He did, by about a second, rushing in almost exhausted, over the plate which Holly had just crossed.
"Wow! Wow! Wow!" cried Sid's and Holly's mates. "That wins the game!" and they hugged Sid and his chum. "Two Runs!"
"The game is not won yet," said the coach, more soberly. "We need more runs."
But they couldn't get them. There was a sudden improvement on the part of Langridge, who had begun to weaken, and he struck out the next two men, the third getting out on a bingle. But the score was five to four in favor of Randall, and if Tom could hold them down, and strike out three men, the game was theirs. Could he do it?
There was a great strain on everyone as the Randall team went out to the field. From the grand stand came softly the "Conquer or Die" song, and Tom felt a sense of moisture in his eyes.
How he did it is college history to this day. Calmly he faced the first man, and delivered a ball.
"Strike!" howled the umpire, and this time it was Boxer Hall that sent up a groan of protest. But it was silenced, and in two more balls delivered over the plate with faultless precision, but with puzzling curves, Tom had one down.
"Only two more," called Phil to him encouragingly.
Tom nodded. How he did pitch! The balls sounded like guns when they hit Dutch Housenlager's big mitt, but he held them.
"Three strikes--batter out!" yelled the umpire, and the second man threw down his stick and walked disgustedly to the bench.
George Stoddard was up next. Tom was afraid of him. He delivered a puzzling slow drop, but Stoddard got under it for a foul.
Tom breathed a bit easier. Two more chances. He sent one of his best out shoots, and Stoddard foolishly bit at it. The ball just grazed the bat, and bounded up into the air. Dutch made a desperate effort for it.
"Can't get it!" yelled the crowd, as it went over the back grand stand.
The umpire threw Tom a new ball. He hated to use it, as the other seemed just right. But the one that had gone over the stand was slow in being returned. Dutch signalled for another drop, but Tom shook his head. He wanted to try a delicate in-curve.
It seemed that the players and spectators were scarcely breathing--it was the critical point of the game, yet with two down Boxer Hall could scarcely hope to win. Yet there was a chance. Tom delivered the ball. Stoddard swung at it with such force that he turned completely around. But the new, white ball was safe in the mitt of Dutch Housenlager. Stoddard had struck out--there were three down for Boxer in the ending of the ninth, and not a run. Randall had won--the score being five to four.