Late rally sends Wildcats to playoff series rubber game Thursday at St. Pius X
The Woodland Wildcats sent their best-of-three, first round state playoff series at St. Pius X in Atlanta to a rubber game on Thursday with a doubleheader split Wednesday night.
The host Golden Lions won the first game of the twin bill 2-0 but the Wildcats responded with a 4-3 Game 2 win.
The first round series deciding game will be played Thursday in Atlanta at 5:30 p.m.
GAME ONE: ST. PIUS X 2, WOODLAND 0
Golden Lions’ pitcher Matt Navarro tossed a complete game four hitter Wednesday to lead St. Pius X to a 2-0 shutout win over Woodland. The senior southpaw struck out eight in recording his win.
St. Pius X scored a single run in the first inning and added a second run in the third. Kevin Beirne drove in the first inning run with an RBI single. The third inning run scored after Will Tippett doubled, stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Kostopolous.
The four Woodland hits were all singles. Chase Carson, Julian Wright, Jacob Gravett, and Rowan Billings had one hit each for the Wildcats.
Billings (6 IP, 2R, 1ER, 8H, 0BB, 4K) suffered the disappointing loss despite a complete game effort and surrendering only one earned run.
GAME TWO: WOODLAND 4, ST. PIUS X 3
The Wildcats earned a doubleheader split Wednesday night with a 4-3 come-from-behind win at St. Pius X.
Playing as the home team in Game 2, Woodland tied the game at 3-3 on a two-out, RBI single by Jackson Rutledge and won the game in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh when Chase Carson scored on a wild pitch.
Both teams scored two runs in the second inning.
The Lions utilized a walk, a single, an error, and a fielder’s choice to plate their two runs.
In the bottom half of the second, Rutledge doubled home the first Wildcat run and Carson drove in the second run with a single to right field.
In the fourth, St. Pius X went up 3-2 on a walk and a pair of two out singles.
Woodland pitchers Conner Stermer (2 IP, 2R, 0ER, 1H, 2BB, 1K) and Hunter Shirley (5 IP, 1ER, 3H, 4BB, 4K) combined on the mound to limit the Golden Lions (21-10) to a single earned run.
Rutledge (double, 2 RBIs), Carson (double, RBI), and Jacob Gravett had two hits each in the Wildcats victory. Jakiyon Porter (RBI), Julian Wright, Ayden Ray, and Mason Williams added one hit apiece as Woodland (15-17) out hit St. Pius X ten to four.
Comments