Wildcats stay composed, use tricks to extinguish Dragons

    MOWRYSTOWN - In the first two innings, it looked as if the Whiteoak Wildcats were going to breeze their way to an easy Southern Hills League win.

    That wasn't the case on Tuesday evening. In the opening innings, WHS compiled an eight-run lead, but after West Union tied the game at nine, it was the Wildcats who got the runs when needed to defeat the Dragons 12-9 at Whiteoak High School.

    Not only did the Wildcats use determination to defend their home field, but they dug into their bag of tricks in the fifth inning to force the Dragons out on the bases.

    The Dragons were threatening in the top part of the fifth, scoring two runs with one out. They had a runner on second, who reached the bag on a throw to home after he singled. But with one out, WHS pitcher Ben Barnett faked a throw to the bag with both infielders diving, looking for the baseball. In the process, the runner started to advance to third, but Barnett kept possession of the ball the entire time, getting the base runner out before he could tag back up. The third out was recorded with a strikeout, keeping the Wildcats ahead at 8-7.

    Getting to that point of the game was flawless for the Wildcats in the first couple of innings with Barnett retiring the first three West Union batters in just 12 pitches.

    The bottom of the first saw Barnett produce with a lead-off triple. He was scored with a single up the middle from Zach Docter. After Docter was out via fielder's choice, the Wildcats had Gage Carraher on second, who singled, and Ethan Eyre on first when Mike Carraher tripled the ball down the first base line for two RBIs. Carraher scored with a two-out hit by Luke Taggert. Before the inning was completed, Taggert stole second base.

    Leading 4-0 after the top of the second was in the books, as WHS converted a 6-4-3 double play, the 'Cats were hot again in their half of the second.

    The inning started off with three straight base hits from Wes Stratton, Barnett and Docter. Gage Carraher forced a walk to score Stratton.

    With one out, Mike Carraher knocked in Barnett. Bradds forced a walk to score Docter and Taggert singled to score Gage Carraher to give the Wildcats their aforementioned eight-run lead.

    The defense of WHS (3-3, 3-0) was nowhere to be found in the top of the third. West Union gained five runs, none of them earned, on three errors to cut into the WHS lead at 8-5. Barnett, at the mound, struck out four batters in the inning.

    "Ben was cruising, and all of the runs in that inning were unearned," WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. "He started the inning with a strike out, but the kid reached first. The younger guys got down after one mistake, and then it just snowballed. We just changed our approach, and when you start thinking differently, that is what will happen."

    With all the momentum gone from the Wildcats, they produced just one hit in the next two innings with Taggert hitting a line drive to left field. He was left stranded at third after he stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball.

    After a two-run fifth by West Union, the Wildcats added to their now-slim lead in their turn at the plate in the fifth.

    Barnett started the bottom half of the inning by being plunked by the baseball to take the free base. He then stole second and went to third on a 6-3 out. Gage Carraher singled through the second base and shortstop gap to score Barnett for a 9-7 WHS advantage.

    The score was all even at nine runs each with Brandon Myers and Corey Richmond scoring runs for the Dragons.

    WHS took control of the scoring in the last part of the sixth with Jesse Bradds taking first on an error to lead off the inning. With one out, Ryan Emery singled. Stratton also reached the bases. All three runners scored to put the Wildcats up three runs at 12-9.

    Gage Carraher took the mound with two outs in the sixth inning and retired the next four West Union Dragons to seal the win. Carraher (2-0) earned the with two strikeouts.

    "Gage has overpowering stuff, and he is just a freshman," Veidt said. "The thing about Gage is that he will get even better."

    Barnett had the no-decision for WHS as he pitched 5 2-3 innings. He allowed two earned runs with eight strikeouts.

    The win lifts WHS to 3-3 overall, 3-0 in the SHL. They will face Eastern Brown at EBHS on Thursday at 5 p.m.

WUHS - 005 022 0 - 9 

WHS - 440 013 x - 12