Wildcats blow two leads in as many nights

BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

After starting the season with four straight wins, the Kentville Wildcats have hit a rough patch, due mainly to an inability to hold a lead.

As Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra once said, ‘it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.’ That was certainly the case Wednesday evening at Memorial Park when the Wildcats surrendered a 13-0 lead and lost and again Thursday at Beazley Field in Dartmouth, dropping a 6-4 decision after blowing a 4-2 lead in the ninth.

On Wednesday, the Wildcats led the Halifax Pelham Canadians 13-0 after four innings - including a 10-run bottom of the second - only to have Halifax score 14 unanswered runs to claim a 14-13 win.

Trailing 13-0, the Canadians finally got on the scoreboard with a run in the fifth off Kentville starter Curtis Falls, who had breezed to that point and ended up allowing one run on five hits through five innings.

Halifax added three runs in the sixth, two of them scoring on wild pitches by Falls, to make it 13-4 before teeing off on the Wildcats’ bullpen.

Six-run seventh started comeback

The Canadians scored six runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth off a combination of Taylor Welch, Kevin Daurie and Pete Sonier, with the winning run crossing the plate when Chris Gallivan stole home.

Sonier, the pitcher of record when the winning run scored, took the loss, while Chris Munroe, who contributed four-plus scoreless innings (the Wildcats didn’t score after the fourth) picked up the win.

Each team finished with 15 hits, with Kentville’s coming in the first five innings and Halifax’s mostly coming late in the contest.

Mike Lockhart led the Wildcats with four singles and one RBI and Jeff Lockhart added two singles and a double and drove in three.

Les Berry had two singles and three RBIs, Ian Lockhart added two singles and one RBI, and Brad Steadman had an RBI double. Rob Shepherd had two RBIs and Luke Smith and Ryan Brothers one apiece.

Josh Pelham led Halifax with three singles and two RBIs and Shawn Peverill chipped in a two-run homer. Brandon Hunter had a pair of doubles, Gallivan had two singles and a double and two RBIs, and Greg Morrison had two singles and two RBIs.

Had lead in bottom of the ninth

On Thursday, Kentville led 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, with Shaun Marshall trying to save the win for starter Kevin Nichols, who had pitched seven strong innings.

However, Jay Washington hit a solo homer to make it 4-3, Dan Comeau hit an RBI double to tie the score, and with Comeau still on second, Joel Irvine hit a one-out, walk-off two-run homer to give Dartmouth the win.

Trevor Zwann picked up the victory in relief of starter Jason Bailey.

Trevor Wamback led a 10-hit Kentville offense with a single, double and home run. Luke Smith added two singles and Ryan Brothers chipped in three singles and one RBI. For Dartmouth, which finished with 13 hits, Irvine, Washington, Matt Thomas, Greg West and Comeau each had two hits, with Thomas also contributing a home run.

The Wildcats, who are scheduled to play a doubleheader Sunday in Truro, are next in action at home Wednesday evening at 7:30 when Dartmouth visits Memorial Park.