Bases Loaded Jam (Bases Loaded Jam Series #1)

Ch. 56: Perfect (Jordan)

I waited for my team to get done with their hitting so that I could finish the game. I was three outs away from perfection and I was getting nervous. Even though I had many strong innings in my career, I had never pitched a no-hitter or a perfect game. In baseball, you have to retire 27 straight batters in nine innings. I only had the fortune of playing softball for seven innings a game and 21 straight batters was all I needed. I was now at 18.

The sixth inning ended and I went back out to pitch. The crowd cheered for me. It was rare to have a sellout crowd like this one during the regular season. But because of me and potential for history, they filled the stadium that Friday night. I looked into the crowd and saw Huey and Pam right behind home plate. It was difficult seeing him with Pam, but I was glad I got his support. Jimmy, Wade, and Wilma were also in the crowd. Peter had also joined them as his band was off from the tour. With all the support, I felt for sure this was my day.

"Let's go Jordy," Stacia said.

I shook my head with a smile when Stacia said that. I always didn't like being called Jordy. But I let it slide because she was giving me support. After my warmup tosses, it was time to face the top of the order.

The first batter was a pinch hitter. She was a slugger according to the scouting reports. So I had to be careful. I usually throw a fastball for my first pitch to hitters. But, this time, I started with a slider. She didn't swing, but it was enough for a strike one. Another slider went for strike two before I went with a changeup on pitch three. That batter tried to stop her swing but was unable to. She went into her at-bat looking for a fastball and came up empty with two sliders and a change up.

The next hitter went down in three pitches also. In this order, fastball, slider, and curveball were needed to get her to groundout to short. Now, I was one out away from perfection.

Everyone was on their feet as I took the signs from my new catcher Shirley Graff. She was only a freshman and didn't have the ability like Barbara Maxwell, but we bonded well to where I trusted her on the pitch selection.

We went with a fastball to start on the third hitter. This hitter was not a great fastball hitter. So I threw it and it was way inside. But somehow, it found the strike zone according to the umpire.

Then came a moment I never thought would happen. Iowa State's head coach starting arguing about the pitch location saying the umpire wasn't being fair to his team. I didn't think that was the case because the umpire had been calling the location of pitches both ways.

Now that I think about it, he wanted to throw me off my game by distracting me with his arguing. Needless to say, the arguing got a little heated to the point where the umpire gave a warning to both teams. Our coach then went over to chat with the umpire. The conversation wasn't heated, but our coach couldn't believe Texas got a warning as well when we did nothing.

All the while, I went back to the circle and got ready for another pitch. The slider was just as effective even though it broke low and the hitter swung and miss. One strike away was I from history.

I looked at Shirley Graff for a sign. She gave me nothing. I think it was obvious I was bringing a fastball. Then, out of nowhere, I had another flashback. It was the same flashback I had a year ago. There I was at eleven throwing the fastball to Huey and he hit it for the homer. Why now I thought.

So I quickly drew a circle with my finger to Shirley asking for another sign. We decided on another slider. I agreed and then delivered the pitch.

PING!

Oh no! The batter got contact. I looked up and I couldn't see the ball. Where did it go? I looked to the outfielders and they're pointing up to the sky. I look up again and the ball is still not there. I panic and blackout. The whole world was starting to crumble around me. I have more flashbacks.