Cat Win Two Thrillers over Central Baptist
MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The Bethel Lady Wildcats, fresh off a doubleheader sweep of Brescia remained at home to host the Central Baptist Mustangs Thursday. For fans who like offense, clutch hits, comebacks and thrilling endings, Lady Wildcat Park was the place to be.
In game one of the doubleheader the Mustangs took a 2-0 lead in the first. The Wildcats answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Alexis Wheeler tied the game with a two run RBI single. Jezabelle Quintana followed with a two run RBI single to put the Cats up 4-2.
The Mustangs cut the Wildcat lead to 4-3 with a run in the top of the third. Bethel's Emma Johnson led off the bottom of the inning with a homer to left. Wheeler who singled in the inning scored on a CBC error to up the Wildcat margin to 6-3.
The Mustangs scored two runs in the top of the fourth to make it 6-5.
CBC took a 10-6 lead with five runs in the top of the fifth.
Bethel tied the game with a four spot in the bottom of the fifth. Wheeler homered to lead off the inning. Maria Murdaugh drove in two runs with a single. Kinsley Caruthers singled to drive in the tying run.
CBC took a one run lead at 11-10 with a run in the top of the sixth. The Cats tied it with run in the bottom of the frame. Wheeler led off with a double and came home on Kalani Kuroda single.
Bethel won the game in the bottom of the eighth when Emma Johnson slid face first into home to score
on a CBC error. The dramatic finish found Bethel winning 12-11.
Bethel outhit the Mustangs 16-15.
Kuroda picked up the Wildcat win.
Game two saw a dramatic comeback play out for the Lady Cats. Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Cats got a two out two run single off the bat of Emma Johnson. Caruthers and Murdaugh scored on the play. With Bethel down to their last strike, Wheeler tied the game with a double, driving in Johnson. Kirsten Eversole put the ball in play and Wheeler scored on a CBC error giving the Cats the 4-3 win and the twin bill sweep.
Lauren Reimsnyder went the distance and picked up her second straight win.
Coach John Weeks sent his squad the following message Thursday morning, " I do not fear the risk of failure. I embrace it eagerly, with the anticipation of every obstacle it has to throw at me. No matter the outcome, I realize for me to become better, I must at times fail, but it is my drive to become the absolute very best I can be that fuels my relentless pursuit for greatness,"
Weeks explained his reasoning after the games Thursday night. " I needed them to know I realize we are young and lack experience but we will not be afraid of failure and let fear dictate the outcome of our game. With each game we play, we become a different team gaining confidence and the experience we will need as our season moves forward. Tonight, we were resilient. "
The Wildcats are 4-2 on the season. CBC fell to 5-10.