3 Tryouts

Three tryouts ON THE DAY OF THE TRYOUTS, Harris, Roxy, and Zeke arrived at the field, gloves in hand. "Harris wants to play catcher and I want to play shortstop," Roxy said. "Have you decided on a position, Zeke?"

"Since we first played, I've been watching a lot of baseball on TV," Zeke said. "I would like to be a pitcher." "Great!" said Harris. "I hope we all make the team." Roxy trotted out to short. Zeke stood out on the pitcher's mound. And Harris crouched behind home plate, ready to catch Zeke's pitches.

The first batter stepped into the batter's box. She raised the bat above her shoulders and stared out at Zeke. Behind the plate, Harris held up his glove. Zeke threw his first pitch. It sailed over the batter's head and crashed into the wooden backstop. "Just focus on my glove, Zeke," Harris shouted.

Zeke's next pitch bounced in the dirt in front of home plate. Harris slid to his right and made a great play to grab the ball before it went past him. Harris looked out and saw the frustration on Zeke's face. "It's okay, you'll get the next one over, Zeke," he shouted, pounding his mitt a few times with his fist.

Zeke stared at Harris, then threw his next pitch—a big curveball that started way outside, then swept in a huge arc back over the plate. Everyone gasped. It was a perfect pitch! Zeke's pitch after that did the same thing, but curved in the opposite direction this time. Then he threw a speeding bullet of a fastball that was also a perfect strike.

Harris sighed beneath his catcher's mask. He's using his powers again, he thought. He has to be. The next batter hit a ground ball to shortstop. Roxy scooped up the ball and made a perfect throw to first base to get the runner out. Now at bat, Harris smacked a solid hit to left field. Roxy hit a screamer to right field.