| |
Emily decided to give the girls a few days off during April vacation, despite many exclaims of “We never got days off during basketball vacations!” The truth was, she wanted a few days off herself. And she thought a few practices wouldn’t make a big difference against Richmond, who was their opponent for the week.
Richmond and Buckfield took turns being the best team in the league, and Emily wished they didn’t have to play Richmond quite yet. She’d rather they get in a few games against the less talented teams first.
Still, the schedule was the schedule, so she prayed for rain.
It didn’t come.
So on Wednesday afternoon, her team gathered at the field after three days off. Emily watched Sydney Hopkins climb out of her dad’s brand-new pickup truck and walk toward the field. Then she watched PeeWee climb out after her and follow her toward Emily. Emily’s stomach tightened. She had never had a good encounter with PeeWee.
This one would be no different. “I’d like to talk to you about Sydney’s playing time.”
Emily had the urge to laugh but didn’t. “We’ve only played one game. Everyone will get to play.”
As if she hadn’t even spoken, he said, “Sydney says she only played in one inning at Buckfield.”
Emily frowned. She was pretty sure that wasn’t true. She would have bet she played in two.
“I’ve got seventeen girls, Mr. Hopkins. And we only played five innings.”
“And whose fault is that?”
What? What is he talking about? “As I said, everyone will get to play. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Emily made a beeline for MacKenzie, as if she had some burning instructions to convey, though she had absolutely nothing to say.
MacKenzie did have something to say. “Are Ava and I still captains?”
Shoot. Emily hadn’t thought about captains since she’d flung the names out at the last game. “Yes, you are.” Emily thought she saw disappointment flash across MacKenzie’s face. “What, you don’t want to be captain?”
“Well, I do, but I think Hailey’s mad. And Juniper too.”
“All right. I’ll deal with that. You just keep doing what you’re doing.”
When Emily did call for captains, and named those two girls specifically, she paid close attention to Hailey and Juniper. Hailey stood just in front of their bench, her hands on her hips, staring at the pre-game conference. There did appear to be a problem brewing there. Juniper was flirting with some boys in the crowd. No problem there.
Juniper held Richmond scoreless in the first inning, with no help from her teammates. They got two runners on, but Juniper managed to strike three girls out. Emily shuddered to think what this season might have looked like had Juniper never shown up against her will.
It might have been Emily’s imagination, but she thought the Richmond pitcher was a little slower than Buckfield’s. But she was still no slouch. She still struck out Piercehaven’s first three batters. Despite this, the Piercehaven crowd was very supportive and cheered the girls on as they stood in the batter’s box and as they walked back to the bench. There were dozens of people there, many of them standing, and still more sitting in folding chairs all along the third base line. Emily couldn’t believe it: they had fans.
Hannah led off the second inning with a triple and the crowd went nuts. People even blew their car horns.
Hannah stood on third base, catching her breath, and absolutely beaming. “Nice hit,” Emily said. “Now, take a big lead and if the pitch goes wild, you’re going home.”
Hannah’s eyes grew wide. “I’ll never make it.”
“You might not. But you might score.”
Hannah shook her head. “Miss M, I’m slow. I’ll never make it.”
“You do what I tell you to do. Now take a lead.”
The Richmond pitcher released. Hannah took a big lead. The catcher ignored her and threw the ball back to the mound. Emily wasn’t surprised. Hannah didn’t look like much of a threat. Emily gave Chloe the bunt sign. Not because she wanted her to bunt, but because she was almost certain she would miss.
The Richmond pitcher wound up, Chloe squared up, the pitcher released, Chloe reached for the pitch, missed it wildly, and the ball zipped past the catcher. “Go!” Emily screamed, her own volume surprising her. Hannah went.
“She’s going!” the Richmond coach called, sounding surprised, and maybe a little amused.
The catcher picked up speed, but Emily hoped it would be too late. The catcher grabbed the ball and flipped it behind her toward the pitcher, who arrived at home plate at exactly the same time as Hannah, who executed the world’s gompiest slide into home plate and then just lay there breathing hard.
Everyone looked to the ump, but there was no question to the call. The pitcher hadn’t even thought about putting the tag down yet. Still no one made a peep till the umpire stretched out his arms, and then the islanders made more noise than Emily had heard since the state championship basketball game.
It had not been pretty. But Piercehaven had scored a run.
Piercehaven lost to Richmond, 19 to 1, in the fifth inning.
After the game, Jake Jasper approached Emily. “Great job, Coach!”
She tried to keep her smile on the safe side of ridiculous. “Thanks.”
“If you ever need someone to coach first base, I’m all yours.”
She looked at his pants. “That would be great, but just so you know, you can’t coach a base if you’re wearing jeans.”
He laughed. “Are you serious?”
“I am.”
“How do you know that? Did you wear jeans to Buckfield?”
“No. I read the rulebook. Three times.”
“OK then. I won’t wear jeans tomorrow. Maybe I could get one of those stylish uniforms the girls are wearing.”
Emily looked at him quickly to make sure he was joking. She thought he was. “I think windpants or sweats will suffice.”
