My Third Straight No Hitter

Tonight, were in Oconomowoc. It is cooler than I expected, as it only got up to about 65 degrees.  We had something to prove to Oconomowoc. They came into this game thinking they were too good for us. That we wouldn’t step up against them. That we would just give them the game. Wrong. It started out a pitcher’s duel as both pitchers got through the first two innings untouched.

 It got wild in the third inning. We got a couple people on base and scored once.  It was back to the hill for me. I had 4 strikeouts through the first two innings, and started number three with one.  Two straight ground balls got me out of the inning. As I went back out for the fourth inning, I knew it was my last. League rules. I walked the first guy, which was my first base runner all day. I was still really happy though, since this was the best team in the league and I had not allowed a hit through three plus innings. The next hitter was up to bat. He was tall and skinny, and didn’t look that tough.  I knew I could pound him inside and there was no way he could catch up. Three pitches, three strikes.  The third one was hit on the ground to the shortstop, Daniel. He made a quick turn to second and got the first out, but couldn’t turn two. I still had a no hitter.  With one out in the fourth, the next hitter was a bigger man. Tall, but I could tell, he was a fan of the Big Mac. He had some power though. Last time up, he hit a frozen rope right at the left fielder, so he caught it. He was an all pull hitter, so if I worked him outside, he would either hit a weak grounder or not hit it at all. Again I carved him up as I struck out my 6^th batter of the game.

Two outs. Now I got nervous. I wanted the no hitter so bad, and everyone in the park could tell with the big smile on my face.  The last hitter was the three hitter, and their best. I would have to work for this, but I knew I could do it. I thought back to what my dad had said about having success pitching. Keep the ball down. He couldn’t stress it enough. This hitter was medium height, skinny, and very strong. You could tell he took every at-bat like it was batting practice. Relaxed, but focused. The first time I faced him, he hit a fly ball to center but it wasn’t very deep, which gave Matt the opportunity to get there for the catch.  My first pitch was low, and in the dirt. Not a good way to start the at-bat.  The next pitch was a mistake. I left it right down the middle, where he could’ve done some serious damage. Luckily, he hit a weak foul ball to the back stop. He threw his bat up and snatched it out of the air like a hawk.