Tournament Championship Game

The Wildcats faced the tough Elite team, who had blown out their three opponents as well. Will started the game at first base, and had all three putouts there in the first inning. He moved to left when Andrew came in to pitch in the second.

The Wildcats scored first, when Will led off the bottom of the second with a line-drive single down the leftfield line. He advanced to third on two singles, and scored on Chris’s single to left.

Up by three, the Wildcats couldn’t hold their lead, as Elite scored eight runs (five unearned) in the third. With three pitchers out hurt and five others already spent, the Wildcats turned to the seldom-used Nick, Anthony, and Michael. Nick, Andrew, and Anthony struggled, but Elite couldn’t adjust to little Michael’s off-speed pitches, and they were unable to score for four innings.

With every new pitcher Will shifted positions, moving from left to third, then second - all in one inning. He then caught the rest of the game.

Down 8 – 3, the Wildcats crept back inning-by-inning, and Will played a big part…

…In the fourth Will walked and later scored on a wild pitch.

…Down 1 – 2 in the count, Will singled through the hole into right, driving in two runners to tie the game. He reached second on a fielder’s choice, and scored the go-ahead run from second, on a single to right.

Defensively the Wildcats turned a double-play in the fourth and retired the side in order in the fifth. In the sixth Elite threatened, when a runner reached second, where he took huge leads off the base. With two out the heavy hitter was intentionally walked. On the next pitch Will fired a strike to Audie at the bag at second, the throw beating the runner back to the bag by a mile…the out ending the inning and swinging the momentum back.

In the top of the seventh the Elite leadoff batter led off with a bad-hop single to right, and stole second off the pitcher. Needing a run to tie, the next batter bunted. Will sprang out and scooped up the ball, and fired to Anthony at third, who easily tagged out the lead runner…another huge play. After a walk, Anthony again got the lead runner out at third. With one out to win, Audie fielder a routine grounder at short. A slow runner was chugging to second, but Audie threw to first, where Trey couldn’t handle the low throw, and the tying run scored. Will then caught a foul pop to end the inning.

After an exciting but scoreless eighth and top of the ninth (including two double-plays), the Wildcats finally scored to win with two out in the bottom of the ninth, to win the tourney.