Truro clinches third in NSSBL with 5-3 win over Wildcats

BY JOHN DECOSTE

NovaNewsNow.com

The Kentville Wildcats gave it their best shot, but will end up fourth in the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League standings.

The Truro Bearcats scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning off Curtis Falls and Pete Sonier and held on for a 5-3 win over Kentville Friday evening in Bible Hill.

Craig Higgins had pitched well, but found himself trailing 3-2 before his teammates bailed him out with their late rally. Higgins ended up with a complete-game seven-hitter.

Falls, who pitched into the eighth for the Wildcats, was tagged with the loss.

Between them, Falls and Sonier allowed the potent Truro offense just nine hits, but weren’t helped by four Wildcat errors behind them. Truro made three errors of its own in what was a sloppy game defensively.

Kentville took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, but Truro scored twice in the bottom of the fifth for a 2-1 lead. The Wildcats tied the score with a run in the seventh and took a 3-2 lead with another single marker in the top of the eighth.

Luke Smith homered and singled for Kentville, Rob Shepherd singled and doubled and DH Trevor Wamback chipped in an RBI double.

For Truro, Joe MacPherson singed and doubled, Jeff Chisholm had a two-run double, Matt Davis had an RBI double and J.P. Wood had two singles and one RBI.

The Truro win clinched third place in the NSSBL regular season standings for the Bearcats (13-14), with Kentville (11-17) settling for fourth spot.

The first-round playoff match-ups were also finalized, with Truro meeting Halifax and Kentville taking on first-place Dartmouth. The Moosehead Dry won five of six regular season meetings with the Wildcats, but three of Kentville’s losses were by one run.