Chapter 8: Sacrifice Fly

https://www.capegazette.com/node/46098

“All right Joco, lay it down like in our little line-up!” whispers Coach Q, leaning close with both hands on her shoulders after she calls time-out to confirm his bunt signal. “They’ll never expect our number three hitter to bunt the winning run home.”

She just scowls and marches back up to the plate, her chestnut eyes glaring at the Guilford College pitcher about to deliver the pitch that will decide the ODAC championship.

__________

Q had been in a good mood on the ride home after another come-from-behind win at Sweet Briar College.

“That’s ten in a row, ladies,” he proclaimed as the bus pulled into a 7-11 at the edge of Charlottesville. “Box lunches and a beer for the bus!”

As we climbed back in bus twenty minutes later, cr-r-ruck, cr-r-ruck echoed down from a big black bird flying high overhead.

“No Bud’s for you?” Ronki asked, popping open one and plopping down onto the bench seat next to Shawna, who was leaning against the window with an ice-pack on her left shoulder.

“This isn’t a beer belly I’m nursing,” Shawna whispered, her deep blue eyes glistening and angular face breaking into a twisted frown as she fought the tears.

“No shit, Shawna?” Ronki wondered, her golden eyebrows raised before recovering. “Here, take my box if you’re eating for two.”

“I do get the munchies something fierce this time of day,” Shawna volunteered, “but I don’t want your whole supper. Maybe just the chips and pickle?”

“They’re yours!” Ronki replied handing them over. “Is there anything else I can do?”

“How about telling Coach Q?”

“Fuck Q!” she hissed, and then added “I’ll tell him at practice on Monday.”

“That, my friend, should be our rallying cry, but can you wait to tell him until after the Guilford game?”

“No problemo, Ace. So how, you know, how did it happen?”

“Oysters,” Shawna said, shaking her blond locks back and forth and breaking into a sly smile.

“Hush, here he comes!” Ronki warned.

Q had polished off a couple cans before wandering down the aisle and stopping next to Jo, who was studying for Dr. Hiss’s physics exam under the weak window light.

“Jo babe, that’s no way to celebrate,” he chided.

“What would you suggest?” she immediately regretted replying.

“Well since you asked,” he smiled, sliding in next to her and slipping a long arm around her shoulder.

She tried to squirm away but was lodged between him and the window.

“Stop right there!” sang Ronki from the next seat back.

“I wanna know right now,” added Shawna.

“Before we go any further do you love me?” sang the rest of the players. “Will you love me forever?”

“Do ya need me?” Jo joined in with a grin.

     “Will you never leave me?

Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?

Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?

I wanna know right now

before we go any further

do you love me

and will you love me forever?”

Coach Q did not reply “let me sleep on it” as Meatloaf would have. He just turned white and slunk back up to the seat behind the driver, disappearing behind its tall back.

__________

The game is tied at two runs apiece in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Ronki on third base, one out, and the pitch count two balls and one strike on Jo. The heart of the Guilford order is due up in the top of the eighth, so we need a run now with Shawna tiring and our relief pitcher MG just out of her cast.

Jo crouches, eyes the windup, and picks up the spinning ball leaving the pitcher’s hand. Ignoring Q’s signal to bunt, she steps into a high fastball on the outside corner and strokes a lofty fly ball to right field. Ronki jumps back to third, waiting until the ball touches the fielder’s glove before leaping off the base. The Quaker right fielder makes the catch running toward home. Her throw is hard and straight, hopping near the mound. The ball skips into the catcher’s mitt as Ronki charges down the third base line. At full steam, she steps over the leg blocking the plate as the catcher sweeps the tag around.

“Safe!” signals the umpire as Ronki leaps into Cat’s arms in the on-deck circle.

The rest of the team charges over from the bench and circles around.

“Are you coming, Coach?” offers Jo as she joins the celebration.

“You girls won’t win states if you don’t listen,” he complains as the umpires hustle away and the fans start shuffling out.

The players mill around home plate looking at their feet as Q walks off the field and the Guilford players pack up their gear.

“Give me a Q,” Ronki says quietly.

“Q,” Shawna answers with that sly smile.

“Give me a Q!” Ronki repeats a little louder.

“Q,” joins in Jo, reaching her hand into the middle of the pack.

“Give me another Q!” Ronki says a little louder still, placing her hand on top of Jo’s.

“Q,” join in Toni and Cat, adding their hands to the stack.

“Give me another Q!” Ronki shouts as the coach looks over his shoulder before entering the locker room.

“Q,” cheer all the Yellow Jacket softballers, forming a wheel with their arms.

“What’s that spell?” Ronki yells with a grin.

“Four Q!”

“What’s that spell?”

“Four Q!”

“What’s that spell?”

“Four Q!” they all yell.

“A-men,” whispers Jo.




Box Score: