Curveball by Rich Wallace

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    EddieV: but i made fun of myself last week. that should’ve fooled em.
    HudCityCal: yeah. but those first 2 articles were all bout u
    EddieV: so what do I do now?
    HudCityCal: play it str8 4 one more article.
    EddieV: you sure?
    HudCityCal: yeah. I still need yur help. 1 more time.
    EddieV: ok. but im keeping it short. cya later
    Â 
    â€œAnother article for the paper?” Mrs. Ventura said as she poked her head into the family room.
    â€œYeah. Kind of a wrap-up on last week and a preview of this one.”
    â€œThe boys must be happy with the great pieces you’ve been writing.”
    Eddie swiveled in his chair to face his mom. “Well, they aren’t supposed to know it’s me. But some of them have figured it out, I think.”
    â€œI think you’ve done a wonderful job.”
    Eddie was surprised. “You read them?”
    â€œSure. They send copies over to our school so the teachers can see what their former students are up to. I had a lot of those kids in my class, remember? Spencer, Ramiro, Lamont.”
    â€œYeah. How were they?”
    Mom made a flapping motion with her fingers, indicating a mouth. “Boy, were they chatterboxes.” She shook her head and smiled. “Nice kids, but Spencer especially—I sent him to the principal’s office once a week at least.”
    â€œHe doesn’t shut up much now, either.”
    â€œHe’s got a good heart. Great energy. I never wanted to thwart that, but some days he was too disruptive.”
    â€œHe’s a motor-mouth.”
    â€œUnlike someone we know.” She put her hand on top of Eddie’s head, then leaned over and kissed the back of his neck. “I’ll leave you alone so you can work.”
    â€œThanks, Mom. See you later.”
    Hudson City grabbed the fourth and final spot in the East Hudson League baseball playoffs with Friday’s win over Weehawken. The Hornets will travel to Jersey City for a rematch with top-seeded Liberty in Thursday’s opening round of the tournament.
    Coach Wimmer sent David Choi out to pitch against Weehawken, and the righty responded with another outstanding performance. Plus, the Hornets’ best hitters had big games, with Spencer Lewis and Miguel Rivera getting two extra-base hits apiece in the 6–1 victory.
    Two days earlier, Liberty had edged Hudson City, 3–2, in a tense pitchers’ duel. That loss had made the game with Weehawken a must-win situation for the Hornets.
    â€œIt was an all-or-nothing game for us,” Coach Wimmer said after Friday’s victory. “We win and we’re in the playoffs; we lose and it’s over. This is a tough league. There’s not much margin for error.”
    Union City and Memorial also qualified for the league playoffs and will meet on Thursday. The two winners will decide the champion on Friday.

10
No Fear
    â€œW e beat them once, then they beat us,” Spencer said, standing at the front of the bus before leading his teammates off. “I don’t think there’s any question about whose turn it is to win. Ours!”
    â€œYou heard him,” Coach Wimmer added. “Assistant Coach Spencer says it’s a done deal. I don’t know why we’re even bothering to play. They should probably just hand us the trophy.”
    â€œJust to prove it,” Spencer said, “let’s get out there.”
    The atmosphere was different than it had been last time the Hornets visited Jersey City just eight days before—totally charged with excitement. The Liberty bleachers were full this time, and a huge banner on the side of their dugout said LIBERTY IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR . The grass had been freshly mowed, and small flags were everywhere.
    The two pitchers Hudson City had faced in earlier games were on the infield grass, tossing a ball back and forth. There were a few playful boos from the bleachers as the Hornets approached the field. They threw their sweatshirts