Wildcats get everything working vs. Harbor Springs
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ALPENA -- The Alpena High School baseball team (10-3) continues to dominate and roll with momentum after winning the last five games in a row.
The Wildcats faced off against the Harbor Springs Rams on Monday and finished both games strong with two comeback wins.
Timely hitting along with good enough pitching proved to be enough for Alpena to sneak past Harbor Springs.
"We started very slow compared to our past games, but we had well-timed hitting, good baserunning, and we're getting to where we need to be as a team. It's still early in the season and we've only been outside for a short time, but we're starting to come together and play well," Alpena coach Eric MacKenzie said.
Game one of the doubleheader started off slow between both teams and was a pitcher's duel early.
Jonny Rensberry started on the mound for the Wildcats and gave them quality innings when the team was low on pitchers.
Rensberry pitched two scoreless innings to start, but Harbor Springs started to put up a few runs during the top of the third inning.
Back-to-back walks and an error by the Wildcats set up two runners that would eventually be scored on a bunt by Maxwell Bassett and a rbi groundout by Nathaniel Schumaker. The Rams also scored a third run on a single from Tyler Piper.
Down 3-0 going into the bottom of the inning, the Wildcats were able to answer with one run scored by Kaleb Donajkowski.
Once again, Alpena found itself in some trouble and turned to Brady Niedzwiecki to pitch the remainder of the game.
Two more runs were scored by Harbor Springs during the fourth inning after a pair of walks were scored on a single to the outfield from Jack Clancy.
Alpena could only respond with two runs of its own during the bottom of the fourth. Caleb McEwen and Landon Spomer both got on base to set up a RBI single from Rensberry. Gabe Glawe was then hit by a pitch, scoring the second runner of the inning.
The Rams scored its final run of the game during the top of the sixth inning on a sac-fly from Brady Keiser scoring Nolan Kennedy.
Alpena's offense caught fire in the bottom of the sixth inning by scoring six runs and completing the comeback. Highlights during the inning were a two-RBI triple from Donajkowski, an RBI single from Hunter Cohoon, and a RBI single from McEwen.
Going into the final inning Harbor Springs was down three runs and couldn't score anymore as Niedzwiecki closed out the game.
Game two was another come-from-behind win that started with two early runs from Harbor Springs in the top of the first inning.
The Wildcats answered back at the Rams in the bottom of the second inning after a single from Cohoon was followed up by a double from Donajkowski. Spomer then drove both runners in to tie the game at 2-2.
Immediately after, Rensberry gave Alpena the 3-2 lead on a ground ball, scoring Spomer.
Harbor Springs regained the 4-3 lead in the top of the third on a two-rbi single from Clancy.
The Rams added another run the very next inning and expanded its lead to 5-3.
With Alpena unable to tally any runs of its own, Harbor Springs recorded one more final run to give them a 3-run lead going into the final two innings.
It wasn't until the bottom of the sixth inning that the Wildcat's late heroic story began. Brady Kollen knocked in Cohoon and Donajkowski on an error by Harbor Springs to cut the deficit to one run. Niedzwiecki ripped a single to left field, scoring a run to tie the game at 6-6.
It all came down to Brady Pagels with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Pagels delivered on a line drive to the left fielder to walk the game off and win both games of the doubleheader.
Alpena plays Midland on Saturday.