But even Henderson, who ranked high in the Tri-State League, couldn’t keep it up to the end, and when the eighth inning came Sailor O’Neill brought yelps of joy from the stands by leading off with the Badgers’ fourth safe hit of the game, a sharp liner that whizzed over shortstop’s head and let O’Neill reach second base by a hair’s breadth. Then Leary struck out. Linton, the catcher, laid down a bunt in front of the plate and the Billies’ backstop chose to head off O’Neill at third. But his hurried throw went wide, O’Neill scored and Linton slid into second. With but one down there was a fine chance of evening up the score or winning, and Wayne wasn’t surprised when the delay at the plate resulted in the arrival there of a pinch-hitter in the person of Fawcett, a substitute outfielder. Fawcett’s appearance was greeted joyfully by the bleachers and he received a deal of advice. Fawcett, however, failed to deliver the needed hit, for, after swinging at two good ones and missing them, he stood idle, while a third sailed across the plate. Bennett was the remaining hope, and Bennett came across nicely. He allowed Henderson to put him in the hole to the tune of two-and-one, refused a wide one and a drop, and then connected with the next offering and banged it hard at the hole between second and shortstop. The pitcher nearly reached it but failed, and the ball sailed serenely over the second bag and Linton scuttled home with the tying run.
The inning ended when Briggs, centre fielder, flied out to first baseman, and with the score three to three the game went through the ninth and started the tenth. By this time ennui was no longer discernible in stands or bleachers. Leather-lunged “fans” were appealing wildly to the Fates for a victory. Cotton was the relief pitcher for the Badgers, and, although he was as wild as a hawk in the ninth, he got by with the aid of sharp fielding and settled down in the tenth very nicely. With two of the Billies gone, though, an error by Captain Cross gave a life to the Doncaster left fielder and a pass to the succeeding batsman put him on second. Then the first baseman succeeded where better batters had failed and lined one past third, allowing the left fielder to score and putting the next man on second. A fly to the outfield brought the end.