Wildcats Close Regular Season with 7-2 Win over Shamokin

AdminMay 17, 2018Last Updated: May 17, 2018

2 minutes read

MILL HALL – Central Mountain closed out their regular season with a conference 7-2 win over visiting Shamokin.

The Wildcats went to work early plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning when Zach Eck reach base on a catcher’s interference call. The with one out on the board Mahlik Houtz hit a single while Eck used the opportunity to advance all the way to third base. Aaron Swartz would ground out to short, then Eck would score on an error with Houtz advancing to second base on the same play. Evan Prough would then work a walk to get on base followed by a single from Trevor Hanna to score Houtz ring the ‘Cats an early 2-0 lead.

Trevor Gardner would open up the second inning with a base hit. Then Rocco Stark out the ball in play and reached base on a Shamokin error. Zach Eck would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over. Asher Corl stroked out a base hit, plating both Eck and Stark in the process. Houtz followed on with a double to score Corl giving the Wildcats a 5-0 lead.

Shamokin scored a run of their own in the top of the third inning resulting from a pair of base hits and a walk.

Austyn Carson used a base hit, a stolen base, a ground out from Troy Gardner and a wild pitch to score another run in the bottom of the third inning to give the ‘Cats a 6-1 advantage.

Shamokin responded with another run in the fourth inning using a walk, a fielder’s choice and a base hit.

Central Mountain picked up the last run of the day in the fifth inning when Swartz led off with a single, then Prough moved Swartz to second on a ground out. Then with two outs on the board, Carson would pound out an RBI double to score Prough.

It was a another solid day on the mound for the Wildcats with Caleb Shade starting things off allowing 6 hits, four walks and striking out 1 batter in five innings of work. Zane Probst would come in for the close for the final two innings striking out two batters in the process.

The win takes Central Mountain to 12-7 overall and 8-2 in the PHAC. Today’s game was important in the conference race. Jersey Shore was also playing their last conference game of the season, hosting Selinsgrove. The Seals led much of the game 3-0 then ‘Shore battled back late for 2 runs in the fifth inning and two more in the bottom of the seventh inning, the last coming from a walk-off single by Tim Saar to give Jersey Shore the 4-3 win. The Bulldogs stand at 13-5 overall and 9-1 in the PHAC. Had the Dawgs lost to Selinsgrove, Central Mountain would have been PHAC co-champs.

Next up for the Wildcats will be the District 6 5A championship game to be played at PNG Park in Altoona on Thursday, May 24, 2018 against Hollidaysburg. The time of the game will be determined later.