BAXTER – With as many close games as the Montezuma Braves have played against good Class 1A baseball teams, don’t be surprised if the Braves are hard to knock out of the post-season tournament.
It happened again on Tuesday, June 17, when Baxter erupted for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to walk off the Braves, 8-7.
Baxter went to 9-4 with the win, while the Braves fell to a doesn’t-tell-the-whole story 4-7.
Montezuma scored a run in the first inning, and made it stand up through the fifth inning.
In the sixth, the Braves added one to go up 2-0, but Baxter came back with 5 in the bottom of the frame to lead 5-2 into the seventh inning.
The Braves muscled up and scored five runs in the top of the seventh to lead 7-5.
But Baxter plated three in the seventh for the win, 8-7.
The Braves made the most of five hits. Easton Hudnut had two hits.
Isaac Wedgewood had one hit and three runs batted in.
Ty Smothers had one hit, a stolen base and a run batted in.
Gavin Wilcox had one hit.
Broox Stockman drew a walk to drive in a run and stole a base.
Rett Pargeon was hit by a pitch and drew a walk. He was credited with one run batted in on one of those plays.
Montezuma played errorless baseball.
Luke Erselius pitched the first five innings for Montezuma. He gave up three hits and no runs. He walked one and struck out seven.
Isaac Wedgewood pitched 1.0 innings, allowed 4 hits and 5 runs, all earned. He walked two and struck out one.
Gavin Wilcox pitched two-thirds of an inning. He yielded 4 hits, and 3 runs, all earned. He walked one and didn’t strike out a batter.