Wright City’s Kolt Black delivered an RBI single with two outs in the top of the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie and the Lumberjax defeated Ada 4-2 in a playoff tune-up game Monday night at Cougar Field.
Wright City, ranked No. 7 in Class A, improved to 20-10, while the Cougars dropped to 16-18.
The Lumberjax got a two-out, RBI single by Brian Williams in the top of the first inning and a run-scoring hit by Alex Bowen in the top of the second inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Cougars rallied in the bottom of the third.
Zac Carroll drew a one-out walk and John David Muse followed with a base hit that put runners at first and second. Both runners moved up on a groundout by Carter Freeland groundout and both runners scored on a two-RBI single to right field by Hunter Condon that knotted the score at 2-0.
After Wright City scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning on the last of three Ada errors, the Cougars tried to get something going in the bottom of the inning.
Caden Ross led off with an infield single and hustled to second on a sacrifice bunt from Treston Eaker. Ross advanced to third base on a long fly ball to right field by Cade Sliger but Ada couldn’t get him home.
Muse and Ross led the Ada offense with two hits apiece.
Blake Lecrone paced the Lumberjax at the plate. He finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in Wright City’s nine-hit attack.
Bowen also had two hits for the visitors, while Nathan Thomas went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored.
Bowen earned the mound win in relief. He struck out three, walked none and allowed just one Ada hit in three shutout innings.
Reid Samson absorbed the loss in relief for Ada. He pitched two innings and struck out one, walked one and gave up one run and three hits. Kaden Cooper started on the bump for the Cougars. He struck out one, walked one and surrendered two earned runs and four hits in three innings.
Coach Shane Coker and company now turn their attention to the playoffs. Ada is scheduled to host Bishop McGuinness at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in a Class 4A Bi-District doubleheader. An if-necessary contest would be played at noon on Friday.
