excited and ready to begin the game, and the Bashers were nearby, looking tough.
I caught Bart's eye (he was surrounded by his team) and he grinned at me, but I just looked away. How could he smile at me like that?
The game began. The Krushers were up at bat first, and I'd placed Matt Braddock in the number-one spot in the lineup. He may be
deaf, but he is one of our best hitters.
The Bashers pitcher wound up and slammed a ball to Matt.
CRACK!
Matt hit the ball with such force that I thought it would break a window at Stoney-brook Elementary. But it hit the ground first. An outfielder scrambled after it. Meanwhile, Matt was running bases and had lost sight of the ball. He hesitated at third base.
Nicky Pike signed something to him frantically and Matt frowned. He stayed where he was, looking completely confused. A few seconds later, the third baseman was holding the ball triumphantly, and Haley Braddock had her head in her hands.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
"Nicky was signing, 'Swim! Swim!' to Matt. I think he meant to sign, 'Run, run.' Matt could have made a home run, but he didn't know what was going on."
No wonder Matt had looked confused, I thought. Then I said to Haley, "Will you explain things to Matt later? Tell him it wasn't his fault and I'm not mad. I'll talk to Nicky. I think he needs a refresher course in sign language from you, Haley."
Next up at bat was Claire Pike. She is not a good hitter, and I wanted to get her turn
out of the way. as quickly as possible. Claire surprised me, though. I think she surprised herself, too, when her bat connected with the first ball pitched and sailed away from her.
She hesitated for a fraction of a second, then took off for first base.
But — SWOCK! The pitcher caught Claire's ball on the fly.
"One out!" called the referee.
Claire immediately threw a tantrum. "Nofe-air! Nofe-air!"
I let Nicky and Vanessa calm her down and sent Jake Kuhn up to bat. He struck out. Two outs. Matt stood on third base with his hand on his hip, looking disgusted and disappointed. I couldn't blame him.
Jackie Rodowsky was up next. He swung and missed twice before getting a hit. But it was a low grounder, and the pitcher scooped the ball up and tossed it to the catcher, who got it just before Matt slid home. Three outs.
Matt looked like he was ready to kill someone, or maybe a lot of someones. First his chance at a home run had been ruined, then his chance to score.
"Don't worry," I said calmly to my team before they headed, discouraged, to the field. "The score is still zero to zero. Nicky, you're pitching. See if you can keep the game score-
less. The rest of you, just play your best."
Nicky did not, unfortunately, manage to keep the game scoreless. By the end of the first inning, the score was 3-0, in favor of the Bashers.
"Come on, you guys," I said cheerfully to the Krushers as the teams changed places again. "I know you can earn some runs this time. I can feel it. Now get out there and give it your best."
"Okay, Kristy Thomas," said Gabbie Perkins.
(I am always amazed at how the Krushers just keep on going. Sometimes they are disappointed or Claire throws a tantrum, but for the most part, the kids cheer each other on, don't begrudge anybody anything, and are understanding of each other and their shortcomings. Still, they must have been upset at the prospect of losing to the Bashers, after finally beating them, especially with the World Series just around the corner.)
The Krushers dutifully got into the batting order, though,'and Buddy Barrett stepped up to the plate. He was nervous but trying not to show it.
The Basher pitcher wound up and let fly a fastball.
Buddy was prepared. THWACK. The ball
sailed through the air — but it was out of bounds.
And it hit Shannon on the head.
"OW!" she shrieked.
She and Dawn and Mary Anne had seen the ball coming toward them and, in trying to duck, had gotten in each other's way. Shannon hadn't been able to avoid the ball.
"I'm
I caught Bart's eye (he was surrounded by his team) and he grinned at me, but I just looked away. How could he smile at me like that?
The game began. The Krushers were up at bat first, and I'd placed Matt Braddock in the number-one spot in the lineup. He may be
deaf, but he is one of our best hitters.
The Bashers pitcher wound up and slammed a ball to Matt.
CRACK!
Matt hit the ball with such force that I thought it would break a window at Stoney-brook Elementary. But it hit the ground first. An outfielder scrambled after it. Meanwhile, Matt was running bases and had lost sight of the ball. He hesitated at third base.
Nicky Pike signed something to him frantically and Matt frowned. He stayed where he was, looking completely confused. A few seconds later, the third baseman was holding the ball triumphantly, and Haley Braddock had her head in her hands.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
"Nicky was signing, 'Swim! Swim!' to Matt. I think he meant to sign, 'Run, run.' Matt could have made a home run, but he didn't know what was going on."
No wonder Matt had looked confused, I thought. Then I said to Haley, "Will you explain things to Matt later? Tell him it wasn't his fault and I'm not mad. I'll talk to Nicky. I think he needs a refresher course in sign language from you, Haley."
Next up at bat was Claire Pike. She is not a good hitter, and I wanted to get her turn
out of the way. as quickly as possible. Claire surprised me, though. I think she surprised herself, too, when her bat connected with the first ball pitched and sailed away from her.
She hesitated for a fraction of a second, then took off for first base.
But — SWOCK! The pitcher caught Claire's ball on the fly.
"One out!" called the referee.
Claire immediately threw a tantrum. "Nofe-air! Nofe-air!"
I let Nicky and Vanessa calm her down and sent Jake Kuhn up to bat. He struck out. Two outs. Matt stood on third base with his hand on his hip, looking disgusted and disappointed. I couldn't blame him.
Jackie Rodowsky was up next. He swung and missed twice before getting a hit. But it was a low grounder, and the pitcher scooped the ball up and tossed it to the catcher, who got it just before Matt slid home. Three outs.
Matt looked like he was ready to kill someone, or maybe a lot of someones. First his chance at a home run had been ruined, then his chance to score.
"Don't worry," I said calmly to my team before they headed, discouraged, to the field. "The score is still zero to zero. Nicky, you're pitching. See if you can keep the game score-
less. The rest of you, just play your best."
Nicky did not, unfortunately, manage to keep the game scoreless. By the end of the first inning, the score was 3-0, in favor of the Bashers.
"Come on, you guys," I said cheerfully to the Krushers as the teams changed places again. "I know you can earn some runs this time. I can feel it. Now get out there and give it your best."
"Okay, Kristy Thomas," said Gabbie Perkins.
(I am always amazed at how the Krushers just keep on going. Sometimes they are disappointed or Claire throws a tantrum, but for the most part, the kids cheer each other on, don't begrudge anybody anything, and are understanding of each other and their shortcomings. Still, they must have been upset at the prospect of losing to the Bashers, after finally beating them, especially with the World Series just around the corner.)
The Krushers dutifully got into the batting order, though,'and Buddy Barrett stepped up to the plate. He was nervous but trying not to show it.
The Basher pitcher wound up and let fly a fastball.
Buddy was prepared. THWACK. The ball
sailed through the air — but it was out of bounds.
And it hit Shannon on the head.
"OW!" she shrieked.
She and Dawn and Mary Anne had seen the ball coming toward them and, in trying to duck, had gotten in each other's way. Shannon hadn't been able to avoid the ball.
"I'm
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