Captain Church immediately sacrificed Laird and Beach to third and second respectively. On his way to the bench, the Jefferson captain put his right hand on Hollins’ left shoulder as he passed him and Hollins walked to the plate and gave Laird the signal for the “squeeze” play, Laird started for home as soon as the pitcher began to wind up and Hollins hit the ball smartly for a grounder between third and short which Delvin went after and fumbled. There was no chance to get the runner at the plate of course. The squeeze had been worked beautifully, and with the Lowell infield watching for it. Arthur’s fumble was just bad enough in addition to give Hollins time to get to first and this and the first score put Black in the hole to such an extent that when La Joy came up he wanted to give him a base on balls, but only decided to do so after Hughie gave him the signal from the bench.
This bit of strategy, however, and the hope of thereby retiring the side on a double play didn’t work for Sam Warcford was the next batter. Everybody was expecting him to try for a long one but he turned his best chance into what was better still, a Texas Leaguer in left which scored Beach.
It began to look like the kind of a game the fans like right there.
The infield came in and Twitchell, the batter, tried to drive one out of Hans’ reach to his right, but Hans made a beautiful stop and threw to Gibbie, forcing Hollins.
The Lowell boys breathed a little easier as there were now two out although the bases were filled.
Roger Brest came to bat and Black had in mind the way Roger had worried him in the other games and decided to get him. Brest let the first one go by and it was a strike. The second ball he struck at with a mighty swing and missed. Roger seemed to be slow in recovering from his swing and Miner tried to sneak a straight one over on him. But Brest was only pretending for he hit that ball for about as swift a liner as ever was hit, about six feet to Hal’s right. It looked like a sure hit and the Jefferson Singing Club was already cheering Roger when Hal stuck out his right hand and the ball stuck in his glove. Then it was time for Lowell to cheer, for the spectacular catch had saved two runs at least, and four runs in the first half is almost too much of a handicap. It had been a hard inning for Lowell to get by.
Everson started the ball rolling by hitting the first ball for a single to right, just to show the other fellows that there were others who had batting eyes. Captain Larke’s attempt at a safe one through the pitcher’s box went a little too near where La Joy was playing and Everson was forced at second.
Talkington tried hard to put one over Twitchell’s head, but all he got out of it was the satisfaction of seeing that sterling right fielder make another of his sensational catches.
Robb hit one in Hollins’ direction which was too hot for the Jefferson shortstop to handle, though it was almost straight into his hands and it went as an error against him and Robb was safe.