Chapter 3: Momentum




Coach Arnie Martin 




     "Watch his move, Bates," booms diminutive manager Arnie Martin from the third base coaching box after I tap a drag bunt to start our second game of the season.

"He does it in reverse," expounds first base player-coach Tom Moriau as I take my lead, planning to draw a throw or two from the Immaculata pitcher before stealing second base. "Back!"

"Where did that come from?" I groan trudging to the dugout after being picked-off for the first time since sophomore year.



     This was an inauspicious start to our first road game of the season against a top ranked team in Somerset County. Immaculata was a regional school that siphoned players from surrounding Catholic dioceses include the twin boroughs of Bound Brook and South Bound Brook. The players exuded a confidence that we Brookers interpreted as the arrogance of the privileged. We hated them.

     As the lead-off hitter, I made a point of getting on base to start a game. I'd stroke a first pitch anywhere near the plate for a lined-drive hit, lay off any subsequent bad pitches, and sneak in a bunt whenever it was unexpected. Then I'd steal a bag or two for our bigger bats to knock me home. I was followed in the lineup by junior right fielder Robert Corsini, a natural right-hander who had made himself into a lefty hitter in emulation of his big brother. Matt and I had played with Arty Corsini when he was a senior left fielder and we were sophomores, and our respect for an elder was transferred to his look-alike little brother.

 


     "Time out!" clamors Coach Martin walking toward Rob at home plate where he'd just watched a good pitch and whiffed at a bad one for a pitcher's count of no balls and two strikes. "Time to protect the plate."

"No problem," Rob nods with his characteristic confidence as he steps back into the batter's box and proceeds to foul off four successive pitches.

"Stroke it, Ro-ber," whoops burly left fielder Glen Gulyas from the on-deck circle when the count reaches three balls and two strikes.

Thwack resounds into our dugout with a rope past the first basemen and down the right field line. We surge up and scream as Rob cruises into second for a stand-up double to begin the rally. 



Final Score: Bound Brook (1-1) 11 - Immaculata (6-1) 6




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