Home Runs

Story Info
Ethan finds himself hitting home runs on and off the field.
7k words
4.49
23.9k
23
Share this Story

Font Size

Default Font Size

Font Spacing

Default Font Spacing

Font Face

Default Font Face

Reading Theme

Default Theme (White)
You need to Log In or Sign Up to have your customization saved in your Literotica profile.
PUBLIC BETA

Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.

You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.

Click here

Ethan finds himself hitting home runs on and off the field

There were two months left until graduation and that was still too much time. Senior year of high school was a reality check for me. I had made the varsity baseball team my freshman year, but I never grew to meet my coaches, or my own, expectations. I would see senior after senior be recruited by big colleges and given scholarships. Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Auburn, even Stanford. Given my early head start I assumed this would be me.

But it never happened. My batting average barely increased and neither did my work with the glove. And last year I had reoccurring injuries with my ankle. Every other week, it felt like, it was sprained again. It hurt my swing so much that I was a relegated to being a backup. If anything, I made negative progress between freshman and senior year.

It was tough because baseball was always the one thing I had to rely on. I wasn't great in classes, even when I forced myself to focus. I was tall, with a big frame and big shoulder muscles. Perhaps that's why my coaches were so optimistic.

Despite my stature I couldn't handle myself around girls and had never had a girlfriend. There was one girl, Rita, that I had worked up the courage to ask to Junior Prom. I had been crushing on her for the longest time. My friends kept telling me I had to ask her. I was close with her, but I told my friends she was out of my league. Blonde, huge breasts that she showed off with tank tops, and a tight waist. I remember pulling her aside, and chatting her up for a few minutes before dropping the question.

"I was thinking about the prom coming up and was wondering if you would want to go with me?"

Even as clumsy as that wording sounds on paper, I can assure you it was worse in person.

As soon as I asked, her eyes lit up in surprise. Not the type of 'I'm so happy and I can't believe this is happening surprise' but more the 'What the hell do you think you're doing asking me?' face.

"Umm, I already have a date. Kevin and I are going together."

Senior year became extra stressful because my parents were not rich and I knew if I wanted to pay for college I was going to have to handle the bill myself. When winter of Senior year rolled around I started working at a local diner on the weekends as a busboy. Chances are I would only be accepted into a community college, or maybe a second-tier state school if I was lucky, and with debt still on my car I needed some cash to prepare myself.

It was a Friday afternoon and a game against our rival, Central High School. When I came into the locker room after school I strolled by the lineup sheet. I looked it over, trying to be as casual as possible. I was not starting. Again. I figured this would be the case today, though every once in a while Coach Walsh would change things up if he thought someone was busting ass in practice and deserved another shot.

That day in the dugout I sat in the corner keeping to myself mostly, eating sunflower seeds and drinking water. The rest of the team was much more animated, throwing insults at each other and coming up with crazy handshakes to do out on the field whenever someone scored. That was me last year. By now, I was jaded with my own success and our team's record was worse as well. If we didn't win almost all of our last six games of the season there was little chance we would even make the playoffs.

"Ethan. Ethan! You hear me?" I heard my coach yelling at me just a few feet from my face. I had zoned out. "Get with it Ethan, I'm putting you into pinch-hit. Sam's got a hurt pinky."

I grabbed my helmet and bat and rushed out of the dugout onto the field. We were down by two runs in the bottom of the seventh with one out. In high school, the seventh inning is the last inning so this was our last chance to tie the game or take the lead. The pitcher threw a fastball, wildly, and my teammate walked and forced the runner on first to second.

Thirty seconds ago I was paying so little attention I did not even know it was the last inning or we were losing. Now, I was at the plate with a chance to win the game for us. Of course, given my recent slump, I was more likely to ground into a double-play ending the game, and perhaps the season, for us.

The pitcher was a lefty which makes the ball harder to track if you're a righty like myself. He lifted his knee and threw the ball down the middle of the plate.

SMACK

The second I felt my bat hit the ball I knew it. The ball shot up, towards right field and their fielder started backpedaling rapidly. But it would not matter how far he backpedaled, that ball was going to leave the park. It was my first home run in almost a year.

I started running the bases as fast as possible and I saw out of the corner of my eye my teammates leaving the dugout. As I rounded home, not only were my teammates and coach there, but fifty or so people in the crowd started flooding the field as well. There was no security at these sparsely attended games so celebrations like this could happen whenever, but this was as excited as I had ever seen a mob at home plate. I slowed down as I was just teen feet away and made exaggerated steps until I landed with both feet at once at home.

I felt a hand reach out and slap my shoulders and helmet before I was lifted up in a mosh-pit. This was my first time being lifted by a group of teammates, and by their expertise it was the first time lifting someone else as well. I lost control, and felt the hands below push with different strengths and soon I was rolling on a sea of hands. I tumbled and then...

CRACK

I fell through the crowd landing on my right ankle. It had been sprained much of last year and I knew the second it touched the ground it was sprained again. I winced in pain. The crowd parted and I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Ethan, how is it the ankle?" Coach Walsh asked.

"Yeah. Fuck. It's sprained again," I said. I put my hands down trying to raise myself to my own feet. I wanted to hobble off the field as fast as possible while I was still a bit of a hero and not a cripple.

"Hold up Ethan. You, help him balance," Coach said pointing to the closest girl near me who had watched me fall. I pushed off the ground as Coach pulled me up and I steadied myself on her shoulder. With them guiding me, I bounced on my one good foot towards the dugout making my way to the bench to a series of cheers from everyone on the field.

"Let's get you bandaged up. Thanks for the hand," Coach said.

"Oh no problem," the girl said. She was petite. It was comical that of all the people at the field, including my fellow players, Coach had ended up asking the smallest girl to help support me. She had very light brown hair that went down to her shoulders and hazel eyes. She must have been 5'3 at the tallest. She was wearing a tight shirt that although showed no skin, displayed her perky breasts well. She was probably a B or maybe even a C, which looked huge on her small body. Her skirt went down to just above her knees, showing off her smooth legs. "Great hit out there Ethan! That was awesome."

She knew my name. How did she know my name? Maybe she just looked at the scorecard or heard it in the celebration.

"Thanks... I don't know if we've met," I stuck out my hand, but grimaced as I felt the pain shoot through me again. Coach Walsh had begun looking at my ankle by rolling up my baseball pants. Even the slight touch hurt.

"I'm Lily. I'll leave you to get your ankle fixed up," she said as she turned around. As she headed out I watched her butt bounce on every step up the dugout stairs.

After a half hour of wrapping up my ankle, my coach congratulated me again on the walk-off hit and let me go. I could still drive, and the pain had gone down. It hurt if I made any sudden movements with it but otherwise was fine.

The sprained ankle meant that my season may be over, and that the last few weeks of high school would be painful for another reason. But the walk-off hit was not a bad note to end on, and by the way Lily looked at me after, I had a feeling thinks would be looking up soon.

***

The next day at school I walked in, with my new slight limp, and immediately greeted to some pats on the back. "Can't believe I missed your hit," said a kid in my biology class I never talked to and "Great game" said one of my old English teachers as he walked by. It's not like I was the new big man on campus. The majority of people probably had no idea there even was a baseball game yesterday. However, Central were our rivals and word travelled fast among those who took at least some pride in the school.

"Hey, how's the ankle?"

The voice made me turn around and smile instantly. It was Lily's. Today she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

"Oh it's a bit sore, but nothing ice and maybe some Tylenol later can't fix," I said.

"Do you need a hand with your books? Where are you going?" she asked.

I didn't need a hand with my books and I was just going to my first period World History class that was down the hallway. She asked with such an eager smile that I didn't want to say no. Besides, this was my chance to walk with her. I handed her the two books from my hand and we started walking down towards class.

I got a sense of her quickly. She was in all advanced placement classes, which explained why our paths didn't cross. She was going to the University of Michigan after graduating and planned to study Pre-Law. If she hadn't been such a nerd she could probably be one of the more popular girls in the school, I thought. At the least she was one of the cutest.

"That was my first baseball game I've been to and it was so fun. Usually I'm at home with my nose in the books but I finally have time now that college acceptances are in," she said.

"Well you picked a good game to go to. But in case you were wondering, I've hit a walk-off home-run at every single game you missed. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," I joked.

"Ha I'm sure!" she said as we stopped outside my classroom, "Anyways, I'll go to your next game. I can't wait to see you at the plate again."

With my ankle I saw little chance of me playing again soon, but I didn't want to let on any weakness.

"Just sit in left-field. I'll aim for you," I said.

***

When I walked in the locker room right before our next game I made my way to the lineup. I was starting at second base and batting sixth.

"You deserve to stay in after that," Coach Walsh walked by and saw me staring at the sheet, "You're ready to go?"

"Yeah. I'll be ready."

That was a lie. Or at the least, I didn't know if it was the truth. My ankle was feeling better but I hadn't been able to put all my weight on it. When you swing the bat there is a moment when all the weight is shifted on your back ankle. I had assumed I'd be sitting out today, but a part of me was thinking of Lily.

There is something cruel about the way the mind works when there is someone you are attracted to. When that point comes, all your decisions become based on this person. As I was walking around in the halls of school that day I tried to do so with the posture and grace that I thought Lily would find attractive if she ever walked by. She never did, unfortunately. When I was at lunch I avoided the desserts I would usually take in favor of more vegetables, just so I could come off as a polished person if she happened to join. She did not, there's no way she has lunch at the same time as me. I had done a few laps of the cafeteria, pretending to get more napkins, just to see if she was hidden away at a back table.

So when coach had me in I looked at the unexpected news in reference to how Lily might view. I knew she would be at the game. I was looking forward to the game for that reason more than anything else. Playing with a poor ankle could be bad, I could swing, strike out, and trip to look like a fool. But I was feeling adventurous and bold. There was a chance it would be a huge success. Even if I just got a single or something to start the game, I'd be a hobbled hero, and catch her admiration again. It was a lot cooler than being a benchwarmer.

At my first at-bat I looked out at the crowd. I saw her in the bleachers. It made me smile. I couldn't see what she was wearing, other than it was black, but she was there and she was clapping loudly. Her cheers were not over-the-top, but she was slapping her hands together harder than the people around her.

The first pitch came zooming at me, and just like my home-run hit, I swung and hit it.

THUD

The ball bounced to third-base. It was hit hard, but towards the ground so it slowed down after one hop. The fielder scooped up the ball and threw me out well before my sluggish feet could carry me to first base.

The pitcher was having success against everyone. In the fourth inning I came back to bat once more and again I grounded to the infield, this time second base. It was a tie game 1-1.

In the sixth inning I walked up to the plate. This time there was a runner on first. It might be my last chance to take a swing during the game and impress Lily. She would still want to talk to me after the game - I hoped - but I felt like putting her in awe.

SMACKKKK

I launched the ball to deep right, the same place my walk-off had gone and once again I had hit a home run. The second I hit it, the pain returned to my ankle. The adrenaline blocked it out quick. The cheers poured in and I had my team's dugout break out in hollers. Rounding the base, the runner I had driven home to make the score 3-1 gave me a high five. I looked up at the crowd to see the fans still clapping, and just starting to sit down after they had all risen to cheer.

There was just one person still standing, though it was almost hard to tell because even standing she didn't stick out too much more than a tall man sitting. Lily was still on her feet clapping. I looked towards her, but I doubted she could tell from so far away I where my eyes were.

***

Those were the last runs of the game and we won again because of my bat. As soon as our coach gave us his end-of-the-game speech for the night, I left and went towards the student parking lot. Lily wasn't in the bleachers, they were completely empty. The parking lot was where people would sometimes hang out for a half-hour or so after the games before people headed home or to a diner. Lily didn't strike me as the type of person who would be hanging out there, or with those people who had unlimited time, but I didn't know where else she would be.

"Ethan!" I heard her voice as I walked down the sidewalk in a hurry, perhaps the fastest I had walked on my bad ankle outside of the field.

"Lily!" I said as I turned. She was sitting on a bench in between the sidewalk and the school. I put out my arms and she gave me a quick hug. I felt her body press against mine. Her chest pressed against mine, and I felt them lift as she squished into me.

"Great hit. I guess you do hit a home-run every game!"

"I told you so," I said.

"But you promised me left-field," she said.

"Ah. My mistake. I'm a bit dyslexic I guess," I joked, "Are you waiting for someone?"

"Yeah. My car is in the shop so my older brother is coming to pick me up in a bit."

"Oh," I said, "Do you want a lift?"

She said yes and we were walking to the parking lot, though now at a much slower pace then I had been walking at before. I talked mostly about my hit and how I knew what pitch was coming my way based on my previous at-bat. It's never a good idea to talk about only yourself, but Lily kept asking questions that it was tough not to.

She got in my car and I drove her home. She lived about ten minutes away and during that time we mostly just talked about our summer and future plans. I felt embarrassed as I hadn't been accepted into a school yet. She was a smart girl so figured this would be a turn-off but she didn't seem to mind.

"You'll be fine. Not everyone is a nerd," she said, "Besides, you make up for it by being so nice and athletic."

"Thanks," I said.

"And cute," she added.

"Well you're both smart and cute, so it's tough to keep up with."

I pulled into her driveway. The lights to her house were out and it was clear no one was home.

"Well here we are. I guess I won't be so lucky as to see you again until I hit another home run?"

"You can see me whenever, but when's your next game?"

"Tomorrow. It's an away game in Milford," I said.

"Oh. Well if I went could I get another lift home? I still won't have a car."

"Sure," I said as I looked into her eyes. She was so soft and cheerful. Unlike most other girls in our school, she was sweet and obviously caring. I was mad it had taken me so long to look for a girl with these qualities.

"Thanks for the ride Ethan," she said.

We both stared at each other saying nothing. I wasn't moving my hands onto the wheel. She didn't make a move for the door.

Without thinking I moved my head forward. It was a slow movement, but the second I did like two magnets nearing each other she moved to me as well. Within a moment our mouths pressed together. I reached out and moved one hand to the back of her neck bringing her towards me and she did the same.

We made out. Our months opened and our tongues met. We broke it off for a second, only to smile and laugh before moving back in.

I moved one hand to her back. I lowered it until it was underneath her shirt and started to move upward along her back. I was feeling her smooth skin and she was moving toward me as much as possible to let me get a better feel.

She reached out and put one hand on my pants. I was hard. After the game I hadn't changed out of my baseball pants which were grey and made of a loose material. It was obvious just by looking at it that I was erect and her hand soon started to rub my dick through the material. I leaned up so she could get a better grip as lights came from behind. Another car entered the driveway.

"That's my brother," she said as she moved her face away from mine. She still had one hand on top of my dick.

"Oh. Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"I can't wait."

***

The next day all I could think of was being back with Lily. I had woken up early and taken the longest shower of my life, washing and grooming myself more than I ever had. I would be sweating at the game so I knew it didn't really matter what I smelled like now, but I wanted to be as prepared as possible.

I had made out with a few girls before but I had never gone much farther. Sure, the over-the-pants rubdown I had gotten to, so in that sense Lily was nothing special. I had a feeling my luck would change later that day.

I drove over to our opponent's school and entered their visiting locker room. We had already played there twice this year so I knew it well. I did a stroll by the lineup and was happy to see I was now batting fourth, cleanup. It was the first time I had ever batted cleanup. I had dreamed of it since freshman year. Despite my dream being realized, it was not the thing I would remember the day for.

This game started off fun. On my first at-bat, I hit a double with a man on first and drove him home. I batted four more times with one more double and two singles. My only out was a sacrifice fly in the top of seventh which put us up 9-2.

Every time I made my way to the plate I looked out at Lily. The bleachers here were not as packed with fans so it was easy to see. Other than a few parents and long term girlfriends of the other boys, Lily might have been the only one to make the trip to watch us.

After the game I found Lily waiting for me by the bleachers and this time she ran and jumped into my arms. I squeezed her as hard as I could, before lowering her and giving her the slightest pat on the butt.

12