Stealing Second: Sam's Story: Book 4 in the Clarksonville Series by Barbara L. Clanton Page B
Authors: Barbara L. Clanton
Ads: Link
Remembering where she was, she pulled back at the last second.
They bounded down the bleacher steps and ran toward the dugout in time to hear that the starting lineup would be the same for the championship game.
The umpire asked the Nor’Easters to take the field, and Sam sprinted out to her second base position. Luckily Marlee was still pitching well and struck out the first three Elmhurst batters she faced. Unfortunately the Elmhurst pitcher also struck out everyone she faced that first inning, including Sam. Lisa came close to getting on base in the bottom of the second inning, but the Elmhurst left fielder made an amazing over the shoulder catch. By the top of the fourth, neither team had scored.
“C’mon, guys,” Lisa encouraged as she squatted behind the plate to start the fourth inning.
“Yeah, c’mon, Nor’Easters,” Sam shouted from her second base position. “Throw it in there, Marlee.”
The lead-off hitter for Elmhurst swatted Marlee’s first pitch through the five-six gap between third and short. Marlee pounded her glove against her thigh obviously agitated that the batter had gotten a hit. It was, after all, the first hit of the game for either team.
“Let’s get two,” Abby called to the infielders.
Sam nodded and crouched low. She had to guard against the bunt, a steal, a grounder, a pop, or a line drive. She was ready to bolt in any direction.
The batter squared around to bunt before Marlee released the ball.
“Watch the slap, Samantha Rose.” Mae crept closer to the plate leaving first base unguarded.
Sam took a cheat step toward first. The batter put down a bunt which died in the middle of the infield. Sam sprinted to cover first base as both Mae and Keisha ran in from the corners to field the ball. Keisha got to it first.
“One, one, one,” Sam called to Keisha. There was no way they’d get the runner out at second.
Keisha threw sidearm from her crouched position. Sam felt for the bag with her right foot, planted it, and stretched for Keisha’s bullet.
“Out at first,” the umpire yelled.
Sam yanked the ball out of her glove and ran toward the runner on second who had rounded the base with a big lead. She wasn’t going anywhere, though. Susie had snuck in from left field to cover third.
“Time,” the umpire called.
Sam tossed the ball back to Marlee. “We’ve got this, Marlee. Just let ‘em hit it.”
Marlee worked the next batter to a full count, but lost the battle and walked her to put runners on first and second with one out.
“Watch for the double steal,” Lisa called to Keisha on third base. Keisha took a step closer to her base.
Unfortunately, Keisha moving closer to her base had put her out of reach for the grounder smashed to her left.
Sam groaned. Elmhurst had the bases loaded with only one out. All they needed was a long fly ball and they could sacrifice in the first run of the game.
“Play’s at home,” Lisa called.
Sam tried to hide her smile. Lisa was an Amazon warrior at almost five eleven. With all her catcher’s gear on, she looked formidable behind the plate. Sam loved the way Lisa caught Marlee’s pitches in that huge catcher’s mitt, the way she threw the ball back, the way she splayed her big hand across her chest protector and adjusted it. She did it all with smoothness, grace, and what seemed like very little effort.
Sam pounded her glove trying to get herself to focus on the game instead of Lisa’s long curves and strong hands.
The Elmhurst batter quickly got behind in the count with two strikes. She swung late on the next pitch and fouled it off the first base side of the field. Sam took a step closer to first hoping she wouldn’t get burned the way Keisha had gotten burned at third.
Lisa flashed the sign for a fastball. Marlee put her hands together for the 0-2 pitch. She reached both hands up and then shot the pitch toward home. The batter barely got a piece of it and sent a slow roller in between Sam and Mae.
“I got
They bounded down the bleacher steps and ran toward the dugout in time to hear that the starting lineup would be the same for the championship game.
The umpire asked the Nor’Easters to take the field, and Sam sprinted out to her second base position. Luckily Marlee was still pitching well and struck out the first three Elmhurst batters she faced. Unfortunately the Elmhurst pitcher also struck out everyone she faced that first inning, including Sam. Lisa came close to getting on base in the bottom of the second inning, but the Elmhurst left fielder made an amazing over the shoulder catch. By the top of the fourth, neither team had scored.
“C’mon, guys,” Lisa encouraged as she squatted behind the plate to start the fourth inning.
“Yeah, c’mon, Nor’Easters,” Sam shouted from her second base position. “Throw it in there, Marlee.”
The lead-off hitter for Elmhurst swatted Marlee’s first pitch through the five-six gap between third and short. Marlee pounded her glove against her thigh obviously agitated that the batter had gotten a hit. It was, after all, the first hit of the game for either team.
“Let’s get two,” Abby called to the infielders.
Sam nodded and crouched low. She had to guard against the bunt, a steal, a grounder, a pop, or a line drive. She was ready to bolt in any direction.
The batter squared around to bunt before Marlee released the ball.
“Watch the slap, Samantha Rose.” Mae crept closer to the plate leaving first base unguarded.
Sam took a cheat step toward first. The batter put down a bunt which died in the middle of the infield. Sam sprinted to cover first base as both Mae and Keisha ran in from the corners to field the ball. Keisha got to it first.
“One, one, one,” Sam called to Keisha. There was no way they’d get the runner out at second.
Keisha threw sidearm from her crouched position. Sam felt for the bag with her right foot, planted it, and stretched for Keisha’s bullet.
“Out at first,” the umpire yelled.
Sam yanked the ball out of her glove and ran toward the runner on second who had rounded the base with a big lead. She wasn’t going anywhere, though. Susie had snuck in from left field to cover third.
“Time,” the umpire called.
Sam tossed the ball back to Marlee. “We’ve got this, Marlee. Just let ‘em hit it.”
Marlee worked the next batter to a full count, but lost the battle and walked her to put runners on first and second with one out.
“Watch for the double steal,” Lisa called to Keisha on third base. Keisha took a step closer to her base.
Unfortunately, Keisha moving closer to her base had put her out of reach for the grounder smashed to her left.
Sam groaned. Elmhurst had the bases loaded with only one out. All they needed was a long fly ball and they could sacrifice in the first run of the game.
“Play’s at home,” Lisa called.
Sam tried to hide her smile. Lisa was an Amazon warrior at almost five eleven. With all her catcher’s gear on, she looked formidable behind the plate. Sam loved the way Lisa caught Marlee’s pitches in that huge catcher’s mitt, the way she threw the ball back, the way she splayed her big hand across her chest protector and adjusted it. She did it all with smoothness, grace, and what seemed like very little effort.
Sam pounded her glove trying to get herself to focus on the game instead of Lisa’s long curves and strong hands.
The Elmhurst batter quickly got behind in the count with two strikes. She swung late on the next pitch and fouled it off the first base side of the field. Sam took a step closer to first hoping she wouldn’t get burned the way Keisha had gotten burned at third.
Lisa flashed the sign for a fastball. Marlee put her hands together for the 0-2 pitch. She reached both hands up and then shot the pitch toward home. The batter barely got a piece of it and sent a slow roller in between Sam and Mae.
“I got
Similar Books
