Katie, Batter Up! by Coco Simon

Author:Coco Simon
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Published: 2011-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

I’m Keeping My Eye on the Ball, I Swear!

All right, Katie,” Matt said. “Like I showed you. Bend your knees and hold the bat just below your shoulders.”

“She’s holding it too high!” Alexis said directly behind me.

It was Friday afternoon, the day before tryouts, and Emma had finally arranged to have Matt give me a batting lesson. During the week I ran with Mom a few times after work, and Mom got us a ball and gloves so we could practice catching. But so far, no batting.

And in case you’re wondering what Alexis was doing there, she offered to come along and help.

“You can’t have batting practice without a catcher,” she said, and I know she’s right. But sometimes I wonder if she’s really over her crush on Matt.

To be fair, though, Alexis seemed a lot more interested in telling me how to bat than she did in flirting with Matt.

“I am not holding it too high,” I protested.

“She’s good,” Matt called back. “Okay, Katie, now keep your eye on the ball!”

“Sure,” I said, but actually, I have a problem with that advice. Because when the ball comes at me, it’s spinning really fast and it’s all blurry and it just makes me nervous.

Then Matt pitched the ball to me underhand, like they do in softball, and I kept my eye on it, I swear—both eyes, even. And when it got close to me I freaked out a little and swung the bat way too soon.

Whump! I heard the ball land in Alexis’s catcher’s mitt.

“Steeeeee-rike!” Alexis cried, like some professional umpire.

“Too soon, Katie!” Matt called out.

“Yeah, too soon, Katie!” Alexis repeated.

“I know!” I said, a little frustrated. “It’s hard to know when to swing.”

Matt walked up to me and Alexis. “Okay, how about this?” he asked. “When you think you want to swing, don’t. Count to two and then swing, okay?”

“Okay,” I said, nodding. Then I got back into batting stance.

“Oh, you are holding it a little too high,” Matt said. “Here, move your elbows, like this.”

Matt got behind me and positioned my arms—sort of like when Sam was showing me how to shoot a basket. But I didn’t have any heart palpitations or sweaty palms this time.

Is that all it means to have a crush on someone? I wondered. Sweaty palms? Would Alexis get sweaty palms if she were standing here now?

“Earth to Katie,” Matt said. “Are you listening?”

“Oh, sure,” I said. I placed my arms in the right position. “Like this, right?”

“Okay, let’s give it another try,” Matt said. “This time, count to two before you swing.”

“Got it,” I said.

Matt pitched the ball to me again. I kept my eye on the ball, and when it got close, I freaked out again.

“Strike!” Alexis cried.

“Why is it that it’s good to get a strike in bowling but bad to get one in baseball?” I wondered out loud, trying to distract Alexis and Matt from the fact that I was terrible.

“Well, this isn’t bowling,” Alexis said. “I know you can do this.

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