This relieved the pressure somewhat, and the crowd breathed more freely.
But the danger was still threatening, and the batter was the captain of the Somerset team and one of its best hitters. He fouled off the next two. On his third attempt, he chopped a bounder to Mouser at second, who made a clever stop and threw him out at first, while the runners each advanced a base.
“Two down,” cried Sparrow from third. “You’re getting them, Bobby. Keep it up.”
Bobby now put on all steam. There was only one more inning after this one, and he did not need to save his arm. He sent two outcurves in succession. Each went for a strike. Then when the batter was set for another of the same kind, Bobby outguessed him with a straight fast one, and the ball plunked into the catcher’s mitt for an out.
There was a chorus of cheers from the Rockledge rooters as Bobby drew off his glove and came in to the bench.
“That’s what you call getting out of a hole,” cried one.
“The bases full and nobody out and yet they couldn’t score,” shouted another.
“We’ll give you a run this time, Bobby, and all you’ll need to do then will be to hold them down in the ninth,” prophesied Frank, as he selected his bat.
He started in to make his words good by cracking out a single on the second ball pitched. A sacrifice bunt to the right of the pitcher’s box advanced him to second. The next batter went out on an infield fly that held Frank anchored to the bag. Barry was given his base on balls. Then Spentz walloped a corker to left, on which Frank scored and Barry reached third. A moment later a quick throw caught him napping and the side was out.
“We’re in the lead now, Bobby,” exulted Fred, as Rockledge took the field. “Put the kibosh on them just once more and we’re all right.”