Big fourth inning gives Wildcats the win

By: 
Brent Sumner
Staff Writer

    The Wilmington varsity baseball team bounced back from a loss on Tuesday, as they secured a win over Kankakee the following day, 11-3.
    It took the Wildcats (4-1 overall) four innings to get on the board, but when they did, they did it in a big way, rallying for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth.
    Sam Jones got things started with a home run, driving in Will Hainline to take a 2-0 advantage.
    That was followed by an RBI single from Brett McWilliams, driving in Will Van Duyne, along with an RBI single from Matt Alexander to push in Jonathon Gholson.
    Conner Dempsay recorded a two-run single, followed by a triple from Brock Bolser, and RJ Van Duyne rounded out the scoring with a home run to push Wilmington up 9-0.
    Kankakee attempted a comeback, but could muster only three runs between the fifth and sixth innings.
    The Wildcats would add two more insurance runs in the sixth on solid base running from Dillon Tjelle and Zach Mietzner.
    Kankakee was unable to respond in the top of the seventh, as Wilmington secured their fourth win of the season.
    Garrett Roth picked up the win on the mound, putting in five innings of work.
    He surrendered two unearned runs off five hits, walked one and struck out five.
    Josh Jones closed out the remaining two innings, giving up just one earned run off two hits, walking one and striking out two.
    Wilmington hosted St. Anne on Tuesday, and will face Aurora Christian at home on Wednesday as well.
    The Wildcats will enter conference action on Friday, when they travel to Sandwich.
Morris 4,
Wilmington 2

    The Wildcats were unable to bounce back from an early deficit, as they wound up suffering their first loss of the season at the hands of Morris.
    Morris jumped out early, scoring off a double and a groundout to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
    Wilmington cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame, as McWilliams recorded an RBI double, driving in Sam Jones.
    The score would remain about the same down the stretch, with Morris adding one more run in the fourth to take a 3-1 advantage.
    In the seventh inning, Morris would move to 4-1 lead in the top of the frame, and Wilmington added another run in the bottom off an RBI single from l, pushing across Hainline.
    Tjelle received the loss on the mound for Wilmington, pitching five innings.
    He surrendered three earned runs off four hits, walked two and struck out two.
    Josh Jones pitched the final two innings, letting up one unearned run off one hit, walking one and striking out one.