Bearcats Hold Off Tigers For Rivalry Win

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In a back-and-forth matchup throughout, the W.F. West baseball team was able to hold off late dramatics from Centralia in a 6-5, extra innings win Friday evening at Ed Wheeler Field in Fort Borst Park. 

Clinging to a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bearcats couldn’t do enough to keep the Tigers off the board, giving up a single run to send the game into extras, but responded with a two-run top of the eighth. 

After Logan Moore was hit by the pitcher, and advanced to third on a wild pitch, Evan Stajduhar hit a single to score him. Stajduhar then advanced on a stolen base and ran all the way across home plate after Braden Jones’ single to give the Bearcats a two-run cushion with Hunter Lutman set to take the mound for the save in the bottom of the eighth.

Lutman ran into early trouble, walking a few batters and giving up a single run, but slammed the door to help the Bearcats earn the league victory. 

Gavin Fugate led the Bearcats with two RBIs on a 1 for 4 day at the plate, and for the Tigers, Landen Jenkins went 2 for 3 with a run scored and two doubles. Cole Wasson had a run and two runs batted in on a 1 for 2 day. 

Broc Ruege started for Centralia on the mound, going 4 ⅔ innings with four earned runs and three strikeouts. Jones started for the Bearcats, going three innings with no earned runs, three strikeouts, and a walk. 

The Bearcats will play Tumwater Saturday in a makeup game at 11 a.m., and the Tigers will immediately follow that game at 2 p.m. against the Thunderbirds.