Shane sat next to me on the bleachers rubbing his hands up and down on his jeans. He said, “Mr. Vaughan, I’m so nervous for the team. I wish it didn’t come down to the very last game of the season.”

I put an arm around Shane’s shoulders as we sat on the bleachers and said, “There’s no need to be nervous. They’re going to win. I know they will. They’ve got this one in the bag.” I leaned forward to look toward Joey on the opposite side of Shane. I asked, “What do you think about the game, Joey?”

He said, “If they don’t make any big mistakes, I think the Soft Serves are the better team. They are up against the next best team, so there’s not much room for error.”

I grinned. “Wow, Joey, I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard you say at a game, and I completely agree.” He smiled back at me while Shane continued to rub at his jeans. I said, “I hope the two of you aren’t this nervous when Blake takes you to the conference championship.”

Shane said, “I’ll just be a mess then.”

The Soft Serves were playing as the visiting team, and Ian stepped up to the plate to lead off. Just as he crouched to ready himself for the first pitch, I heard a familiar voice to my side say, “Hey, Jordan, can I join you?”

I turned my head to see Becca standing at the edge of the bleachers. I said, “Absolutely. The Soft Serves need the biggest cheering section they can get.” I stepped down two rows and then held out my hand to help her up onto the bleachers.

Becca sat on the opposite side of me from Shane. I said, “I don’t think I’ve seen you at a game yet.”

She shook her head and said, “This is my first one this season. I work almost every weekend at the shelter, but I took this one off. When Billy said it was the championship game, I decided that I should be here. He didn’t know I was coming though.”

I said, “If at least one batter gets on base, Billy will be up to bat this inning. He bats cleanup in the order.”

She said, “I’m not exactly sure what that means.”

I said, “Well, I’ve learned a whole lot this season.” Then I said, “Oh, you need to meet these guys, Becca.” I introduced both Shane and Joey. I told them, “This is Billy Alvey’s girlfriend.”

Shane said, “Oh, wow, he’s such a good player. The team would go nowhere without him.”

Then I added, “These two guys play baseball at the high school where I teach. Blake will be one of their coaches starting next season.”

Becca said, “Oh, Blake is such a nice man. You will love him.”

I said, “I think they already do.”

Ian hit the third pitch in the hole between first and second base. He made it safely to the base with an easy single. “Does that mean Billy will get to bat?” asked Becca.

I said, “Yes, and I was going to explain the theory of the cleanup hitter. Billy is fourth in the order. The theory behind that is that if any of the first three guys get on base, then Billy is the most likely to hit a home run or an extra base hit to score a lot of runs. In reality, it doesn’t always work that way, but he comes to bat right after Blake, and together they make a powerful one-two punch.”

We all cheered for each batter, and when Billy stepped on deck he looked over in our direction. I watched his mouth drop open when he saw Becca sitting by me. I whispered to her, “He knows you’re here.”

Becca blew a kiss to him, and Billy tossed his hair back with a big smile on his face. When it was Billy’s turn to step up to the plate, Ian was on third base and Blake stood on second. There was only one out. I smiled when Becca raised her voice and cheered loudly for Billy. Shane added his favorite, “Murder the ball!” cheer.

Billy let the first two balls go by, and the umpire called them both balls. I thought that It was possible the opposing team had some fear of his reputation. I was worried they might walk him to take the chances of facing the next man in the batting order, but we all wanted to see Billy swing the bat.

I watched the third pitch make its big loping arc on the way to home plate. It looked a little bit outside, but Billy compensated by stepping slightly forward with his foot, and the tell-tale plink of the aluminum bat sounded when the bat hit the ball. Billy lofted the ball into left field. It didn’t clear the fence, but it fell to the ground behind the left fielder. Ian and Blake scored easily, and Billy slid into third base just ahead of the throw. We all stood and cheered wildly as the Soft Serves took the lead 2-0.

The lead stayed at two runs throughout the game. Every time the Soft Serves scored more runs, the opposing team came back to within two. When Ian strode to the pitcher’s mound for the bottom of the seventh inning, he was holding onto an 8-6 lead.

I don’t think I saw the players as focused in the field yet as they were in the final game of the season with a repeat as league champions hanging in the balance. I cast my eyes toward Marshall in left field, and he was crouched down with his glove on his thigh staring intently at home plate. Antonio bounced side to side near second base, and Blake was the picture of concentration at third base slowly pounding his fist into his glove.

The first out came quickly and easily. The batter swung at Ian’s first pitch, and he popped the ball up high in the air. Ian looked straight up and then held his arms out to the side calling everyone else off. He shouted, “It’s mine!” and we applauded when the ball fell neatly into the webbing of his glove.

I saw Ian clench his jaw when he threw the third pitch to the next batter. Something went wrong with his delivery, and the Soft Serves paid for it. The hit was a line drive into right field, and the batter found himself on base with a stand-up double.

The next batter hit a slow rolling ball toward second base just out of Ian’s reach as it cleared the pitcher’s mound. Antonio threw his hands in the air and tried to charge for the ball, but his throw to first was too late. Runners stood at first and third with one out and the third and fourth players in the opposing team’s batting order were due to come to the plate.

Ian called the infielders to the mound. Shane said, “I always wish there was some kind of microphone out there when they do that. Are they really talking about the game? Or is Billy asking who’s buying drinks when they win?”

Becca laughed and said, “I don’t know. Sometimes he can be a little cheap.”

The little conference broke up, and it looked like it was successful when the next batter swung at the first pitch and hit a line drive right to Billy. He caught it easily for the second out. We stood up and cheered and then slowly sat down to wait for the next batter.

I reached my right hand over to Shane’s leg and my left hand to Becca’s I turned to ask her, “You don’t mind if I touch you, do you? I’m a nervous wreck inside.”

She grinned and rubbed my shoulder saying, “It’s no problem at all. I’m probably as nervous as you.”

Reggie jogged to the pitcher’s mound in his full catcher’s gear to speak briefly with Ian. I watched them both nod like they were in full agreement before Reggie made his way back to home plate.

The first pitch from Ian was even slower than normal, and the batter couldn’t wait. He swung at it and missed it entirely. I breathed a sigh of relief, but I was thinking what Joey vocalized. He said, “If he hits it, that swing will send the ball over the fence.”

Shane slapped Joey’s leg and said, “Ssshhh.”

The second pitch was far outside, and Reggie barely stopped it. The umpire called it a ball. As Ian wound up for the third pitch, I held on tight to both Shane and Becca. I watched the batter swing and his bat connected solidly with the ball. It took flight toward left field, but the ball flew high enough to give the fielders some time to position themselves.

Marshall ran forward while Blake started backing up. Both were staring up into the sky, and I wasn’t sure that they were aware of each other. Becca pulled her hands up to her face and said, “They’re going to run into each other.”

I thought Marshall was better positioned for the catch, but Blake was the more talented fielder. Just as it looked like they would collide, Blake ducked and rolled on the field to the side. He just cleared Marshall’s legs as the ball settled into Marshall’s glove.

I asked, “He’s got it?”

Joey shouted, “He’s got it!”

Marshall thrust his glove into the air with the neon-green softball caught in the webbing. That was just seconds before his teammates mobbed him and tackled him to the ground.

Becca screamed with joy and reached out to hug me. Shane and Joey hugged each other, and minor pandemonium reigned on the city softball field.