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The Wildcats returned from their spring break with a split in two games played last week, both with the Mayer Wildcats as the opponents. On Tuesday, Joseph City traveled to Mayer where they left for home with a 3-4 extra inning loss.
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Mayer scored single runs in each of the first two innings, only to see the Wildcats tie them with two runs in the top of the third. Joseph City then went three frames without scoring and found themselves trailing 3-2 going into the seventh. In the top of the inning the Cats pushed across one run to tie the game. Playing in extra innings Mayer scored the final run in the bottom of the eighth to get the 4-3 win.
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Joseph City finished with three runs on nine hits. Jay Edwards went three for three, with a RBI. KJ Kinlicheenie was two for three; Cameron Baldwin, two for four; Kaden Moss, one for four; and Avery Buckley went one for three, with a RBI.
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Joseph City had luck on the base paths finishing with seven stolen bases. D.J. Beatty was credited with three thefts. Kinlicheenie had two; and Colter Westover and Edwards each stole one base.
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Buckley worked three innings, giving up two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts. Baldwin pitched 2.1 innings allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts and walked two. Kinlicheenie also worked 2.1 frames giving up one run on two hits with two strikeouts and walked one batter.
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Three days later both Wildcat squads met up again, this time in Joseph City. This time the home town Cats scored two early runs and held that 2-0 lead until the top of the third where Mayer overtook them with four runs. The Wildcats answered in a big way scoring seven in the bottom of the third making the score 9-4.
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Mayer pulled within two with three runs in the fourth then took the lead with four more in the fifth. Joseph City scored twice in the bottom of the fifth tying the game at 11-11. Mayer appeared poised to win the game after scoring two runs in the top of the seventh. Not to be outdone though, Joseph City stole the game scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the game 14-13.
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The two teams combined for 33 hits in the game. Joseph City was led by Westover who went three for five, with two doubles; Baldwin, three for four; Toby Ballew, two for four; Buckley, two for three; and Edwards went two for five, with a double.
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Kinlicheenie went one for four, with a triple and four RBI; Tyler Penrod was one for three, with a triple and two RBI; and Sammie Hendricks went one for three.
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Joseph City again used three pitchers. Buckley worked 4.2 innings giving up nine runs on 12 hits with six strikeouts and walked one. Kinlicheenie pitched 1.1 innings allowing two runs on one hit with two strikeouts and walked one. Baldwin pitched one inning allowing two runs on two hits with one strikeout and one walk.
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With the split the Wildcats now stand at 1-2 in regular season contests. Their game scheduled for Saturday with Holbrook was canceled.
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After playing at Williams on Tuesday, Joseph City will host Williams on Thursday. Next Tuesday they will play at Ash Fork.
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