The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day; The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play. And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.The poem's first four lines also set the scene for us. They give us the game situation in a pretty clear, entertaining way. For the home team, the "Mudville nine," things are not looking too good: "The outlook wasn't brilliant."