you a video you need to show the team before the game.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Lemont’s starting pitcher said some things that might help you guys get ready.”

Moose loaned us his phone, and we all gathered around to watch.

Before our previous game, I’d been asked to sit down with Corey Wilier, the color man in the booth for the broadcast. This time, Lemont was home, so they interviewed my new buddy, Chuck.

Corey:“Joining me is Chuck Wilken, tonight’s starting pitcher for one of Illinois’ baseball powerhouses, Lemont. Tonight, they face a team new to this level of baseball, Lincoln High, that has one of the best baseball players in the state’s history in David Dawson. What’s it like to face a player of his caliber?”

If my chatting up his girlfriend hadn’t been enough, Corey’s question was like waving a red cape in front of a bull; he was calling out Chuck’s manhood, which cried out for a response. This was the kind of trap question I’d learned to deflect.

Chuck: “One player won’t decide the outcome of this game. Baseball is a team sport, and Lemont has proven year in and year out that we produce one of the best TEAMS in the state. If I can keep David Dawson off the basepaths, we will win easily.”

Yep, Jeff was right. This would help my guys get ready.

With that in mind, I watched Lemont warm up. Our teams couldn’t have been more different, size-wise. Each of our starters stood at least six feet tall, while it looked like their tallest player topped out at five-ten. What they lacked in physical stature, they made up for with precision and quickness.

It was apparent in something as simple as a ground ball. Their infielders would scoop up the ball and throw it to first base in one fluid motion. Their coach had obviously drilled them well. If this turned into a defensive battle, I worried they would hold their own against us. We needed to use our power to give us the advantage.

As the visitors, we came up to bat first. Chuck was an above-average high school pitcher. I’d clued my teammates in that his out pitch, the one he would throw to strike you out, was the slider. He didn’t need it during the first inning because Wolf hit into a double play to end our half of the inning.

In their half, they came out bunting the ball to get base runners. The first batter laid down a nice one that dribbled to Ty at third to field. Ty charged the ball, picked it up barehanded, and almost got him out. Their next batter we were more prepared for as he tried to bunt. He got under the ball and popped it up to Justin, who was pitching.

Moose had had me move in to the edge of the grass to help the infield. Lemont had tested our defense with the first two batters. Tim called for a high fastball, the hardest pitch to bunt. Their batter squared up to bunt as Justin began his motion. Then the batter pulled his bat back and took a regular hitter’s stance.