Whitko Defeats Itself At Parkview [VIDEO]
FORT WAYNE – The weather was bitter but the result was somehow even more harsh for the Whitko baseball team Wednesday night. The Wildcats opened their 2015 Three Rivers Conference schedule with Southwood in a game played at Parkview Field and sloppy play led to a 10-7 defeat for Whitko.
“I don’t know, I’m still trying to comprehend it,” stated Whitko head coach Erik Hisner immediately after the game.
“It just comes down to making a play and right now we’re struggling to find guys that, with the game on the line, want to be the one to make a play to end a threat or win a game.”
The Wildcats saw a 5-2 lead shrink to be 5-4 in the sixth inning. Southwood was gaining momentum late but in the bottom half of the frame the Wildcats added two insurance runs when Tanner Gaff hit into a fielder’s choice. The momentum was seemingly back with Whitko but Gaff and company could not hold the Knights down in the top of the seventh.
Gaff, who started the game for Whitko, was pulled in the top of the seventh as the first three Southwood batters reached with singles. Landen Goff came in relief for the junior but the Knights were destined to win.
Southwood picked up a run and had two runners in scoring position with two outs, trailing 7-5. Brennan Kelly popped a fly ball to shallow center field and two Whitko defenders collided, allowing both runs to score and tie the game. An eerily similar play happened later in the inning, allowing another Southwood player to score. The Knights would score six runs in the inning off five hits to take the lead.
The mental mistakes continued for the Wildcats in the bottom of the seventh as well. After reaching first on an error, Goff was tagged out after losing his footing trying to reach second on the overthrown ball. The next two Wildcats went down in order, including the game ending on a called third strike.
For Whitko, Wednesday’s loss was upsetting, disappointing and simply unexplainable. It was a game the Wildcats should have won. Should have.
“It’s only one game, but this is a tough conference,” Hisner said. “Southwood was one of the favorites coming in and we had them. This was a game that we lost.
“Give them credit for what they did at the end, but this wasn’t a game where I thought that they just beat us. We gave it to them.”
Whitko nearly beat one of the TRC’s top teams with a less-than-impressive performance. The Wildcats were tripled-up in total hits, 12-4 and had four errors compared to Southwood’s two.
Whitko did work the bases well when give the chance. Garrett Smiley’s performance was perhaps the most impressive of the day. The junior recorded no official at-bat though he reached base four times after being hit by a pitch and earning three walks. Smiley also had an RBI, scored twice and had two stolen bases.
Goff finished his night 1-2 with three RBIs while being walked once and reaching on an error. Goff highlighted the night on offense for the ‘Cats as he roped a ball into left field for a three-run triple. Zach Snep scored twice for the Wildcats while Gaff and Alex Bechtold each scored once. Sophomore Alex Robbins had the first hit of the night for Whitko in the third inning and would also score a run.
Whitko (4-6, 0-1) will host Lakeland this Friday. First pitch is slated for 5:00 p.m.