Page:Dave Porter and his Classmates.djvu/247

Rh friends. They had a great pitcher named Gilroy and a catcher named Barwenk, and they relied on these two players to "wipe up the ball-field," as they put it, with Oak Hall.

During the first four innings honors were about even, each side bringing in two runs. Then the nines began to see-saw, first one being ahead and then the other, until at the end of the eighth inning the score stood Oak Hall 7, Resolutes 6. So far Dave had struck out five players and Gilroy had the same number to his credit. But Gilroy had made one wild pitch, which had brought in Oak Hall's fifth run.

"Now, Dave, see if you can't hold 'em down to a goose egg," said Shadow, as the other club went to the bat for the last time.

"I'll do what I can," was the reply.

Dave was on his mettle, and so for the matter of that was every other Oak Hall player. But some were a bit nervous, and as a consequence one missed a grounder and another let drop a hot liner. The Resolutes got three men on bases, and then, with one man out, they got in two runs.

"Hurrah! That gives the Resolutes eight runs!" was the cry, and the town rooters cheered lustily.

Dave did his best to strike the next man out. But with two balls and one strike he sent in a ball that was just a little wild, and strange to say, Roger