Post & Mail photo / Steve Strandlund
Whitko’s Cole Mishler slides into second base Wednesday during the Wildcats 8-7 home win over North Miami.
By ANDREW SHULTZ
Sports Editor
Despite the wet and sloppy weather Wednesday, there was one team that came out to play and the determination paid off.
Whitko baseball was that team and their opponent visiting South Whitley was North Miami. The Wildcats were caught in a back and forth Three Rivers Conference affair before Nathan Sherrard broke a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Whitko 8-7.
The Warriors only lead of the night came right off the bat. The first inning saw North Miami bolster a 3-0 lead after its turn at the plate but Whitko had runs to tally of its own.
The Wildcats brought across a pair of runners to start its night. Alex Winger and Brenden Hart both scored on an RBI single by Cole Mishler. In a force out play at first base by the Warriors catcher, Mishler scored from third base to tie the game at 3-3.
Help came for Whitko in the third inning with two more runs coming home to give Whitko a 5-3 lead. Scoring on a wild pitch and throwing error, James Stoddard and Nathan Sherrard gave Whitko its’ first lead of the game.
A single run in both the fifth and sixth innings for North Miami tied the game up for the second time at 5-5.
In the sixth inning, Whitko didn’t need any help. Ryan Busz drove in Mitch Yeager on an RBI single while Hart did the same driving in Busz just moments later.
With another two run lead at 7-5, Whitko looked to hold on to its lead but yet again North Miami battled back to tie the game at 7-7 with two runs in the top of the seventh.
Getting the last opportunity to score in regulation play, the Wildcats had the bases loaded with one out. On third, Sherrard broke for home plate on a wild pitch and scored the game-winning run for Whitko.
The victorious pitcher behind this tightly contested game was Hart recording all but one out in the game. The senior ace gave up four earned runs and nine hits while strikeout out four batters.
Mishler led Whitko on the night going two-for-four from the plate with two RBIs. Winger also came away with two hits for the Wildcats.
Whitko improves its record to 5-16 overall and 2-4 in the TRC. Wildcat fans can see their team again on Friday when Whitko hosts Manchester.