HERRERA DRIVES IN FIVE IN WIN OVER POTTSVILLE

Brooks Herrera drove in five runs, Dax Goff homered for the sixth time, and Jace Washburn was solid in his second straight start in a 10-4 win over Pottsville Monday night.

The Bearcats (7-4) jumped in front 1-0 in the first inning on Goff’s solo shot with two down. Goff (2-4) would later double and continues to have more extra base hits than singles.

A walk, a steal, and a pop fly that wound up being a double allowed the Apaches to tie the game in the bottom of the inning but the Bearcats scored three times with two down in the top of the second to retake the lead.

Washburn had reached on an error leading off the second but was still at first with two down when Conner Lentz worked a walk. Both advanced on a passed ball and came home on a double by Herrera (2-fir-5) and it was 3-1.

Rhett Nietert (2-for-5) followed with a single to score Herrera and it was 4-1.

Pottsville responded with a run in its second at bat, combining a hit batter, a walk and a two-out single. The Apaches looked to do more damage but shortstop Peyton Tatum ran down a flare in shallow left field to retire the side with the tying runs in scoring position.

Tatum (2-for-4) then led off the third with a double to center. After an infield single by Dunn Daniel Washburn grounded out. Matt O’Bar put down a squeeze bunt that became a base hit and an RBI to make it 5-2.

David Hicks reached on an error that allowed a run to score and after two were down Herrera doubled to right to score two for an 8-2 lead.

The Bearcats loaded the bases in the fifth on singles by Washburn and Hicks and Lentz being hit by a pitch. Herrera plated his fifth run with what looked to be his third hit but Hicks was erased at third.

Nietert’s second RBI single made it 10-2.

A triple and a wild pitch led to Pottsville scoring two in their fifth to cut it to 10-4.

A line drive double play disrupted what appeared to be a promising Bearcats sixth but Washburn kept it a six run lead by stranding a hit batter in the bottom of the inning.

That wrapped up a 96-pitch outing and a second start with six innings. of work by Washburn (2-0).

Herrera allowed a walk and a single in the Apache seventh but finished it without further damage.

The Bearcats are back in action at 3:30 today at Cossatot River. The start time was moved up in hopes of beating a forecasted storm.