Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-10-29


OF D close struggle. Each side scored
a run in the second inning, and Alton
pushed another acress In the fourth.
Clifton evening it up In the flfth. Thus
tho score stood q tie at the opening Of
the eighth.
The first Alton man to bat was re.
tired on pop fly to third.
Isut his successor hit clean Texas
Lenguer which landed him on second,
Flo achieved third on sacrifice
grouader, knocked between second and
first by the next man at the plate.
Two men were out and another On
third. The Alton catcher advanced to
the batter's box, and after two strikes
and two balls hit one back Of third
which the Clifton left fielder came up
Oh, but not fast enough to take 1t from
the air. He picked 1t up on the bound
and by quick throw to the plate
forced the Alton base runner to stay
on third but while this play was being
enacted the Alton catcher reached sec.
ond.
The Alton pitcher was next to bat.
Here was chance for him to win his
own game, and the set Of his jaw
showed he was determined to do it.
Steve, out In center, watched him anx.
iously as he swung and missed the first
ball.
"Hope he doesn't send it out this
way" Steve muttered, his mind still
troubled by Hazel's request. His wish,
however, bore no fruit, for the Alton
pitcher knocked tho ball high in the
air toward center.
Steve, gauging correctly, saw that he
would not have to move more than q
few PAGES from his tracks to catch the
ball. He braced himself and watched
the sphere descend. It seemed as If it
would never get to him. He held out
his hands, cupped for the catch. Some
of his teammates, displaying su.
preme confidence in him; already lad
left their positions and were on the
way to the bench.
"He's got It'll" roared an enthusiast
on the bleachers. "That boy never
misses 'eml'
The ball struck Stoves glove, and at
the same instant he seemed to see Ha-
zel's face rise before him. The sphere
bounded from his hands. and, while he
chased 1t frantically, two Alton base
runners scored. Steve recovered the
ball and threw 1t to second in time to
stop the Alton pitcher, but the tie was
broken. with the score 4 to 2 in favor
Of the enemy. The next batter struck
out, and 1t was Clifton's turn at the
bat,
The last half of the ninth opened
with the tallies unchanged. The Cliff
ton captain went among his players
pleading with them to "do something
for the old school," And they re-
sponded. The first man up knocked
q slzzling grounder past second and
got to- the initial base. The one who
FOLLOWED duplicated the feat. back of
ilrst3sd siseceeded in acquiring pos
sessioTs OF that sack, while his pred
ecessor landed safely on second.
The next man hit ono nearly to tho
left field fence, and the Alton man
holding down that position scurried
back and nailed 1t; but each Of the
base runners moved up notch after
tho catch. Clifton's prospects were
good, but her stock declined somewhat
when the following batter fouled out.
Steve came to bat. With two men
on bases. two out and two scores need
ed to tie, more critical period Of the
game would have been imagined with
difficulty. His face was pale. he clutch
ed his bat nervously, his lips ps-trembled.
He did not even glance at the grand
stand. but simply waited Cor the pitch
er-Hazel's cousin and the man whose
skyscraper he had missed-to throw
the sphere.
AS Steve was about to enter an au-
ton'obile after the game he heard his
name called and saw Hazel coming to-
ward him. She drew him to one side
and he motioned for the car to leave