Joe felt his face burning with shame as he walked back to the bench.
“Humph! I thought we were going to see some wonders!” murmured Sam Morton sarcastically.
“It’s all right, Matson—it was an even chance, and you found the ball,” said Darrell quickly. He knew the danger of a new player becoming discouraged.
“Thanks,” said Joe quietly.
Lantry got a single which sent Potter to third, but the next two men struck out and with two men left on bases the Silver Stars had to take the field again with only a goose egg to their credit.
The game ran along to the ending of the third inning with neither side getting a run. Each team made some scattering hits but the fielding was evenly good, and no one crossed the home plate. Joe made one fine catch in the beginning of the third and received a round of applause that did his heart good.
Sam was pitching pretty good ball, occasionally being found for a two bagger, but any short-comings in this line were more than made up in the support he received from his mates.
“It’s going to be a tighter game than I thought it was,” murmured Darrell, at the close of the fourth inning, when his side had managed to get in one run to tie the tally which the Reds had secured. “They’ve got a better team than I gave them credit for.”
“You don’t think they’re going to beat us, do you?” asked Sam anxiously.