"Strike one!" bellowed the umpire, while Baxter cheered.
Again Bronson pitched.
This time the batsman decided to see what sort of a ball was being thrown at him, and as he saw it jump, he chuckled.
"I can eat those," he called to his teammates.
But the "strike tuh!" of the umpire banished the smile from his face as he realized that a pitcher who had such control he could jump the ball across the plate was one with whom to reckon.
Again Bronson refused Gregory's signals, indicating he would send another jump.
In breathless silence, the spectators watched.
Bronson pitched, the batter swung, and the umpire shouted "Strike three!"
Wildly the Baxter contingent cheered, for the man struck out had been Mitchell, the Landon captain. And in the home section there was corresponding gloom.
Nervously, the second batter approached the plate, and Bronson, taking advantage of it, sent three out-shoots that, apparently travelling straight for the man at bat, caused him to step back, then broke beautifully and cut the plate.