Extra Innings Read Online Free PDF

play! Ronde felt like sinking into the ground, but instead, he fought back the urge, and grabbed his glove to head back onto the field. For a brief second, he and Tiki made eye contact, but each was too embarrassed to say a word to the other. They were stinking up the joint big-time, and they both knew it.
    Come on! Ronde urged himself. Get over it. It’s not like we’re losing—we’re still all tied up. We could still win this thing!
    That was true—the game was tied, and it stayed that way till the bottom of the sixth. Then, as if in a bad dream, Ronde stood helpless in center field as the Rockets scored twice on a walk, followed by a big home run off Ian Lloyd, who had switched positions with John Benson after four innings and was pitching for the first time this year.
    Ronde felt like he’d been dealt a crushing blow when that home run sailed over the fence, and he could see the rest of the team sag as well. Now it was 4–2, Rockets, and the Eagles were running out of at bats. The seventh inning was coming up, and in Junior Highbaseball, seven innings was all you got.
    Ronde shook his head and set his jaw. Hey, this game isn’t over, he told himself, not by a long shot. We can still win it!
    Michael Mason led off with a long fly to left that was caught on the warning track. Again every Eagle player felt his hopes deflate like a balloon. Cesar Ramirez tapped back to the mound, and the Eagles were down to their final out.
    But they weren’t done yet. Tyquan Brown doubled down the right field line, and John Benson singled him in with his second hit of the day, to narrow the score to 4–3.
    Now, amazingly, it all came down to Ronde.
    He felt unsteady on his legs as he went to the plate. Staring at the ground, he tried to focus and pull himself together. So far today he’d swung at three pitches and whiffed on all three. If he struck out again now, he felt like he’d never live it down.
    â€œBall!” Ronde blew out a breath of air. That pitch had sure looked like a strike to him. He’d meant to swing at it but hadn’t been able to pull the trigger in time, so he’d just let it go.
    â€œBall two!” cried the ump after a fastball whizzed over Ronde’s head.
    Ronde took a strike, then swung at another and missed. The count was 2–2, and now he and the Eagles were down to their final strike.
    The next pitch was in the dirt, and John Benson took off for second. He had the base stolen before the catcher even threw the ball.
    â€œYeah!” Ronde shouted. “Yeah, baby!” He got back into the box, more determined than ever to deliver the tying run.
    The ball was way outside. Ronde started to swing but somehow managed to pull his wrists back and let it go for ball four. “Yesss!” he said under his breath, grateful that he hadn’t followed through.
    Now the Eagles had the winning runs on first and second. Ronde watched as Lenny Klein came to the plate and looked to the third base coach to deliver the sign.
    Ronde saw it. The coach touched the bill of his cap, then his right ear. That meant, Take a pitch. Don’t swing. Then the coach turned to John and Ronde and touched his nose, then his left shoulder.
    Steal! This time Ronde would be running on Coach’s orders, and he made up his mind that no one was going to pick him off again, now or ever!
    As soon as the pitcher went into his motion, Ronde was off and running. He saw John ahead of him headed for third. Ronde slid, his hands flying up to protect his head from the throw.
    â€œSafe!” cried the second base umpire.
    â€œSafe!” said the ump at third.
    Ronde sprang up quickly. Looking toward third base,he saw to his surprise that John Benson was about to head for home!
    Ronde realized that the ball must have gotten away from the fielders, who were running after it frantically. Ronde took off immediately for third, and got there easily—only to find John Benson