Wildcats take down Bears
By Bart Moss for the FCT
The Tharptown Wildcats had three big innings last week as they rolled past the Phillips Bears 16-11.
The Wildcats only gave up three hits to the Bears but made four errors, allowing multiple runs to score. Tharptown scored their 16 runs on 10 hits.
The Wildcats were led by senior T.J. McDonald, who went 3-for-4 with six RBIs and four runs scored.
Tharptown scored four runs in the top of the first inning. Britton Kennamore had an RBI single, scoring Hunter White. McDonald later doubled in Kennamore. McDonald scored on an RBI single by Dakota Nolen.
After stealing second base, Nolen scored on a fielder’s choice.
Phillips would pick up three runs in the bottom of the first inning, giving Tharptown a 4-3 lead.
Phillips took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but the Wildcats would get the lead back, scoring two in the top of the third inning. McDonald got his second double of the game scoring Carson Petree, who was hit by a pitch. McDonald would later come around to score on a sacrifice fly by Braden Key. Tharptown led 6-5.
Phillips scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to take 9-6 lead over the Wildcats. Tharptown answered again, scoring five runs in the top of the fourth inning. Les Montgomery scored on an RBI single by White. White and Kennamore scored on fielding and throwing errors by the Bears. McDonald scored later on a passed ball.
The Wildcats led the Bears 11-9 at the end of the top of the fourth inning – a lead the Wildcats would hold on to for the remainder of the game.
Tharptown scored four more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Tharptown got their final run when Petree stole home in the top of the seventh inning.
Kennamore went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Nolen went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and scored a run. White had three RBIs and scored three times. Key had two RBIs.