Wildcats take wild senior day game from Hollidaysburg, 6-5
MILL HALL, PA – It was a high school baseball game with a little bit of everything: good plays, bad plays, an umpire’s call reversed, clutch hitting and more. And after Central Mountain and Hollidaysburg battled through eight innings at Mill Hall Community Park on Thursday, the Wildcats pulled out a 6-5 win. The victory likely all but clinched for CM the top seed in the District 6 Class 5A playoffs later this month. And the game was likely a preview of that upcoming D-6 final between the same two teams.
Thursday was a back-and-forth contest, Hollidaysburg jumping on top 3-0 with three unearned runs as the Wildcats committed an uncharacteristic three errors. Central Mountain meanwhile would be kept off the scoreboard by Golden Tiger freshman Carson Kensinger through the first three innings. Meanwhile Wildcat pitcher Landyn Carson, in his first varsity start on the mound, worked a solid five innings, giving up five hits and four runs, three of them unearned. It was 4-1 Hollidaysburg heading into the bottom of the fifth when the Wildcats pulled within two on a 2-RBI single from sophomore Cru Stover. The first ‘Cat run had come in the previous inning on an RBI single from fellow sophomore Gabe Johnson.
The game stayed 4-3 into the bottom of the seventh when Central Mountain worked a run off Tiger reliever Evan Shale, the tying run driven in again by Johnson to knot the game at 4-4 and into extra innings.
Hollidaysburg would regain the lead in the top of a wild eighth inning. Shale started the top of the inning with a leadoff double; Central Mountain misplayed a sacrifice attempt from the next batter and the Tigers had runners on first and third and no one out. Joe Bukosky singled in Shale for a 5-4 Tiger lead. With runners on first and third, ‘Cat pitcher Ashton Probst was called for a balk, scoring the runner from third for a 6-4 Hollidaysburg lead. But Wildcat coach Mike Kramer questioned the base umpire about the call and, after a consultation between the two umpires, the call was reversed and the runners returned to first and third and the run taken off the scoreboard. The Wildcats got their first out on a fielder’s choice, Hollidaysburg then with runners on second and third. The next batter hit a medium fly ball to Wildcat right-fielder Cayde McCloskey for the second out. Hollidaysburg tried to score another run from third on a sacrifice fly, but McCloskey made a direct throw to catcher Cy Probst who tagged out the runner as he came by; double-play, inning over, but Hollidaysburg up 5-4.
But Central Mountain wasted no time in tying, then winning the game in the bottom of the eighth. Leadoff hitter Peyton Johnson drilled a ground-rule double and scored easily off a line drive single from Aidan Major who advanced to second on the throw home. Walks followed to Cy Probst and Stover; bases loaded, no one out. McCloskey ended the game with a deep sacrifice fly to center field to put the final at 6-5, Central Mountain.
Ashton Probst picked up the win with three innings of one-run ball after a solid five innings from Carson. The two sophomores, Stover and Gabe Johnson, led the Wildcat hit attack with two each. Noah Grenninger, one of eight seniors recognized before the game, had a single in his lone at bat. Blade Myers also had a base hit.
Coach Kramer was pleased with his team’s comeback, calling it, “What a way for a senior night,” and another game with contributions from many, but cautioned that the Wildcats will “need to play much better” in the future. He complimented Carson for his five innings of work, stating he gave the team a chance to win the game.
For Central Mountain, it was win number nine in a row as the Wildcats move to 10-3 on the season. Hollidaysburg drops to 6-4 with the loss. The Wildcats are to be back in action Friday at home with Danville (8-5).
H 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 = 5-8-2
CM 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 2 = 6-8-3
