Dan started it off by walloping a double down the right field line. Pete followed with a single that bounced high over the right shortfielder’s head. The fielder behind him took the ball and threw quickly to his catcher to keep Dan from scoring off third. But then the Rocketeers’ luck seemed to have run out as the next two players struck out.
“It’s all up to you, Bill,” the coach told his pitcher as Bill selected his favorite bat.
“I’ll be swinging, coach,” Bill said determinedly.
He looked toward the stands as he walked to the plate. Skippy was waving encouragement again.
“This one is for you, Skippy,” Bill murmured, stepping up to the plate.
Carl tried to make him swing on two bad pitches.
“Careful,” Bill warned himself. “There are two outs—only one more left to us in the whole game!”
The next ball was just the one Bill wanted. He swung with all his might. He saw the ball rise and lose itself in the white dust of starlight overhead. And then he was off!
Loping past second, he saw the left fielder still bounding like a rabbit after the ball. The coach slowed him up on third base.
“Take it easy, Bill,” he said with a happy grin. “That ball is on the dark side of the Moon by now!”