Honey evidently did put one over with the first ball pitched but the “victim” refused to be “got.” Wade leaned on the horsehide with a smash that sent it cannon balling into left field and just out of reach of Fat Daws, who made a good recovery and snapped over a throw that cut Wade off from making more than one base on his drive.
“Wow, look at that for a starter,” yelled Buck Hart on the coaching line. “Come on now, fellows, let’s all be the same kind of victims. Let’s go!”
Jed Stafford was the next batter up and Honey Wiggins knew how dangerous this port side stick artist was and he eased over two balls before he sizzled across the first strike. He tried to slip strike two over on the next ball but Jed liked incurves, which were outs to him and he met the ball with the end of his bat for a neat little Texas leaguer over Cas Gorham’s head and just out of his reach. Wade romped down to second and Stafford was safe on first by a mile and a quarter.
The redoubtable Dutch Hecht was up next and Honey Wiggins knew that Dutch was just as sure at the bat as he was in the field. For a while it looked as if he intended to pass the fielder for he put over three balls in succession. Of course, Dutch, with natural baseball brains, waited out the next two just to see if he could draw another ball and make first, thus filling the bases. But when it stood three and two it was noticeable that he gripped the bat harder and dropped his shoulders forward a little, ready to land on the next delivery.
Land he did, but, thanks to Honey Wiggin’s strategy, he did not land as solid as he might have for Honey gave him a high one right at his shoulder and Dutch cut under it enough to shoot a swift head high drive straight for third base.
Jeff was right in line with it and he did not need to move to get his glove on it. With a snappy throw he got the sphere over to Cas Gorham before Wade could get back to his base and the result was a double play with Stafford left on first. That made the Penguins breathe easier, but they were not out of the woods yet, for big George Dixon was up for the next man at bat and he promptly laced out a hit that got him on first and advanced Stafford to second. Again the Penningtons had two men on base and a dangerous hitter up. Captain Tad selected his bat and walked to the plate.
“Two down, Honey, old boy. Play to this one,” coached Brownie Davis, and Rabbit Warren from the field yelled, “You’ll pull out of this yet, Old Stocking. Let’s go.”
“Let’s go is right. Play the batter. He can’t get anything by us,” encouraged Jeff as he slapped his hand into his glove and moved out a trifle.
Drexel, Daws and Warren were moving out, too, for when Captain Tad leaned on it sometimes he leaned hard enough to make it interesting for the fielders. He did this time.
Contrary to expectations Honey Wiggins shot over a swift ball that grooved the plate, and contrary to expectations also Captain Tad swung hard at the first ball pitched. There was a loud crack and Jeff started backward. But the ball was still mounting when it passed over his head. He turned and watched Rabbit Warren racing across the outfield. Stafford and Dixon, running on anything for the third out, lumber past and start for home. Captain Tad was streaking for second as fast as he could go which was very fast indeed.