The Wildcats of Joseph City had a busy week on the diamond, earning a 2-2 split in four games played during last week.
Their week began in fine form with a 7-0 shutout of their rival Mustangs on Tuesday in Heber.
Joseph City started well with two runs in each of the first two innings. The Wildcats scored again in the fourth, then finished off the scoring with two runs in the sixth inning of the region win.
The Cats pounded out 12 hits led by Troy Poudrier, who went 3 for 4 with two doubles and a triple, two RBIs and scored three runs. Dylan Romero and Cameron Baldwin also hit doubles in the win.
Bryndon Buckley earned the win on the hill, working all seven innings. He allowed no runs on just three hits with 12 strikeouts and walked none.
Things didn’t go quite as well in Round Valley the following day, where the Cats came up short in a 14-7 loss to the Elks.
Round Valley jumped out early, piling up 12 runs in the first three frames. Joseph City scored six runs in the final three innings, but it was too little, too late.
The Wildcats were held to just seven hits, with three coming from Buckley, two of which were doubles, and two from Poudrier.
Joseph City utilized four pitchers in the game. KJ Kinlicheenie, Jesse Hulsey, Kolton McCormick and Ben Spurlock combined to give up 14 runs on 11 hits with no strikeouts and walked nine Elk batters.
Joseph City returned to region play with a trip to Mayer on Friday for a doubleheader.
The visiting Wildcats came from behind with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the hometown Wildcats, 5-4.
Romero went 3 for 4 with a double. Buckley went 2 for 4 with two doubles. Rance Haddox and Baldwin also hit doubles in the win.
Coach Shawn Layden again used a quartet on the mound. Hulsey, Romero, McCormick and Baldwin allowed just four runs on five hits with two strikeouts and walked six.
Game two of the twin bill nearly went just like the first. Joseph City trailed by 11-7 heading into the final inning where the visitors once again scored four runs to tie the game at 11-11. This time around, however, it was Mayer that scored the final run in the bottom of the seventh to win the game 12-11.
At the plate, Buckley went 3 for 5; Romero, 3 for 4 with a home run; Rance Haddox, 3 for 4; and Hulsey, 2 for 4 with a double.
Poudrier pitched six innings, allowing 11 runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and walked five. Baldwin came on in relief and pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up one run on two hits with two strikeouts.
With the split the Wildcats moved their regular season record to 8-5, leaving them ranked eighth in the 1A rankings as they entered this week. They were slated to host Show Low on Monday and Mogollon on Tuesday before playing in the Morenci Lions Tournament this weekend.
Next week the Wildcats wrap up the regular season with road trips to Williams on Tuesday and Northland Prep on Wednesday.
