When the eighth inning started, however, there was a feeling throughout the crowded stands as though something were going to break. One felt it in the air. The Lowell players were mildly excited. The feeling was shared by Gibbie, who was first to bat. Hughie felt it was then or never and said: “It’s up to you, Gibbie,” and Gibbie stood up to the plate as though he meant business. The first ball pitched he hit for a foul. The next one was called a strike, the third was a ball and the fourth Gibbie rapped for a clean single to right.
Black came up and immediately sacrificed Gibbie to second. By this time the players on the beach were jumping up and down, much excited, picking out bats. They had sensed the break and they each hoped the fun would last until it came their turn at bat. But it was hardly a real break, and the enthusiasm died down some when Everson stepped to the plate and knocked a high foul which Laird held after a wonderful catch close up to the stands, but Larke again came to the rescue of the base runner and on a long single to left along the foul line brought Gibbie home. Talkington then tried again to put one over Tommy Beach’s head but Tommy made another of those circus catches and the side was out.
Then for Jefferson it began to look like defeat, for Black tightened up and struck out Roger on three pitched balls only one of which the latter struck at; Mellen hit one but Delvin stopped it nicely and threw wide to Case, who made a one hand stop, and Black got Laird on three strikes.
In the first half of the ninth Lowell tried hard to add another run and came near doing so. Robb drove a single far out to left center which Warcford fielded beautifully after a long run and threw to La Joy in time to catch Ty sliding while trying to stretch it into a two-bagger. Hans drove a single to right and then Hal came up for his last time at bat. On the hit and run he drove a grounder between short and third which Hollins fielded beautifully but threw poorly to Church, and Hans continued on to third while Hal remained on first and Delvin came to bat. The hit and run had worked so beautifully that Hughie decided on a double steal. Hal started for second and drew the throw, and Hans led off third, but big Mellen intercepted the throw and Hans was caught after practically the whole Jefferson team had chased him up and down the line between third and home, while Hal got around to third.
It was now up to Delvin to make a hit if the run was to count and he made a good try with a long liner to left center, which both Beach and Warcford went after. Warcford being taller was just able to touch the ball by leaping as it went over his head. It looked good for a muff, but [Beach], near at hand by this time, made a quick jump to the right as the ball was partly stopped and deflected in its flight by Warcford and [turned a sure error into] an assist for Sam and [an out] for himself by his quick catch for the third out.
[“Beach turned an error into an out.”]
Lowell was through and the game was theirs if they could hold Jefferson for another inning.
The Jefferson crowd started their continuous cheers as Beach came to the bat for the final half. Black studied him carefully. Beach’s fielding had been wonderful and all of the Lowell boys were calling “get this first fellow; if you can stop him the game’s ours.” Black determined to make a supreme effort to strike him out. The first ball Tommy let go by and the umpire called “strike one.” The next one he struck at and fouled off. “Strike two.” The next two were balls and the fifth was wide of the plate, but Tommy struck at it and he was out. Church came up and hit the second ball. It was a fast grounder to the left of Everson. He made one of his famous stops and tossed to Case for the second out.
Hollins came up and hit the second one far out over Talkington’s head and it would have been a homer but for Tris’ fast recovery and fine throw. Church, coaching now at third grabbed Eddie as he was going past third in an effort to get home and pushed him back to the base or he would have been out. He thought Larry, who was next up, would be likely to get a hit—at least it was the better chance to take.