Up 5-3, the Rattlers could not hold on to their lead and allowed the Wildcats to score 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th. Despite the Rattlers hitting 3 doubles in the game ( Jeter Battles -2, Darden Wetherell-1), the Rattlers came up short on the road. Reagan came out swinging with Battles roping a line drive double that one-hopped to the LF wall followed by a sac bunt from Caden Crofts to advance Battles to third base. Ryland Rangel got Battles across the plate with a ground ball to LF. Starting pitcher, Darden Wetherell, hit a monster double to LF in the 2nd, and Javi Cuevas scored Aiden Mlynek from second base with a line drive single to CF. Michael Yzaguirre’s fielder’s choice ball got him an RBI in the 3rd, scoring Caden Crofts. With 2 outs and a 1-2 count in the top of the 5th, Elias Leon got on with a line drive single to RF, then “Big Mike” Yzaguirre earned another RBI with a pop fly to RF that scored Keegan Baldwin. Wetherell led off the 6th with a hard ground ball single to CF and advanced to second on a balk, then Caleb Crider laid down the sac bunt to advance Wetherell to third. Cuevas perfectly executed some situational hitting with a sac fly to LF, scoring Wetherell and bringing the score to 5-0. Battles hit another bomb over the center fielder for a double, but the Rattlers grounded out on the next play. The Rattlers were rendered scoreless in the 7th even though “Big Mike” racked up another hit to CF.
Darden Wetherell started on the bump for Reagan and held the Wildcats scoreless for 4 innings. Wetherell pitched efficiently, throwing 50 pitches to 15 batters. He gave up 1 hit and recorded 1 strikeout and 2 walks. In the bottom of the 5th, Crider entered in relief for Reagan. Crider got the first 2 batters out with a ground out and a line out. With 2 runners on, Crider induced a pop out to Leon at catcher for the 3rd out. In the bottom of the 6th, the Wildcats’ bats woke up. Battles came in for relief with a score of 5-1, 1 out, and runners on first and second. The Wildcats went on to score 2 more runs. With 2 outs and a runner on third base, Cody Pictrowski entered the game on the mound and induced a pop-out to SS, Battles, for the 3rd out. In the bottom of the 7th with runners on first and second and 2 outs, the Wildcats got the walk-off win with a line drive to CF.
The Rattlers begin the first round of playoffs on Thursday, May 2 vs Clemens at Samuel Clemens High School @ 7:00 pm followed by game 2 on Friday, May 3 at North East Sports Park @ 7:30 pm.
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