The North Callaway Thunderbirds rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to bring home a conference, district and rivalry victory 7-6 over the Montgomery County Wildcats Thursday.
North Callaway benefited from some Wildcat command issues. Four of the first five batters reached by walk to start the seventh. Tucker Sheets drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, then the Thunderbirds tied the game by scoring on a wild pitch. CJ Cunningham ended the night.
North Callaway opened the game’s scoring in the bottom of the first. Coltyn O’Neal led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored when a pickoff attempt by the catcher was thrown wide.
That 1-0 score held until the top of the fifth. With two outs and a runner on, North Callaway hit a batter then walked the next two for the tie. It set up Adrian Combs for a big swing.
Jacob Hogue added an infield RBI single to put the visitors up 5-1. The Thunderbirds chipped away in the bottom half with RBI singles by Keaton Bell and Caleb Sheets. Montgomery added an RBI double by Edwin Garcia in the sixth.
North Callaway’s Bell went 2-for-3 with a walk at the plate and also delivered three scoreless innings on the mound to start the game. He earned Freeman Financial and Insurance Outstanding Player of the Game.
Carson Bassett and Chance Green each threw two innings and Green was awarded the win. Montgomery’s Noah Beck ran out of pitches after giving up three runs over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five. Garcia and Chase Queathem appeared in relief. Queathem took the loss. The Wildcats fall to 9-5, 4-2 EMO. North Callaway moves to 12-1, 8-0.
North Callaway coach Kirt Kleidienst Postgame:
