Of course, nothing was expected of the pitcher, for Tyree was a notoriously weak man at the bat.  He tried the best he knew how to connect, but after three attempts had to go back to the bench.  So two were down, and Thad Stevens at bat.  Hugh said something to his chum as the latter stepped forward to the plate.  Thad looked very grim as though he felt that the whole fate of the game rested on his young shoulders just then.  He waited for his ball, had a strike called, and then connected.  The sound of that blow would never be forgotten by those eager Scranton fans.  It was as loud and clear as the stroke of a woodsman’s ax on a hollow tree.  And they saw the ball speeding away out dead ahead.  Everybody started up again to watch its course, while shouts rent the air.

Major was making along like mad.  No use, Major, because that ball is ticketed for a home run, and nothing on earth but a collapse of the part of the fellow spinning around the bases can prevent it.  When the ball struck the ground Major was not within thirty feet of it.  He did not even attempt to jump up and tag the fleeting sphere as it passed far above his bead, realizing the absurdity of such a proceeding.  His business was simply to recover the ball, and get it in home as rapidly as he could.

But before this could be accomplished Thad Stevens was lying on the ground among his mates, panting for breath, but a pleased grin on his face, while some of the fellows were patting him happily on the back, and telling him that he had saved the day for good old Scranton High.

That ended the scoring for Scranton, although “Just” Smith did manage to get on first by means of a scratch hit.  Joe Danvers tried to equal the performance of the backstop, but while he met the ball and sent it far afield, unluckily.  It went too high, and this enabled Major to get beneath, with the result that the fly was caught, and the side went out.

The excitement started all over again when Belleville came to bat for their turn.  It was plain to be seen that they had “blood in their eye,” and meant to redouble their efforts to score.

An error, together with two fair hits, put a couple of the locals on the bases.  Only one man was down in the bargain.  Everybody looked anxious on both sides, for the game was likely to be ended, one way or the other, in that same twelfth inning.

A single would tie the score, a double give the game to Belleville.

Hugh signaled to his infield to play close.  He wanted a double play so as to put an end to the intense strain, which was beginning to tell upon every player.

It was the great Conway at bat again.  He looked particularly dangerous, for he had a way of standing there like a mighty warrior, flourishing his club, and watching the pitcher like a hawk.  Conway had shown himself to be the most consistent hitter on the Belleville team when up against the deceptive shoots of Alan Tyree.  Would he again succeed in connecting with the elusive ball, and sending one or both runners home?