It looked, too, as if they might, for they got three runs without a player being out.
“Oh, we’re going through without any trouble!” exulted Tommy. And then his lads got tired and could not hit well, while the other boys did some pretty fielding work.
“We must get that one run!” cried Tommy, but it was not to be, and when the ninth inning opened the score was ten runs to nine in favor of the visitors.
“And here is where we go out!” declared Dan, as his first player stepped to the stone that marked home plate.
“I’ve just got to pitch for all I’m worth!” thought Tommy, desperately. And he did. Somehow he managed to strike out the two first boys in quick succession. Then the next one hit what was the best ball of that day. He got to third base on it, and if he had been a little quicker he would have gone home.
“Play for the batter,” advised Teddy, who was catching, and Tommy nodded his head, to show that he understood. If they could get the batter out, the run would not come in, and the Roarers would still have a chance to win, as they had the last chance at bat.
“Three balls!” called the umpire, after there had been two strikes named.
“If the next one is a ball, he’ll take his base,” reflected Tommy, “and the next boy up is a heavy hitter. I’ve got to strike him out. I must do it!”
And he did. How it thrilled him to hear the umpire shout:
“Three strikes—batter out!” for the ball was safe in Teddy’s big mitt.