Baseball Wildcats Win all 3 games

BASEBALL WILDCATS WINS ALL 3 GAMES LAST WEEK

The Montgomery County R-2 Wildcats’ baseball team played 3 games last week and won all 3 of them.  The first game was a 17-3 win over Van-Far on Wednesday, April 11, in an East Missouri (EMO) Conference game.  Then on Thursday, April 12, the Wildcats defeated Winfield 9-2 and Mark Twain 17-1 in the First Round games of the R-2 Baseball Tournament.  Unfortunately the tournament “Trophy Games” were rained out on Saturday, April 14.  With these games the Wildcats improved their overall record to 7 wins and 4 losses.  Their EMO Conference record is 3-0.

The Van-Far game was a “make up” game that had been rained out on April 5.  After a five day layoff and looked a little rusty, as the Wildcat hitters were only able to tally 3 hits in the first 6 innings.  For only the second time this season the Wildcats’ opponent scored first, as Van-Far scored a run in the third inning to lead 1-0.

The Wildcats finally answered with 2 runs in the fourth inning.  Taylor Deves got things going as he reached base on an error, stole second base and third base and then scored on a wild pitch.  Evan Milner walked, stole second base, and eventually scored on another wild pitch to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. 

R-2 scored 4 more runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 6-1 lead.  Colt Ellis reached base on a Van-Far throwing error and Luther Harris walked.  Ellis then scored on another Van-Far error on a groundball hit by Deves.  Deves then stole second and both he and Harris scored on a single by Dakota Smith.  Smith later scored on a single by Ryan Knipfel.  Van-Far scored a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 6-2.

Harris (the Wildcats starting pitcher) continued to hold down Van-Far with a solid pitching effort, and then Wildcat bats finally roared to life in the seventh inning with 11 runs on 10 hits. 

Harris started things off with a walk, followed by a double by Deves.  Milner drove both of them in with a single to right.  Knipfel reached base on a walk, then Cameron Parrish drove in Milner with a single to center.  Knipfel scored on a Van-Far error on a ball hit by David Reagan, then Parrish scored on a single by Jackson Bishop.  A single by Ellis scored Reagan and a single by Harris plated Bishop.  Another single by Deves scored both Ellis and pinch runner Zeke Theissen.  Caleb Davis then singled, and a single by Milner scored Deves and a wild pitch allowed Davis to score the final R-2 run of the game.  Van-Far scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to close out the game with a 17-3 Wildcat victory. 

The individual stats for the Wildcats were as follows: Deves 2 hits, 4 runs scored, 3 runs batted in (RBI’s); Milner 2 hits, 2 runs scored, 3 RBI’s; Harris 2 hits, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI; Ellis (2 hits, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI; Knipfel 2 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI; Smith 1 hit, 1 run scored, 2 RBI’s; Parrish 1 hit, 1 run scored, 1 RBI; Bishop 1 hit, 1 run scored, 1 RBI; and Davis 1 hit, 1 run scored.  Reagan and Theissen also each scored a run. Harris got the win (pitching a complete game) with 5 strikeouts, while allowing only 1 earned run on 6 hits.

Facing off against EMO Conference rival Winfield for the second time in a week, R-2 jumped out to an early lead for the 8^th time in 10 games this season.  Ellis started it off with a leadoff single to center in the bottom of the first inning.  Ellis stole second base and went to third base on a single by Smith.  Deves scored Ellis with a sacrifice fly to deep center.  Designated runner Zeke Theissen (for Smith) later scored on an error by Winfield to give R-2 a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats picked up another run in the second inning, as Cameron Parrish singled to left-center, reached third base on a Bishop single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ellis.  R-2 then scored 3 more runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-0 lead. 

 Bishop singled to lead off the fourth and scored on an Ellis double to right-center.  Smith and Deves then walked to load the bases.  A double to left by Harris scored Ellis and Smith to make the score 6-0. 

 Winfield finally scored a run in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 6-1, but the Wildcats responded with 3 more in the bottom of the inning to lead 9-1.  Smith walked for the third time and scored a double by Deves off the top of the fence in left field.  Harris singled to score Deves.  Harris eventually reached third base and then scored a groundout by Parrish.  Winfield did score a run in the top of the seventh inning, but that was it and the Wildcats won the game 9-2.

 The individual stats for the Wildcats were as follows:  Harris 2 hits, 1 run scored, 3 RBI’s; Deves 2 hits, 1 run scored, 2 RBI’s; Ellis 2 hits, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI’s; Parrish 2 hits, 1 run scored, 1 RBI; Bishop 2 hits, 1 run scored; Smith 1 hit, 2 runs scored; and Theissen 1 run scored. 

 Bishop was the starting pitcher for R-2 and picked up the win, pitching 5 innings, giving up 1 run, and striking out 8.  Parrish pitched the last 2 innings in relief and also only gave up 1 run.  Both pitchers were helped by the Wildcat defense, which committed no errors in the game.

 Later in the day/evening the Wildcats faced Mark Twain in their second game of the tournament.  It was another game dominated by the Wildcats, both hitting and pitching. 

 R-2 jumped out to an early lead again with 3 runs in the top of the first inning.  Smith reached first base on an error and scored on a home run to left by Deves.  Harris followed with a double down the left field line and scored on a single to left by Knipfel.   

 The Wildcats added 2 more runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead.  Bishop led off with a double to deep left-center and scored on a triple by Ellis to deep right-center.  Smith drove in Ellis with a single to center.  Mark Twain scored an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning to close to within 5-1, but it would be the only run that Ellis (starting pitcher) and Knipel (relief pitcher) would allow. 

 Montgomery plated 4 more runs in the third for a 9-1 lead.  Knipfel led off with a double to deep left-center and scored on a towering home run by Parrish to left-center.  Davis and Bishop then walked.  Deves scored Davis with a single to left and Harris drove in Bishop with a single to center.  Deves stole third and scored on a wild pitch to close the inning. 

 The Wildcats tacked on 5 more runs in the fourth inning.  Parrish doubled to deep right and Davis singled.  Ellis singled to left-center to score Parrish and Davis scored on a throwing error by the left fielder.  Smith singled and Deves was walked.  Harris singled to center to score Ellis and Smith scored on an errant throw from center.  Milner grounded out to second to score Deves to make the score 14-1. 

 In the top of the fifth inning R-2 closed out the scoring with 2 more runs.  Parrish doubled down the right field line and scored on a double to right-center by Reagan.  Pinch hitter Chase Worsham then singled to right to score Reagan and close out a 17-1 victory for the Wildcats.

The individual stats for R-2 were as follows:  Deves 3 hits, 1 home run, 3 runs scored, 3 RBI’s; Parrish 3 hits, 1 home run, 3 runs scored, 2 RBI’s; Harris 3 hits, 1 run scored, 2 RBI’s; Ellis 2 hits, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI’s; Smith 2 hits, 1 run scored, 1 RBI; Knipfel 2 hits, 1 run scored, 1 RBI; Bishop (1 hit, 2 runs scored; Davis 1 hit, 2 runs scored; Reagan 1 hit, 1 run scored, 1 RBI; Worsham 1 hit, 1 RBI; Theissen 1 run scored. 

The Wildcat hitters pounded out 19 hits and 17 runs, while the pitchers allowed only 3 hits and no earned runs (1 unearned).  Ellis was the winning pitcher.

The Wildcats have 3 games scheduled for this week.  On Monday, April 16, they hosted Community R-6.  On Thursday, April 19 they play at Wellsville (4:30 p.m. start).  On Friday, April 20, they host New Haven (5:00 p.m. start).  The first two games of the week are EMO Conference games.

Next week R-2 has two home games.  The first game is on Tuesday, April 24, against Hermann.  Then on Wednesday, April 25 they host Wright City in an EMO Conference game.  The Varsity game will start at 5:00 p.m., to be followed by the Jr. Varsity game (if there is one).

Best wishes to the Wildcats for continued success this week and your games next week.  Go Wildcats!