When the teams lined up at Lowell for the second game, the batting order was the same but there was a somewhat different air to be noticed among the players. The boys who hit the ball were not satisfied with their batting records in the first game, and they were determined to knock somebody out of the box. This time it was Jefferson’s first turn at bat, and as Laird came up Radams prayed for a little luck to enable him to get a good start. Thinking about it so much spoiled his control, for when he had pitched six balls the count was two and four and Laird was walking down to first as a result.

Beach was true to his first inning record and got a nice single to right field and Laird got to third. Captain Church came up with lots of confidence and tapped the ball smartly, but it was an infield fly which Everson caught near the pitcher’s box. Radams was having a hard time with his nerves, apparently, for he gave Hollins four bad ones in succession and he walked to first also. This brought La Joy to bat and he hit a fast grounder over second, but Hans made a one-hand stop right at the bag, touched second forcing Hollins and threw to first for the third out.

“Let’s do something in the first inning besides field,” said Hughie, as Everson started for the plate with his bat.

“Here goes,” said Johnny. Cam, the pitcher, was sizing up Johnny and also wishing, as had Radams a moment before, for a little luck in getting the first man. When he pitched the first ball, however, Everson waded right in and turned it into a single to right and was off for first like a streak. Larke immediately hit a low roller to La Joy who got the captain at first, but Johnny had reached second before Larry had stopped the ball.

Talkington, after getting two strikes and three balls, hit an easy fly to Twitchell in right. Cam was willing to let Tris hit it, but he was trying to make him hit it in the air, and Tris did; but when Cam pitched the same kind of a ball to Robb, Ty rapped it for a long triple out over Warcford’s head, scoring Everson. Hans got a base on balls and stole second; then while Cam was winding up to pitch to the next batter, Ty started for home, but Roger tagged him easily this time as he was attempting his great slide, and the side was out.

Warcford was the next man up for Jefferson. He struck at the first ball Radams pitched and it went over Delvin’s head for a neat single. It surely looked as though there would be some hitting. Twitchell next up, struck at the first ball and missed and Delvin played out so as to be able to stop anything that came like Warcford’s hit of a moment before, but Twitchell bunted the next ball toward third, so Delvin couldn’t get it in time to catch either runner, and they were both safe. Then Brest sacrificed and Warcford and Twitchell perched on third and second respectively. Cam struck out, but Laird singled to left, scoring Warcford, and Twitchell tried to get home too, but was caught at the plate by Captain Larke’s beautiful throw to Gibbie.

In the Lowell half, Case was first up and the best he could do with Cam’s curves was to hit one of them to Hollins who fielded it in time to get Hal at first. Delvin drove a long fly to center, but Beach got it. Gibbie put new hope into the inning by doubling to left center, but Radams struck out.

Beach was up again in the third, and Radams tempted him to miss three, and he was out of the way. He had almost as good a time with Captain Church, who hit the third one on a line into Robb’s hands out in right. Hollins, however, drove a single over the first bag which was fair by inches, and La Joy came up. This time Radams decided on a base on balls after getting Hughie’s signals from the bench and it went through all right; but before Warcford got a chance at a good one Hollins undertook to steal third and was caught by a quick throw from Gibbie to Arthur.

Everson went out on a good stop by Cam which he tossed to Church at first. Larke tried to put one between Beach and Warcford in left center, but it went a little too high and Beach got it easily. Talkington bunted along the first base line and was safe, but would have been out if Church hadn’t expected it would roll foul, for he could have easily thrown Tris out to Cam, who covered first. The Lowell boys were looking for something good from Robb, but the best he could do was to hit one in the air out Twitchell’s way and it was an easy catch.

When Warcford came up first in the fourth, Hughie signaled the outfield to play way out. He motioned a second time to Robb and he went almost out to the fence. Warcford noticed this and thought if he could drop a short fly in right field it would drop safe. The ball came to him just right, and Hal noticing where Ty was playing started after it, but presently he saw Ty coming full speed ahead and knew that Ty had a chance for it, so he stopped. Just as the ball was about to hit the ground Ty stuck out both hands and got it and then turned two somersaults on the grass—one of which he couldn’t help. Twitchell drove a single between Everson and Case which Ty fielded, and Roger hit the first ball with a mighty swat on a line straight to Everson, and Twitchell was doubled off first before he could even try to get back.

Hans first to bat in the Lowell half of the fourth picked out a nice spot in left field, and placed a neat single where Warcford couldn’t get it. Hal, under instructions, made a sacrifice bunt and was out at first, Hans taking second. Arthur got three balls in a row and it looked as though Cam was going to walk him, but the pitcher fooled him by putting the next two straight over and then it was strike out or hit it. Arthur did his best and struck out, but while he was doing this Hans made a clean steal of third, to the great surprise of the Jefferson team and especially Roger Brest the catcher, who didn’t even throw to catch Hans. Having in mind Gibbie’s double in the second inning Cam gave him a base on balls. Radams then made a good effort to get a hit, but the ball went to the pitcher’s box, so Cam got credit for an assist and the side was out.

Cam was first up for Jefferson in the fifth. He struck at the first one that Radams pitched to him. The second ball the umpire called a strike and Cam bunted the third one and was out. The Lowell boys and rooters got a good deal of amusement out of this, but anyone is liable to make a mistake of this kind. It, however, gave Lowell the edge on Jefferson for that inning. Laird, next up, drove one to Hans which almost knocked him down. Hans tried to throw it just as hard to Case, but threw it high and Hal had to jump for it, which he did, and saved Hans an error.

Beach let one strike be called on him, and then he banged into the next one for a hit to left center that hit the fence and was an easy triple. In fact, it would have been the easy homer which Beach tried to make out of it but for the wonderful relaying of the ball by Captain Larke and Hans. Hans ran out into left field and caught the ball as Larke threw it to him and turned, without looking, and threw it straight to Gibbie at the plate who didn’t have to move his hands an inch to make the catch and who tagged Beach not over six inches from the plate. If Hans had stopped before making the throw to get his direction, Beach would have been safe, but he couldn’t have made a more perfect throw even if he had looked. It was the greatest play of the game so far.

In the Lowell half Johnny hit a grounder to Church who was playing back on the grass and the two had a foot race to first, Everson sliding feet foremost. It looked to many as though Johnny beat Church, but the umpire waved him out, and after a few remarks Johnny stuck his chin in the air a little higher and walked to the bench.

Captain Larke came up determined to make up for what he thought was a poor decision, and placed a neat single over second base, which rolled to center, and stole second on the first ball pitched, Brest’s throw being a little late and high. Tris felt like doing something, but his best effort was a foul fly in the direction of the bleachers near third base which nobody had a right to get, but which Laird got just the same after a long run and a beautiful catch.

Ty Robb now came up, swinging three bats. Larke was on second and watching Ty closely, as the hand with which the batter threw away the extra bat was a signal which gave the runner the tip on what his instructions were, but Ty was carrying three bats, and three bats had never been included in the signal list, so Larke was puzzled. Just because he was puzzled, perhaps, he thought this signal might mean steal third, so he started to do so. Ty saw him and tapped the ball for a bunt toward third and beat it out while Larke perched safely on third. Hans then came up and singled to right, scoring Larke, but Ty tried to get to third on the play and was caught by a fine throw from Twitchell to Laird.

Church started the ball rolling in the sixth by an easy grounder to Everson who fumbled, and the Jefferson captain was safe. Hollins bunted along the first base line, but Hal was on his job and fielded the ball quickly to Hagner, forcing Church. La Joy then dropped a beautiful single to left and Hollins had to stop at second, making runners on first and second. Warcford drove a low liner between first and second and La Joy started toward second. The batted ball hit him on the left foot and rolled into Hal’s hands.

La Joy was out on this play, of course, and Hollins had to return to second. Twitchell now came up and hit the third ball pitched for a two bagger to right center, which Robb received and threw to the plate, but Hollins and Warcford scored, and Twitchell went to third on the throw in. He overslid the bag, however, and was out when Gibbie snapped the ball to Delvin, who tagged him before he could recover. Hughie sent Miner out to warm up.

Case put up a foul back of the plate and Brest caught it near the screen. This was close to the box in which the Vice President and the notables were sitting. “He has it,” said some one, as Roger made the catch. The Vice President turned to see who had spoken. “What kind of baseball talk is this? Say ‘he’s got it’ not ‘he has it.’” Delvin hit a grounder which struck Cam on the leg and glanced off in the direction of the first base, where Church picked it up and touched the bag for an out. Gibbie tried to get a base on balls but was called out on strikes.

Brest was the first batter in the seventh. Babe managed to give Roger a base on balls. Cam sacrificed him to second and Laird, the third batter, hit sharply to Hans who threw to Delvin and caught Brest. Beach, the next batter, gave the signal to Laird for the hit and run and worked it successfully and then also tried to work the double steal. They were unsuccessful, as Laird was caught at the plate by quick work between Everson and Gibbie.

In the second half, with the crowd standing, Huyler, the pinch hitter, went in to bat for Babe and drove a long fast liner to right which Twitchell caught after a great run backward. It should have been a triple, at least, but the way these two teams were fielding it was almost impossible, seemingly, to drive the ball out of their reach. Everson went out, pitcher to first, and Larke also was out by way of shortstop to first.

Black in the eighth inning went in to pitch for Lowell. Church, first up, was easy for Everson and Case and then Case and Black attended to Hollins.

La Joy walked to the plate and stood there swinging his bat carelessly and easily. Finally Black, after looking him over, pitched a ball that cut the plate and before Larry hit it, Miner knew part of what would happen. When he saw it leave the bat, however, and heard the crack he knew that ball was headed for outside and sure enough it was. It went over the center field fence ten feet high and never was found. Larry simply jogged around the bases while Lowell’s hopes seemed to be dashed to earth. Sam Warcford took encouragement from Larry’s swat, but his hit got no farther than Delvin, who threw him out at first.

Hughie put some ginger into the boys at this stage of the game. “They’re only two runs ahead and we’ve often made six in one inning,” said he as Talkington walked to the plate. Tris did his part, and drove a single to right which might have been a two bagger but which Twitchell fielded perfectly, and Tris went back to first, when Twitchell threw to second. Then Ty bunted to the pitcher’s box and Cam fumbled, and both Tris and Ty were safe, Cam was clearly going up and the Lowell rooters were doing all they could to help him.

Hans came up and Church walked over to the box and tried to give Cam a chance to cool off a bit by talking to him and instructing him also to give Hans his base. Cam pitched two balls very much to the right of the plate from the catcher’s position which Hans couldn’t have reached with a twelve-foot bat, and then Hans jumped to the other side of the plate and started to bat left handed so as to reach the balls, but then Cam put the next two very much to the left of the plate and there was nothing for Hans to do but walk to first. There were now three on bases and Hal was up.

Here was the first real chance he had had in either game to show what he could do with his bat and everybody else had been hitting Cam so here was his chance. Just then, however, Captain Church waved to Cam with his right and motioned to Mellen with his left and Cam left the box and Mellen went in. “Well,” thought Hal, “Mellen probably isn’t very well warmed up and he ought to be able to hit now.” The first two balls pitched were bad ones and were so called by the umpire.

“Just let him put one over,” said Hal to himself, “and I’ll put it over the fence.” But Mellen wasn’t pitching that kind of a ball just then. The third ball pitched Hal struck at and missed. The next one was straight over but looked high, and the umpire called it a strike, at which the stands roared in rage. The next one was a pretty good one but Hal took a chance and let it go by and the umpire called “Ball three.” It was now two strikes and three balls, and Mellen decided to put the next one over and take a chance. It came straight for the plate; Hal took a mighty swing at it and the ball started on a line for second, but Mellen stuck out his right hand, knocked it down and threw to Brest in time to force Talkington at the plate. Hal’s chance was gone. He would have made good only Mellen didn’t mind taking a chance with his pitching hand. Most pitchers would have preferred to sidestep the danger. There were still three on base and Arthur was at bat. He got three balls and two strikes on account of fouls, and then Mellen gave him one where he could hit it but it was a pop fly which fell into Hollins’ mitt and there were two out. It was now Gibbie’s chance to save the game, but Mellen’s pitching was too swift for him until he also had three balls and two strikes and then he knocked a long fly to Warcford and the inning was over.

Black gathered himself together for a mighty ninth inning effort. He felt sure of the fielding of the boys behind him, but he made up his mind to take as few chances as necessary. So he decided to strike out the side if he could, and after he had succeeded in doing that with Twitchell and Brest, he had a lot of confidence in his ability to do the same to Mellen, and he did it.

The last half of the ninth opened rather well for Lowell. Black was the first man up and he fooled the entire Jefferson infield by a perfect bunt which put him on first. This surely was a good start.

Everson, however, waited too long. He let two strikes be called on him, and they were good ones, too. The third one looked good also and Johnny struck at it and missed and there was one out. Captain Larke then knocked one down the line toward Church and the latter tried to complete the out unassisted, but Larke beat him to the bag and Black reached second. Tris knocked a slow rolling grounder to Hollins and by the time he got to it he could only catch Tris at first, for Black had reached third and Larke was at second.

Robb came to bat feeling good. He was to have his great chance after all. Two men on bases and a single would tie the score. He even allowed himself to remember that a homer would win the game for Lowell. Mellen on the other hand realized his great chance. If he could outguess Robb this time there would be a game to Jefferson’s credit. His was the first move and he tried to tempt Ty with a ball, but Ty let it pass. Then Mellen tried him with another one of the same kind, thinking, perhaps, Ty would bite on the second one, but he just waited.

The next ball came straight over the plate and Ty hit it and it went sailing out over first base, a fast liner that didn’t stop till it hit the fence, but it was like La Joy’s ninth inning hit in the first game, only longer, for it struck the fence two feet outside of the line and the umpire said, “Foul one strike.”

The next ball also came straight and Ty thought to fool them by bunting. He did, and almost perfectly, as the ball didn’t roll over six feet in all. Black was nearly at the plate before Ty got started to first but as hard luck would have it the last foot of the distance the ball rolled outside the foul line and it was “Two strikes” and everybody went back to where they were before. Then it was a study to watch Mellen and Robb.

Would Mellen send another one straight over and try to make him think it would curve or would he send one up wide of the plate and make it curve in, or would it be a high one that would drop to the strike level at the plate? It was a great guessing match that lasted for several seconds.

Then slowly Mellen began his wind up. The ball started for the plate. It was coming straight over. Was it possible that Mellen had decided to take a chance on his hitting it safe? Ty thinks he’ll fool him on that. He will just put that ball over the fence. He pulls back his bat to meet it squarely. He makes a savage swing at it and listens for the crack of the bat. Instead he hears a thud—and Ty knew he had struck out, and the game was lost to Lowell by the score of 4 to 2.

BOX SCORE

It was now one game apiece and it would take a third to decide the championship.