The Avery Panthers and Cranberry Wildcats played a pair of thrilling five-inning baseball games on Monday evening to wrap up regular season play in the Toe River Conference. In game one Avery defeated Cranberry 3-2 in extra innings, while in the second contest Cranberry came from behind to pick up a 6-3 victory. The victories were the first of the season for both clubs.The Wildcats struck first in game one with a run in the top of the first inning as Patrick Jones reached base and came around to score on a single from Ian Franklin. Avery roared back in the bottom half of the frame to score a pair to take the lead at 2-1. Tyler Polsgrove singled for the Panthers with one out and both he and Chance Watson scored before inning's end to give the Avery club its edge.
Cranberry scored an equalizer in the top half of the third inning when Bryce Pittman laced a double to left field. Shea Buchanan came up next and also reached base on an error, helping Pittman come around to score the tying run.
The teams remained knotted at 2-2 despite both teams having opportunities to take a lead. In the fourth frame the Panthers stranded a runner at second base, while Cranberry stranded a runner at third in the top of the fifth inning. Avery looked poised to win in the bottom of the final frame in the five-inning regulation contest when it began the frame with a leadoff walk, but starting pitcher Shea Buchanan worked out of the jam to retire the side and force extra innings.
Avery starter Chance Watson retired Cranberry 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth inning and Watson helped his own cause in the bottom half of the frame when, with runners in scoring position, the right-hander laced a base hit to left-center field to plate Zack Dobson with the game-winner.
In the second game of the double dip, Avery took command off Cranberry starter Ian Franklin, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second inning for an early 2-0 lead. Three walks and a hit batsman forced in one run, while an RBI groundout by Luke Wotell scored the other tally.
Avery starting pitcher Tyler Polsgrove struck out five hitters through his first two innings, but ran into trouble in the third when Cranberry plated three runs to erase the Panther lead and tie the contest at 3-3.
Relief pitcher Hunter Guinn led the inning off with a walk and later scored when a bases loaded walk to Franklin forced him in for Cranberry's first run. The Wildcats tacked on two additional runs when Bryce Pittman looped a two-run single to center.
Guinn settled in on the mound in the fourth inning, his second inning of relief work, as retired the Avery side in order.
The Wildcat offense again came to life in the bottom of the fourth. Trey Hicks singled to lead off the frame and stole second base. Guinn then walked to put two runners on. The runners advanced into scoring position on a passed ball and Patrick Jones brought in Hicks with an RBI groundout to first base to give the Wildcats the 4-3 advantage.
The key hit of the game came next as Franklin belted a two-out double to the right centerfield gap to score a pair of insurance runs and give the Wildcats a 6-3 lead going into the final inning.
Guinn took the hill to close out the final inning but Avery looked to rally as leadoff hitter Chance Watson reached first base on an errant throw. Watson's hit was followed up by a walk and hit batsman to load the bases and brought the go-ahead run to the plate.
In a season where two teams have seen little go right for them, Cranberry got a big defensive play when it needed it the most. A sharp line drive to shortstop by Avery's Walker Carswell was shorthopped by Shea Buchanan, who fired to home plate for a force play. Catcher Alex Barker then fired a throw to third base for another force and double play. Guinn then struck out the final batter of the game to seal the dramatic win.
Both squads will begin Toe River Conference Tournament action on Wednesday afternoon, with Avery as the #5 seed and Cranberry the #6 seed by virtue of a coin toss that occurred following Monday's games.
