Tharptown overcomes four-run deficit to beat Phillips

Photo by Bart Moss
Tharptown senior speedster Kaylee Bain slides in safely to third against Phillips.

By Bart Moss for the FCT

Tharptown 8, Phillips 7

The Tharptown Wildcats had to score five runs in the final inning to squeak out an 8-7 win over the Phillips Bears last week.

“We didn’t hit the ball real well,” said Tharptown Coach Tanna Benford. “We had a couple of bad innings where we made too many errors, but this team doesn’t quit until the last out.

“We have to work on playing more consistently and not taking plays off. That comes with age.”

Tharptown scored first when Shaylee Wieting singled in Kaylee Bain to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Wieting grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Olivia Ergle in the top of the second inning to give Tharptown a 2-0 lead. Bain scored again on an error by a Phillips outfielder to make the score 3-0 in the top of the fourth.

The Bears scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at three and scored four more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 7-3 lead over the Wildcats.

Tharptown started their comeback in the top of the seventh inning when Brooke Daily and Taylor Cameron scored on single by Aly Vandiver to make the score 7-5. Olivia Ergle scored on a ground ball by Wieting. Wieting scored on an RBI double by Klaudia Harris to tie the game at seven.

The Wildcats took the lead when Harris scored on an RBI single by Cara Ergle.

Kaylee Bain and Cara Ergle each had two hits each in the game. Olivia Ergle scored three runs, and Bain scored two runs. Wieting had four runs batted in.

Olivia Ergle was the winning pitcher, giving up four hits, seven runs, three walks and striking out eight.

“We are young and learning and growing up,” Benford said. “I love the ‘no quit’ attitude of this group.”