The Wildcats celebrate a 2 run HR by Ethan Evans
MHS - Baseball / April 27, 2015 By Kasey McDowell
Below is an article by Ryan Tarletsky, CatchItKansas Web Producer.
The below link also contains photos and highlight video.
Article - Mulvane survives comeback, completes one of their own
Link: http://www.catchitkansas.com/sports/baseball/mulvane-survives-comeback-completes-one-of-their-own/32542682
CLEARWATER, Kan. -It was an uphill battle after the first inning in game one Thursday for Mulvane. After quickly falling behind 2-0 after the first inning, it took the Wildcats 9 innings to pull off their 12-9 victory over Clearwater.
Mulvane trailed 3-0 entering the top of the fourth inning, still searching for their first until the Wildcats fired off four straight hits to tie the game 3-3, highlight by an RBI double by Tyce Miller.
After Clearwater added two runs in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to an RBI single by Collin Ellis, Mulvane's offense exploded in the top of the fifth.
After loading the bases, Brandon Doramus lined into a double play , putting the Wildcats offensive plans on hold. But after a walk and a hit by pitch, Blake Dunlap hit a 2 RBI double to start the rally.
Entering the bottom of the seventh, Mulvane held onto a 9-7 lead. Thanks to two walks, a hit by pitch and a Mulvane error, Clearwater was able to tie things at 9-9.
Two innings later, Mulvane played small ball, scratching across a run in the top of the 9th inning thanks to a botched double play attempt which would have ended the inning. The very next batter, Ethan Evans, proceeded to hit a 2 run home run. Evans headed into the at bat 0-4, but took his 2-0 pitch over the left field wall to give the Wildcats a 12-9 lead.
Mason LeClair took care of the Indians in order in the bottom of the ninth.
"I told Mason to be ready for anything," said Mulvane head coach Daniel Myears. "He came in a just did his thing."
LeClair, a Cowley College recruit, threw 2.2 innings to end the game, earning the win while striking out 5 hitters and not allowing a run.
Game 2
In similar fashion to game one, Mulvane would come through in the clutch in game two, scoring 8 runs in the top of the seventh inning to earn a 10-3 victory, clinching the sweep on the day.
Mulvane was stymied offensively, thanks to a dominant performance on the mound by Clearwaters Luke Sipp. Sipp had struck out 9 batters in the first six innings while allowing 2 unearned runs in the third inning.
Holding onto a 3-2 lead with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Mulvane somehow loaded the bases. That's when things got crazy.
"I don't know how it happened," said Myears. "We always talk about trying to be productive in every at-bat, and it looked grim for a while. But they didn't quit."
With just one out left to play with, Mulvane reeled off 8 runs in the seventh inning, completely destroying any Clearwater hopes of splitting the double header. Mulvane capitalized off of three hit batters, one walk and three Clearwater errors en route their biggest inning of the night. Josh Plummer highlighted the inning with a 2 RBI single before Clearwater recorded the final out.
That's when a familiar face stepped on the mound in LeClair.
"He came up to me and told me once we take the lead, he wants to be on the bump," said Myears.
Without hesitation, Myears did just that. LeClair struck out two more batters before getting the final Clearwater hitter to fly out to third base.
With the two victories coming in gutsy situations, Myears hopes his team can realize their full potential.
"I hope this spring-boards us," said Myears. "We keep trying to instill the fact that we are a good baseball team and when we put the good things together we can compete in every contest."
