“We’ll fall on him and hammer him out of the box the next inning,” they said.
But they did not, for neither side scored in the following inning. There were, however, three close plays, one at second, one at third, and one at the home plate. Frank Merriwell was on hand to witness every play from the most advantageous point and his decisions could not be disputed with reason.
Both players and spectators began to see that the umpiring was making it a remarkably lively and interesting game at the very start off.
In the fourth inning the M. C. I. team tied the score, and in the fifth it took a lead of three.
Newport had not been able to score thus far after the first, and the Institute lads declared it was “all over but the shouting.” That did not disturb Burton, who continued to work in the same cool, deliberate manner.
In the seventh inning Newport got a tally, but M. C. I. made two more, giving them a lead of four.
In the eighth Newport cut it down by two in their half, and then Burton “pitched for his life.” In vain the Institute lads tried to get a safe hit off him. One man fanned and the others were “killed at first.” As both of these decisions were close, a M. C. I. player started a vigorous kick on the last one, but Frank, who had made every ruling promptly and firmly, quickly closed the kicker up.
Then came the “fatal ninth.” Newport needed two to tie and three to win. If they made three and white-washed their opponents the game was theirs.
They started in by getting two men out in a hurry, and the boys from Pittsfield were laughing over the “snap.” Then a weak hit landed a runner on first. The next man was not a heavy hitter, and so, instead of trying to stop the runner, the pitcher attempted to end it by striking the batter out. That gave the man on first a chance to steal second without danger, and he did so. Then the batter rapped out a light one that was fumbled, and crossed first ahead of the ball.
Burton came to the plate. He had been hitting poorly, but now there was a look of grim determination on his dark face.