title: Batter Up! (Jake Maddox Sports Stories)
author:  Jake Maddox 
description: All good realistic fiction set in sports. Sportsmanship, persistence, fast paced. Good high interest books; boys are the main characters. Good addition to both elementary and middle school library. Sports setting helps generate interest. Buying Recommenda --Albuquerque Public Schools
zlib_text: 
  
  
  ## 1  
  
  
  NICO
  
  
  
  
  
  The ground leaped up to smack Nico in the face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Air exploded from his lungs as he tumbled down a steep slope. The drone barely
  missed him, buzzing the grass before shooting out over a cliff choked by dark,
  swirling mists.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nearly killed by my own quadcopter. Jeez.
  
  
  
  
  
  Nico heard pounding feet. A wide-eyed Tyler Watson appeared at the top of the
  rise, sunglasses wedged into his old-school box haircut. A moment later Emma
  Fairington appeared beside him with the remote in her hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry, sorry!” Tyler gripped his head. “I think the controller jammed or
  something!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing jammed,” Emma snapped. “You forgot how the switches work. Press
  _down_ to go up, genius.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who makes controls like that?” Tyler shot back.
  
  
  
  
  
  A moment later the drone zoomed out of the fog, arcing high above the cloudy
  Pacific Northwest coastline. Nico grunted in relief, pushing chestnut-brown
  hair out of his eyes. “Good flying, Emma. I owe you the ice cream of your
  ch