Erlich stiffened up then and let the next batsman down on strikes. Spentz, who came next, hit the ball hard, but it was gobbled up by the center fielder, and the inning was over with Bobby left on third.
But at any rate two runs had tallied, and the way the game was going those two runs seemed big enough to win.
CHAPTER V
THE WINNING HIT
The Belden boys came in for their half, fuming at the lead that Rockledge had gained but not a bit discouraged. Ormsby gathered them about him and urged them on, and their rooters broke out into vociferous cheers.
Weston, one of their heaviest batters and the head of their batting order, came to the plate swinging his bat in a menacing way. He glared at Bobby, who only laughed and sent over a fadeaway for the first strike.
The second ball was a hop and Weston caught it on the under side and sent it high in the air out toward center. It should have been an easy catch, for Devlin had plenty of time to get under it before it came down. But it was the very ease of the catch that was his undoing, for he let it go through his fingers.
Weston, like the good ballplayer that he was, had kept on running at full speed, even though he expected the ball to be caught, so that by the time the muff was actually made he had rounded first and was well on his way to second.
Devlin was rattled by his error and threw wild to the second bag. The ball went over Mouser’s head, and by the time it was retrieved Weston was roosting safely on third amid the jubilant yells of the Belden partisans.
Romney, the next one up, laid down what was intended to be a sacrifice bunt between short and third. Fred and Sparrow both went for it with such eagerness that they collided and were knocked head over heels. By the time Bobby had run over and recovered the ball Weston had easily made the plate and Romney had got to second.