Too Equal For My Taste
Chapter 19: Weekend Four- Baseball
To mark the month's time that it was since the competition began, the Bakers and the Murtaugh's agreed to a game of America's favorite pastime. The two teams were to play baseball, again, at the same University. As the two teams rode to the campus, two kids had something to look forward to, because both had been celebrated before, and both were really good at the game. Jake and Mike could not wait until they were out in that field. Out of all sports, besides hockey, Mike liked baseball second best, because of the hype that surrounded it.
Jake did not like baseball as much as Mike, but he knew he was good at it. He played loads of times with Connor and Coolidge. Connor was a huge fan of baseball from his own childhood and he supported the Chicago White Sox. Jake usually had to tolerate with Connor's long talks of baseball when the season started. Now, Jake found himself playing it, and decided to look on the bright side of things. If he did well, the students who already knew him from before might as well lift him on their shoulders. But maybe that was expecting too much.
The field was almost full size, considering it was a University playing field. Mike gaped at it, "Look at the size of that thing! How're we supposed to make any points at all?"
"Too much for you, kid?" a student laughed as he passed the Bakers. He was walking with his girlfriends who started giggling. Mike went red. That wasn't the end though. The guy turned around to face them. He was very tall and muscular, with big green eyes and short black hair. He laughed as Mike's red face, and then Ken came up, grinning, "I know, I have to deal with him everyday!"
"Loser," the student laughed.
"Yeah, shove off before you start another problem," Ken jeered.
If it was possible, Mike went even redder, and glared at the students. Mike was so close to starting something, but then Jake stepped in, "Enough. Stop it," he said to the student. "And Ken, stay out of this?"
"You gonna make me?" Ken said sneeringly.
"Yah," Jake said mockingly.
Ken glared at him, and walked away. The student walked away too, still laughing. Mike folded his arms, "I could've torn him apart."
"No you couldn't have, and stop getting too hyped up about people against you," Jake said. "We don't want a problem."
"Is something happening?" Tom asked, stepping in sight.
Mike shook his head and walked away.
The Murtaugh's faced the Bakers across the field once again, and this time, the University provided them a couple of commentators to go with the game. Tom folded his arms, "I hope Mike had a good plan for this. I hate baseball."
"Mike's good in it, and I think he's ready," Kate said, looking over at him. At his red face, Kate too lost a little confidence. Why was Mike angry?
"Welcome to the baseball game, this is Gordon Bradley and Mike Johnson. Today, we've been asked to comment this game as amusement and fun to students who may be watching the game. As this is unprofessional, the game is cut by half, and there are only five innings instead of nine. Introducing the players." Gordon spoke in a very strong British accent.
The players walked out. First walked Henry Baker. After Henry's name was called by the commentators who knew the names from the uniforms, Sarah ran out. This time, she resisted the urge to stroke her hair. After Sarah, Elliot ran out. He gave Sarah a good luck pat, and kiss on the cheek before running to his post. Mike ran out last, waving to the crowd happily. All anger was forgotten when he entered the pitch. Slowly, baseball was growing on him more than hockey, (he had to change sooner or later.)
"First up defensive is Team Baker," Mike Johnson called. Mike had an American accent. "It's Jake Baker pitching. Henry Baker catcher behind the offender Elliot Murtaugh. The Bakers have all their players stretched out with none to spare. First base: Mark Baker. Second Base: Nigel Baker. Third Base: Kyle Baker. Shortstop: Mike Baker. Left Field: Kimberly Baker. Center Field: Sarah Baker. Right Field: Jessica Baker."
"That's right, Michael, and the offender is Elliot Murtaugh. So far, he's the only offender out, but more to come as we all know. This will be an interesting game to watch."
Jake took aim with the ball, remembering the techniques Connor taught him, and ran forward and pitched. Elliot swung once, but failed. Henry caught it easily, and threw it back to Jake. It actually wasn't long before Elliot was ordered out. Three strikes forced him out, and Elliot dropped the bat to walk out.
"The pitcher changes to catcher and vice versa as Henry Baker takes the ball," Johnson said. "Let's see if he's anything like the catcher."
"Well, you do have a point Mike. Catching is one thing. Pitching, well, that's something else. And it seems you rest your case! Henry has thrown a foul ball."
And they did rest their case, Henry was out himself. Jake came back to take his place, and the center field Sarah Baker had to take catcher. Jake threw a slow ball, and watched it go. The new batter, Calvin Murtaugh, hit it, very hard. The all flew the length of the pitch, and went out of the outfield, making a home run. Calvin threw the bat away, and ran hands up in the air triumphantly.
"One run for Team Murtaugh," Gordon announced. "They take an early lead."
"Yes, but we still do not know the batting of the Bakers," Mike pointed out. "But considering the varying ages, this must be the most unique of all baseball games I've see."
"I hear ya!"
Daniel was batting next. His hit with the ball was not as good as Calvin's home run. The ball rolled to between second and third base, and short stop had to catch it, and throw it to the one at first base. Just in the nick of time, Daniel was taken out.
"It seems the Bakers are looking to prevent their opponents from loading the bases up," Mike Johnson laughed.
"Well, it's working so far, but for how long we don't know," Gordon added in. "Let's watch now as Jake pitches to Calvin Murtaugh once again. Now I'm guessing the Bakers would love to take out what might be the Murtaugh's best player. Let's- OH! Calvin hit another home run. What the hay! He might as well play for the White Sox for all the good he's doing. Another run and point for the Murtaugh's."
"I guess it could've been worse, if the Bakers hadn't"-
No player paid much attention. The half of the inning ended the same way. The Murtaugh's had two runs, and the Bakers only took out one Murtaugh. Mike had so looked forward to batting, and he wanted to hit it hard. But before he could come up, Henry was up. Twelfth grader Henry Baker faced the pitcher Becky Murtaugh with his bat, and flexed himself.
Henry hit the ball hard. It scanned the pitch, and fell toward the center field Lisa Murtaugh. Henry made first base, and stopped there just as the ball hit the ground. "Lisa too slow to catch!"
"I guess it's only so, being so young," Mike acknowledged. "Now we watch as Jake Baker takes the bat. He swings, he makes a hit. Well one thing for sure, the Bakers are a hell of a lot better than the Murtaugh's at batting."
"Two bases are full, and the Murtaugh's are growing quite determined," Gordon laughed. "Jake Baker is on first base and Henry Baker on second. Even though they have two runs, I guess they have great fear, and the Bakers may be feeding on it."
Mike laughed as Nigel Baker took the bat. Mike was right. The Bakers were better at batting. After two failed attempts, Nigel hit the ball and ran to first base.
"All three bases are loaded!" Gordon yelled in excitement. "Yep, the Bakers are feeding the fear alright, and they're gaining strength from it. Now we see as one of the younger players takes the bat. Let's see if he can make a good run."
"Well Gordon, considering his age, it's not likely," Mike told him.
Mike stood at the batter's place, Tom with his fingers crossed.
"The worse that can happen to those Murtaugh people is a home run made by Mike Baker. What're the odds of that?" Gordon laughed.
Gordon was right. Mike failed the first attempt. Becky grinned happily as Elliot threw it back to her. She made a slow ball, and Mike failed once again. Morale down, he punched the air. He could almost hear the jeers from the students in the largest audience that turned up for a game like this. The jeers made him go red again, but it boosted his morale. He had to hit the ball as hard as possible. Becky threw another slow ball.
"Now if Mike hits a home run," Mike began. "This'll be a whole different game for the Murtaugh's. Either way, it's likely the Bakers make at least one run."
Slow balls were Mike's worse. He tried to keep his eye on it, and swung the bat with his full force. Surprisingly, he hit it very hard. "HOME RUN!" Mike Johnson yelled in surprised. The crowd jumped up and clapped. Mike threw the bat away happily, and ran with his arm up, almost skipping across to first, second, third, and back to home base."
"Four runs in one play!" Gordon yelled almost squeakily he sounded like a bird.
Mike jumped up happily as he touched third base, and ran over to home. He yelled in glee, and jeered at Ken who looked dumbstruck. He could almost sense some students in the audience full of instructors and students yelling in surprise.
Tom jumped up happily. "Four runs! Four runs!"
The heroic play by Mike held out the rest of the inning and throughout the next two, but which time the Murtaugh's only made one run against an additional three by the Bakers, two of which were made in one play."
"Score so far," Gordon asked Mike.
"Well, the Bakers are up with seven points. The Murtaugh's are trailing with three. It doesn't seem possible that the Murtaugh team could ever catch up. Not against Mike Baker, who last inning just had to touch Calvin out, and he was their best. If anything, the lead the Bakers have right now widened by a lot more. After all, we have two more innings they have to play, and each inning, the Bakers have to make something."
And so they did. On the next inning, the Murtaugh's suffered a terrible defeat in Mike's hands. As outfield, Mike had put out three of the Murtaugh team members swiftly, and gave the rest of the inning to the Bakers. That was when another huge run was scored. Once again, the bases were loaded. Once again Mike scored a home run, and once again four runs were scored. The score was made 11 to 3, and Mike was questioning: "How could Mike Baker make these professional runs anyway?"
"Well, I'm guessing it's the size of the pitch. Even so, it's not simple for a kid his age to make runs like this, so he must just have the talent that you don't see in many players on even the Yankee team."
"I'm inclined to agree with you here, Gordon," Mike said agreeably.
The rest of the inning was better for the Murtaugh's, and they did make a comeback. Out of luck and a little skill, Daniel made a home run with two bases already loaded. Jake pitched it, and Daniel hit it hard. He ran triumphantly, giving his team three runs.
"11-6!" Gordon called. "Murtaugh's make a comeback! This is amazing! One inning left to go, let's see if the comeback can hold out and give them a narrow victory over Team Baker.
Alas, it didn't. As a matter of fact, the Bakers made a horrific two plays with four runs in one, and two in another.
"One thing for sure, the Bakers are hell good at loading their bases, and keeping it that way," Mike said. The score is 17-6, and the Murtaugh's are down by eleven runs."
The rest of the inning was not so good either. Jimmy's team showed the capability of a comeback, but made too many errors in the next half inning. Their players were kicked out swiftly and simply, either by ball or by force-out.
Mike knew what was coming from the minute the game ended. He was pat on the back many times. The students who jeered earlier walked past, completely ignoring him. Mike couldn't care less though. He was the big hero of the game, and after playing it, hockey seemed almost like nothing compared to the plays he just made.
A/N: Which is exactly how it should be? You know, I know Mike loves hockey and all that, but people do change as they grow older, and I thought Mike would appeal more as a baseball fan. At least he's still confident enough to pick fights with people older than him. Let this long chapter make up for the previous short ones though. Now, the Bakers won two, and the Murtaugh's won two. I wonder who'll take the next. (Seriously, I have no idea who'll win. I'm leaving this to luck and fate. Well, We'll find out.)