BEARCATS FALL IN EXTRA INNING

Rallies in both the top of the seventh and eighth would not be enough for the Bearcats in Cove yesterday because Cossatot River scored one run in the bottom of the seventh to force an extra inning, and two in the bottom of the eighth to win it.

In the seventh it was Dylan Todd drawing a leadoff walk and stealing second base – his third theft of the day – then scoring on a Jace Washburn single to tie the game at 3-3.

Washburn moved to second on a throw home and Casey Carter put down a bunt for to sacrifice Washburn to third and when it was thrown into right field, Washburn gave the Bearcats the lead.

Hayden Daniel was attempting to sacrifice pinch runner Tayden Washburn for an insurance run but Tayden Washburn was cut down at the plate.

An error started the bottom of the seventh but Rhett Nietert got a fielder’s choice ground ball for the first out of the inning but a double on his 110th pitch of the game tied the game again at 4-4.

Nietert struck out nine on his way to a pitch limit removal. He allowed eight hits and just three earned runs.

Todd (1-2) took over and issued an intentional walk then got out of the inning with a strikeout and a fly ball.

Aboard for the third time without a hit, Clint Osborne started the extra frame with a walk and moved to second on a passed ball. An out later Nietert delivered a triple for a 5-4 lead.

A fly ball on which Nietert was trying to score became a double play to end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning a walk and two base hits loaded the bases but an infield fly that was dropped became a double play when the runner at second left the base.

But an errant pickoff attempt tied the game at 5-5 and moved the winning run to second, which scored on a single.

The Bearcats had led 2-0 in the first as the first five hitters singled – Casey Carter and Hayden Daniel had the RBIs – but a strike out/pick off recorded the first two outs of the game and the Eagles got out of it without further damage.

Cossatot got one run back in the bottom of the first and went in front with two runs in the third.

The Bearcats left the bases loaded in the fourth and left the tying run at third in the sixth before finally taking the lead in the seventh.

The Bearcats (8-6, 3-3 Conference 3A-4) close out conference play with a home game against Paris today at 4:30.