“That man Green is beyond anything I ever saw!” cried Coach Trayne, as Chip came in to confer with Billy. “Watch out for Craven, Merry!”
Frank nodded toward the bench. Craven was a slender, lanky fellow with a large jaw. He was chewing tobacco, and carried his bat easily.
Using his right hand once more, Merry resorted to the double shoot, refusing Billy’s agonized plea to use the jump ball. Craven fanned twice, seeming to be awkward at the plate, but on the third ball he struck too quickly, whirled, and the ball hit him between the shoulders.
He went down to first, apparently badly hurt. But Chip caught a quick grin from him, and realized angrily that the umpire had been “worked” very neatly. He fanned Merrell, then Runge, but Craven romped down to second without hindrance, exchanging compliments with the enraged Villum, as he did so.
Ironton again was at bat. Chip sent the ball sizzling over for two strikes, but Ironton had solved the double shoot. He connected with the next ball and dropped it over second for a neat single--the first hit of the game. Craven went to third, with the crowd frantic, and Murray was up.
Chip switched hands in desperation, and Murray fanned twice. Then Ironton tried for second, and Billy Mac made a wretched throw that Villum barely hung on to, a yard from the sack. When Frank put the ball down again, Murray cracked a liner at Lowe--and Lowe fumbled it, booting it across the infield to Harker.
The crowd came to its feet, as Craven raced over the rubber. Harker lost his head and made a throw ten feet wide of the plate. Billy went after it, but Ironton came in like a whirlwind. Frank ran in and put the ball on him as he slid, but the umpire called him safe, and the Clippers had secured two runs, with Murray on third and Green up.
“For Heaven’s sake use the jump!” implored Billy desperately, conferring with Chip. But Merry, grim-lipped, refused.
“I’ve got to hold it, Billy. This game is only three innings old.”
He walked back, determined to retrieve the errors that had overwhelmed his team. Green faced him with a wide grin, the Clipper fans howling for a hit to bring in Murray. And Green was confident of getting it. Murray’s lone hit had started things.