By William / www.mcpherson-county-ks.com

MOUNDRIDGE – As their coach said, it was a doubleheader played like Jekyll and Hyde as the Moundridge baseball team split with visiting Bennington, getting pummeled 13-3 in game one before hammering the visitors 11-1 in the nightcap.

With the split, the Wildcats are now 4-10 for the season as they prep to play host to rival Inman on Tuesday.

“Tonight, was our baseball version of Jekyll and Hyde,” noted Wildcat head coach Jason Rains. “We were two completely different teams between game one and two. I will never understand that dynamic, but it is the only way I can explain nights like tonight.”

In game one, Bennington put up six runs in the first two innings before scoring five more in the fourth and two in the fifth to pummel Moundridge for the final 13-3 win.

Logan Churchill went the first three innings on the mound for the Wildcats, giving up nine hits and just five earned runs due to four Wildcat errors, while walking just two and striking out six. Ty Rains came on to finish out the final two innings and gave up seven hits and the final four runs.

No single Wildcat had more than one of the six team hits though Churchill and Joaquin Huff each pounded out doubles. Moundridge left five run opportunities on the bases.

Regarding game one, coach Rains said, “We seemed to have no energy, while body language, communication and effort was not there as well. We did some things well, but not enough to overcome our own mistakes. Bennington just outplayed us in game one.”

The Wildcats scored three runs in the first, two in the second and six more in the third of the nightcap to gain the decisive 11-1 second game victory.

Talking game two, coach Rains added, “We came out with everything that we lacked in the first game. Energy was where it needed to be from the first pitch. We were aggressive at the plate, played solid defense and pitched well. It was a good team win.”

Anthony Everhart worked the mound for the Wildcats and threw a six hitter while giving up just one run, walking three and striking out eight.

Moundridge hammered out 11 hits in game two including three by Everhart who also scored twice and knocked in three runs. Huff and Ethan Brandeweide each recorded a pair of hits with Huff getting his second double of the day.

Concluding his post-game reflections, coach Rains continued, “If we could figure out how to sustain the team that we were in the second game, we could be a tough team to play. It will require some growth on the mental side of the game for us to get there.”

MOUNDRIDGE WILDCATS host Bennington

GAME 1:

Bennington  2-4-0-5-2-0-X=13-16-0

WILDCATS     1-0-0-0-2-X-X=3-6-4

WILDCATS PITCHING (IP-H-R-ER-SO-BB): Logan Churchill 3.0-9-9-5-6-2; Ty Rains 2.0-7-4-4-1-0. Team Totals: 5.0-16-13-9-7-2.

WILDCATS HITTING (AB-R-H-RBI-BB): Ty Rains 3-1-1-0-0; Joe Schrag 3-1-1-0-0; Anthony Everhart 3-1-1-1-0; Joaquin Huff 2-0-1-1-1; Ethan Brandeweide 2-0-1-1-0; Logan Churchill 2-0-1-0-0; Layton Weins 1-0-0-0-0; Lane Durst 2-0-0-0-0; Jerid Montague 2-0-0-0-0. Team Totals: 20-3-6-3-1. 2B (2): Huff, Churchill – 1. SB (4): Schrag, Everhart, Brandeweide, Rains – 1. LOB: 5.

GAME 2:

Bennington  0-1-0-0-0-X-X=1-6-1

WILDCATS     3-2-6-0-0-X-X=11-11-0

WILDCATS PITCHING (IP-H-R-ER-SO-BB): Anthony Everhart 4.2-6-1-1-8-3; Ethan Brandeweide 0.1-0-0-0-0-0. Team Totals: 5.0-6-1-1-8-3.

WILDCATS HITTING (AB-R-H-RBI-BB): Ty Rains 2-1-1-1-0; Joe Schrag 1-2-1-0-2; Anthony Everhart 3-2-3-3-0; Joaquin Huff 3-0-2-2-0; Ethan Brandeweide 3-1-2-1-0; Logan Churchill 2-1-1-0-1; Layton Weins 2-1-0-0-0; Lane Durst 2-2-1-0-0; Kaden Jenkins 2-1-0-1-0. Team Totals: 20-11-11-8-3. 2B (1): Huff – 1. SB (1): Rains – 1. LOB: 4.

(William is a free-lance writer covering McPherson County Activities – he can be reached at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)