OK Coach Kim whispered into my ear one more run and this thing is ours Remember be smart Take your lead but don’t get trapped in a pickle They’re probably expecting the sacrifice fly so make sure you get back here as soon as the ball goes into the air and tag up Got it I nodded yes in reply I got this I thought Tempted to peek into the energetic bleachers behind me I focused instead on Martina the Cardinals pitcher on the mound Martina was tall Easily the tallest in our entire eighth grade at Cape Elementary When we played softball in PE during the school year I liked being on Martina’s team As a catcher I appreciate a strong pitcher who can throw more than just fastballs But this wasn’t a PE scrimmage It was the Cape Summer League season ender and we were opponents Martina’s dark curly hair poked out from every end of her cap sticking to her forehead in sweaty 8
globs She knew I could steal and kept throwing side glances my way in an attempt to scare me back to base Not going to happen I thought Lara was up next batting cleanup the fourth and most important spot in the lineup Lara is our star third baseman Nothing gets by her glove She is also an expert at hitting the sacrifice fly a hit so far into the outfield that it gives the base runner a chance to tag up and get to the next base before the outfielder can throw it back Lara kept one foot out of the batter’s box She took practice swings as she turned to Coach Kim for the signal Coach Kim tugged on her right ear the signal for take a pitch Then she touched her nose and patted her head Those were just meaningless signals meant to confuse the other team Finally she clapped her hands and stomped her feet the signal for no more signals 9
I love signals It’s like a secret coded language that only our team knows When I’m catching behind the plate I use signals to communicate with the pitcher and tell her which types of pitches to throw Like Coach Kim I mix in some silly signs that mean absolutely nothing at all in the hopes of throwing the batter off her game Lara nodded her head and stepped her other foot into the box Martina placed the ball in her glove and gave me another look My feet itched to get off the base and creep toward home plate Lara was not going to swing at this first pitch But that didn’t mean I couldn’t try to fake out the Cardinals I was ready to run as soon as that ball left Martina’s hand Martina gave me the side-eye Then she cradled the ball in her glove and took a step backward with her right foot As her foot moved behind her her arm swung up and back then launched into the air over her head Her 10
arm circled back around her body and brushed by her hip bone She released the ball fingers stretched out toward home plate in the perfect follow-through Lara stood there and did nothing taking the pitch as directed The ball hit firmly into the center of the catcher’s mitt Strike one called the umpire I hustled back to the base keeping my foot on the bag until Martina walked back to the mound Coach Kim swiped her forehead the signal for sacrifice fly Lara stepped back into the batter’s box ready for the second pitch Remember be smart I thought If you’re caught off the base she can throw you out Martina moved quickly and set up for her next pitch trying to throw Lara off rhythm Lara started her backswing before I could take much of a lead This time Lara swung hard and connected The ball bounced off the bat hurtling up into the sky 11
