Wildcats clinch win over Ariton in seventh inning

The Enterprise baseball team fought off a gritty Ariton team in the seventh inning and won 11-9 on March 8.

Ariton got on the board in the bottom of the first inning scoring five runs and added another run in the bottom of the second to take a 6-0 lead into the third inning. However, the Wildcats started chipping away at that lead and scored four runs of their own in the top of the third.

Owen Burrow started off the inning with a walk and was followed by Mason Chisum who earned a walk of his own. The runners advanced after a ground out made it two outs with Burrow scoring on a passed ball. Noah Loy walked then Payton Easterling doubled to score Chisum and Loy and make the score 6-3 Ariton. Tal Sessions came in as a pinch runner for Easterling and scored on a ground ball single by Drew Shiver but that was all the runs the Cats could muster in the inning to leave the score at 6-4 Ariton.

In the top of the fifth, Loy walked then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Shiver came to bat and singled on a ground ball to center field scoring Loy and the Cats pulled to within 1 at 6-5.

The wild seventh inning then started with a triple by Tysen Cole on a line drive to right field. Loy followed up with a single, Easterling walked and was replaced by Sessions as a pinch runner then Will Powell doubled on a fly ball to right field to score Cole and Loy. Sessions scored on a fielder’s choice before Burrow doubled on a line drive to center field driving in two more runs. Enterprise took the lead at this point 10-6. Chisum and Jack Williams were hit by a pitch back-to-back and the bases were loaded. Cole then singled to score Burrow and the Cats went into the bottom of the inning ahead 11-6.

Ariton managed to muster three singles in the bottom of the inning and score three more runs but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Cats on the scoreboard.

Austin Acreman started on the mound for Enterprise pitching 1 and one-third innings giving up six runs on four hits with one strikeout. CJ Wilkerson came out of the bullpen to relieve Acreman and pitched 4 and two-thirds innings giving up two runs on three hits with two strikeouts. Powell came in to finish the game and gave up one run on three hits with two strikeouts in one inning of work.

Loy led the Cats at the plate going 2-for-3 scoring three runs. Burrow went 1-for-3 with a double scoring two runs and 2 RBIs, Powell and Shiver each went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and Powell had a double, Easterling went 1-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs, and Cole went 2-for-5 with a triple and scoring one run and 1 RBI.

Enterprise had 11 hits to Ariton’s 10 while the Cats had three errors in the game.

Enterprise 9, Geneva 8

The Wildcats won in dramatic fashion again March 10 over Geneva 9-8 when Loy hit a walk-off single to secure the win for the Cats.

Geneva scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning but Enterprise came back and scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. The two teams each scored a run in the second inning before they tied things up 4-4 in the fourth with Geneva scoring two runs and Enterprise scoring one. Geneva went ahead 5-4 in the fifth inning but the Cats came back and scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead. Things got scary in the seventh inning when Geneva scored three runs in the top of the inning but the Cats weren’t finished.

Sessions started things off for the Cats with a double on a line drive to right field. Wilkerson got on base with a walk then Sessions advanced to third on a passed ball. Williams hit a ground ball and reached on an error then advanced to second on the same error. Sessions scored and Wilkerson advanced to third to make the score 8-7 Geneva. With two outs, Loy singled on a ground ball to left field and Wilkerson and Williams scored to give the Cats the win 9-8.

Austin Chappell was the starting pitcher for the Cats going 3 and two-thirds innings giving up four runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Siasoi Blelvins came out of the bullpen in relief for 1 and one-third innings giving up one run on two hits. Pittman Hall closed the game pitching the last two innings giving up three runs on two hits with three strikeouts.

Enterprise and Geneva each had nine hits in the game. The Cats had two errors to Geneva’s one.