Wildcats win opener, Colonels fall to Longhorns

Woodland opened the 2022 baseball season Monday night by pounding out 16 hits in an 18-12 win over visiting Carrollton. Woodland led 9-0 after two innings and scored in every offensive frame.

Carrollton narrowed the margin to 13-11 in the top of the fifth inning, but the Wildcats secured the win with a four-run sixth inning.

Chase Carson led the Woodland offense with four hits including a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Jacob Gravett (3 RBIs) and Julian Wright (2 RBIs) had three hits each. Rowan Billings finished with two hits including a double, a sacrifice fly, and two RBIs. Ayden Ray (double, sac fly, 3 RBIs), Mason Williams (sac fly, 3 RBIs), Conner Stermer (RBI), and Austin Sanders (double) added one hit each for the Wildcats.

Woodland utilized six pitchers to secure the win.

Hunter Shirley (2 IP, 0R, 0H, 1BB, 4K), Julian Wright (1 IP, 5ER, 5H, 3BB, 2K), Coby Barrett (1 IP, 0R, 0H, 0BB, 2K), Ayden Ray (0.2 IP, 5ER, 0H, 4BB, 2K), Conner Stermer (1.1 IP, 2R, 1ER, 2H, 2BB), and Austin Sanders (1 IP, 0R, 2H, 1BB, 1K) each took the mound for the Wildcats.

Woodland (1-0) travels to Paulding County Friday with first pitch scheduled for 5:55 p.m.

KELL 11, CASS 3

The visiting Kell Longhorns led 5-3 through six innings Monday night at Cass but then posted a six-run seventh inning to put the game away and defeat the Colonels 11-3.

Both teams scored twice in the first inning with Kell adding single runs in the second, third, and sixth innings for a 5-2 lead. Cass answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth before the Longhorns sealed the game with their seventh inning rally.

Caden Marcos, Tyler Bradford, and Nicholas Dawkins combined for six of Kell’s nine hits and five RBIs.

Carson Hill led the Colonels’ offense with two hits including a home run, a double, and three RBIs in a 2-for-3 performance. Aidan Larkin had one double in there at bats. Bentley Markley and Jesiel Moctezuma had the other Cass base hits.

Hayden Cole (3 IP, 4R, 2ER, 6H, 2BB, 3K) started on the mound and suffered the pitching loss for Cass. Aidan Cottingim (2.1 IP, 1R, 0ER, 1H, 2BB, 5K), Devan Hutchinson (1 IP, 4ER, 1H, 3BB, 2K), and Connor Jenkins (0.2 IP, 1ER, 1H, 1BB) also pitched for the Colonels.

Cass (0-1) hosts Central-Carroll Friday at 5:55 p.m. and plays a doubleheader at Paulding County Saturday starting at 12 noon.