Las
Vegas Wildcats Rally to Quiet Thunder
ARROYO GRANDE PARK – The Santa Clarita, Calif. Thunder
enjoyed some late summer monsoon season weather when they
battled the Las Vegas Wildcats in the Triple Crown Fall
Nationals 9 and under tournament recently held in Henderson,
Nev.
The Wildcats came into the game 0-2 in pool play with
a 15-0 loss to the Southern California Storm and a 12-6
loss to the Arizona Desert Blaze. They were looking for
a victory to avoid being the bottom seed in the consolation
final round. Meanwhile, the Thunder came into the game
a perfect 2-0.
Wildcat shortstop Hunter Welch got the game started with
a single. He then stole second and advanced to third on
a bunt single by left fielder Zach Zimdars. First baseman
Anthony Martine drove Welch home for the first score. Zimdars stole second and advanced on the single by Martine, scoring
on a throwing error that got pitcher Tanner Howell to first
base after a strikeout. Martine advanced to third base
on the error and scored on a single by James Anderson.
Howell and Anderson later scored to give the Wildcats a
5-0 lead.
The Wildcats added an insurance run in the second inning
when Zach Zimdars walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice
by Anthony Martine and then continued on to the plate by
two wild pitches. The Wildcats had a commanding lead, but
the Thunder weren’t willing to give up so easy.
In the bottom of the second, the Thunder’s Cody
Conrad walked, stole two bases and scored on a wild pitch.
Gabriel Peralta also walked, stole second, advanced to
third on a wild pitch and then scored on a single by Charlie
Lavine. The Thunder scored two runs and cut into the Wildcats
lead 6-2.
They went back on the attack in the bottom of the third
inning when Q. Daniels walked and stole second. He was
advanced to third on a single by Kyle McGraw and scored
on a passed ball. The Thunder left two players stranded,
but cut into the Wildcats lead 6-3.
The Santa Clarita Thunder kept nipping at the Wildcat’s
tail, adding three more runs in the bottom of the fourth
to tie the game. Gabriel Peralta walked, advanced to second
when Kameron Davis walked, and ran to third base on a double
steal. Peralta scored on a past ball and Davis advanced
to third on a sacrifice by Justin Donatella. Davis found
his way home on a past ball, giving the Thunder two runs.
Andrew Penner got the action going again when he was hit
by a pitch and then stole second and third. He ended up
scoring on a wild pitch, tying up the game 6-6.
The Wildcats went back on the attack to regain the lead
in the top of the fifth. Dakota Gritiano singled and then
advanced to second when Joseph Giuliano walked. He advanced
to third on a single by Brian Carter that loaded the bases.
Jake Hicks then came up and smacked a double, scoring Gritiano and Giuliano. Hunter Welch then came up and drove a ball
to deep center field that was caught by Q. Daniels. The
fly was deep enough to score Welch, and the Wildcats regained
the lead 9-6.
In the bottom of the fifth, the dedicated Thunder players
were unwilling to give up. J.D. Krauskopf singled and then
stole second. He advanced to third base on a single by
Jimmy Hennelly and then was thrown out at the plate. A
few plays later, the Wildcats caught Hennelly trying to
steal third after a walk by Cody Conrad advanced him to
second. Conrad turned around and stole second and third,
and then scored on a single by Gabriel Peralta. Peralta stole second, but was left stranded in the bottom of the
last inning after a strikeout.
The Wildcats survived the Thunder’s threat 9-7 and
finished 1-2 in pool play. <more
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