The Wildcats of Joseph City opened their baseball season March 1 with a road loss, falling at St. Johns 10-4.
The Cats struggled to figure out St. Johns’ pitching as they had 14 strikeouts. That, combined with some fielding errors, really hurt the team’s chances of starting the season with a win.
Wildcat pitchers also pitched well, giving up just four hits to the Redskins, but too many walks and errors did them in.
Robert Larsen had a single with two RBIs, and Brandon Massey singled in one RBI.
This past weekend the Cats were in action at the Dunbar Classic in Ash Fork.
Friday’s pool play had the Wildcats facing Northland Prep, where they gave up four unearned runs in the first inning, but then settled down. In the second inning Joseph City pushed across seven runs, helping the Wildcats secure a 10-6 win. Zachary Miller went two for three with a single, a double, stole a base and scored three runs. Remington Baldwin stole one base and scored twice. Massey went one for two with a home run. Dallas Elmer was credited with the win on the hill.
Their second pool play game was against Mayer, and early on the Wildcats struggled with Mayer’s starting pitcher. The second time through the lineup though, they got things figured out. Joseph City used a strong pitching performance from Taylor Pogue to get the 7-2 win. Elmer went two for three with a home run and a stolen base. Baldwin was one for three with a stolen base and scored two runs.
Those two pool wins placed the Cats in the championship bracket, where they faced St. Michael on Saturday morning. Joseph City dominated this semifinal matchup, defeating St. Michael 13-5. Wyatt Johnson was the winning pitcher for the Cats. Miller went one for two, walked once, stole three bases and scored three runs. Massey went one for two with a double, a walk, stole one base and scored twice. Larsen went one for two with a walk and also scored two runs.
That win put Joseph City into the championship game of the tournament, where they met up with the host team Ash Fork. Facing the home team didn’t faze Pogue, who threw a five-inning no-hitter on just 41 pitches to help the Wildcats claim the championship with an 11-0 win.
“Taylor pitched great and the defense behind him was rock solid with Colton Spurlock making a great play to keep the game scoreless,” said Coach Eric Miller.
Baldwin was one for one with two walks. Brannick Carlisle went three for three nearly hitting for the cycle with a single, a double and a home run, along with stealing a base and scoring two runs. Massey went two for three with a single, a double and scored twice. Spurlock laid down a perfect bunt on a suicide squeeze play for an RBI.
The Wildcats have no varsity games until next week when they play Round Valley at Eagar on Wednesday, March 16. On Friday, March 18, they will face Ash Fork in a doubleheader contest.
Joseph City is currently 4-1 on the young season.
