’Cats drop to 11-15 with 11-3 loss to Moosehead Dry

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

It’s crunch time for the Kentville Wildcats.

The Wildcats have clinched an NSSBL playoff berth, but will likely need to win all their remaining games in order to avoid a fourth-place finish and a first-round playoff meeting with a Dartmouth squad that’s defeated them five of six times in the 2008 regular season.

The latest loss came August 3 at Memorial Park, when the Wildcats collected 13 hits but could score only three runs in an 11-3 loss to the Moosehead Dry.

Dartmouth built an 8-0 lead through four innings and rode the pitching of Craig Langille (three runs allowed through seven innings) and Matt MacDonald to the win.

The Wildcats managed their share of hits (Kevin Benjamin had three singles, and Ian Lockhart, Jeff Lockhart and Brad Steadman had two singles apiece), but couldn’t manage to translate their hits into runs.

Jeff Bishop started on the mound for Kentville, pitched into the fifth inning and was tagged with the loss. Corey Kent and Taylor Welch both appeared in relief.

The loss dropped Kentville’s record to 11-15 with three regular season games remaining, the first of which was set for Wednesday of this week at home against Halifax. The Wildcats also have makeup games to play in Truro (Aug. 15) and Halifax (Aug. 17) – and realistically, will need to win all three (and have Truro lose at least three of its remaining games) to have any hope of finishing in third spot.