The next two batters couldn’t handle Rob’s pitching at all. The game began to look as if it might be retrieved after all.
“Blake! Blake! Blake!” chanted the crowd as Rob walked toward the batters’ bench.
Merritt was first at bat for the Scouts in the ninth inning. Jared began to pitch with as good an imitation of Rob’s speed as he could muster. Merritt let the first ball sing past him.
“Ball one.”
The second, also, went by in similar manner.
“Ball two!” sang out Sim in his high, nasal voice.
Jared pulled himself together. He sent the ball humming right over the home plate. Merritt swung at it and made a safe base hit to right field. Then came Hiram. He struck out. Jared and the Hamptonites began to feel better. Jared was still holding the Scouts down and they had a safe margin of runs.
Paul Perkins struck out this time. Then came Ernest Thompson, who dreamily submitted to the same process.
Rob Blake now came to the bat. His exhibition of pitching just previously earned him a round of applause. Jared looked positively bilious. He had actually been holding himself in reserve for Rob. It was his intention to shut him right out. Rob ignored Jared’s first ball.
“Ball one!” was the cry.