---

The Wildcats improved their overall record to 7-2 (6-1 league) as they won two league games last week and split a doubleheader at Mankato.

CL 9, Princeton 8 (8 innings)

Jake Warkel evoked memories of "The Natural" as his monstrous two-out blast caromed off the top of the light tower in straightaway left field to give the Wildcats a 9-8 extra-inning win over Princeton last Tuesday, July 1 at Chisago Lakes. The Wildcats came back from a huge deficit and relied on a great relief pitching performance by Quinn Collins to send the game into extra innings and set the stage for Warkel's big home run.

The Wildcats got behind the eight-ball early as Princeton scored four runs in the first inning and two in the second to take a 6-0 lead. Starting pitcher Joey Reed said his arm was bothering him, so Collins came in to relieve. Collins allowed one unearned run in the third, and then shut down Princeton in the fourth and fifth innings.

Luke Warndahl was hit by a pitch to begin the Wildcat rally in the bottom of the fifth. Alex Carlson's ground ball forced Warndahl at second. Collins singled to put runners on first and second. Aaron Rivard doubled to score both runners and get the Wildcats on the board. Jack Faith was hit by a pitch and Joey Reed reached on an error to load the basis. Eric Reed walked to force in a run. Warkel grounded out to drive in the fourth run Zak Vrudny singled in two more runs to cut Princeton's lead to 7-6. Warndahl walked, then Alex Carlson singled to tie the game at 7-7.

Princeton scored an unearned run in the sixth to re-take the lead. The Wildcats tied it back up in the bottom of the inning. Aaron Rivard led off with a double. Jack Faith's groundout moved Rivard to third. After Joey Reed was hit by a pitch, Eric Reed hit a fly ball to right. The right fielder dropped the ball and Rivard scored to tie the game at 8-8. Then Warkel, replaced by Brian Eichten for defensive purposes in the seventh, re-entered the game with two outs in the bottom of the eighth and ended the game with a blast for the ages.

CL 17, Pine City 0

The Wildcats pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of nine Pine City errors to skewer the Dragons 17-0 last Thursday, July 3 at Pine City in a game shortened to five innings because of the ten-run rule. Six Wildcats had two hits apiece: Aaron Rivard, Eric Reed, Adam Gemuenden, Ryan Rivard, Joey Reed and Brian Eichten. Ryan Rivard pitched all five innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six to earn the shutout victory.

CL 5, Mankato 4

Tom Fitzer's three-run double gave the Wildcats a 5-0 lead in the second inning. Mankato came back with four runs in the fifth, but reliever Eric Reed and the Wildcat defense held Mankato scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings to give the Wildcats a 5-4 win in the first game of the Sunday, July 6 doubleheader at Mankato.

With one out in the top of the second, Ryan Rivard singled, Tyler Henderson reached on an error and Zak Vrudny walked to load the bases. Brian Eichten grounded out to second to drive in the first run. Kyle Buchanan walked to load the bases. Aaron Rivard walked to drive in the second run of the inning. On a 1-2 count, Fitzer drilled the ball into the right field corner to clear the bases and give the Wildcats a 5-0 lead.

Starting pitcher Joey Reed cruised through the first four innings, but ran into a little trouble in the fifth. After Mankato loaded the bases with no outs, Eric Reed replaced Joey Reed. A walk, a groundout and a single drove in three runs for Mankato. After the next batter struck out, Eric Reed walked the next two batters to force in another run.

The next batter ripped a ball down the first base line that looked headed for the right field corner. Somehow, first baseman Eichten deflected the ball and it rolled 30 feet farther down the line. Eichten chased the ball down, turned and fired a strike to Eric Reed covering first. Eichten's throw beat the runner by a few inches, and the Wildcats hung on to their 5-4 lead.

Bad baserunning cost Mankato the chance to tie the game or take the lead in the sixth. The first batter reached on an error. The next batter singled to right. The throw from center missed the cutoff man and came through to catcher Eric Reed. For some reason, the Mankato runner decided to try to get to third base and Reed easily threw him out for the inning's first out. The other baserunner moved up to second.

The next batter hit a line drive to center field. The runner on second, thinking there two out, took off at the crack of the bat. The ball was hit directly at center fielder Aaron Rivard, who raced in, made the easy catch and flipped the ball to second to complete the double play and end the Mankato scoring threat. Eric Reed shut down Mankato on just seven pitches, including a strikeout, in the seventh inning to seal the 5-4 wins for the Wildcats.

Mankato 13, CL 3

Mankato scored ten runs in the second inning as they cruised to a 13-3 win over the Wildcats in the second game of the doubleheader.

The Wildcats took a lead in the first inning. Tom Fitzer singled, stole second and scored on two wild pitches to put the Wildcats up 1-0. After scoring a run to tie it in the bottom of the first, Mankato used seven hits, a walk, a hit batter, two Wildcat errors and a sacrifice fly to score ten second inning runs and take an 11-1 lead.

The Wildcats rallied in the top of the third. Aaron Rivard tripled with one out and scored on Fitzer's infield hit. With two outs, Fitzer scored on Joey Reed's double. But a pickoff ended the Wildcat threat. Mankato scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to stretch their lead to ten runs and end the game.

The Wildcat season continues this week with a home game Tuesday, July 8 and a game at North Branch tonight at 6:30 p.m. at North Branch High School. The Wildcats will play four games next week to finish up the regular season.

---