Cougars Put Up Battle In Opening Round Playoff Game
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Heritage pitcher Zack Wiseman hurls a ball towards a Polk County batter Monday.
Cougar Rome Robinson works on getting to third in the title contest.
Courar Sam Howell dives back to first base before the throw from the Wolverine pitcher in WHC action this week in Burnsville.
Mountain Heritage got on base often in the title game but left too many men on in the 2-1 loss to visiting Polk County.
A Heritage base runner slides into second base during action in the WHC title game at Mountain Heritage this week.
Cougar first baseman Kaleb McCurry keeps a Wolverine on base in the WHC championship game on Monday night in Burnsville.
A season of outstanding play on the baseball diamond came to an end for Mountain Heritage Friday night in an opening round game of the state 2A playoffs.
The Cougars found themselves in a pitcher's duel in their game with the Golden Lions at Keeter Stadium/Veterans Field in Shelby on Friday night.
With runners aboard throughout the extended 10 inning game, both teams had their chances. But in the end Shelby (14-8) came up with the play they needed to win the game and advance to meet East Lincoln in the second round.
The contest wasn't decided until the 10th inning when Shelby's Jackson Mims knocked a line drive hit into the left-center field gap to bring in Zach Huffstetler from third to end the pressure filled contest, 2-1.
Through nine innings the two competitors had a combined six hits, as Cougar standout Zack Wiseman and Lion hurler Matthew McMurray turned in solid extra inning performances in the stress of the one and done state playoff first round format.
The Mountain Heritage lefthander, who is headed to UNCA, allowed only three hits in nine innings, gave up one unearned run, and striking out 11 batters on the night.
Both teams had to go to their bullpens. Kaleb McCurry relieved Wiseman in the 10th. He walked one batter while giving up one hit. Grant Byers took over for Shelby in the 10th and stranded a Cougar runner on second.
Shelby scored without getting a hit in the second inning. Jon-Michael Sparke led off with a walk and went all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt. He made it 1-0 on another Cougar throwing error.
Heritage tied it up in the sixth when a throwing error put a runner at second, and then Sam Howell's two-out single made it 1-1.
In the Western Highlands Conference championship game in Burnsville on Monday night, the Cougars got on the board early with a single by Zach Wiseman that knocked in the teams only run, by Seth McIntosh.
Heritage (11-6, 11-3 WHC) left numerous runners on base in the 2-1 loss that gave Polk County the league's top seed in the 2A state tournament.
After Heritage went up 1-0 in the first inning, Polk responded in the third as Roberto Taft punched in an RBI double to tie things up.
Then in the fourth inning Polk's Jordan Brown's double knocked in Wes Brady for the winning run.
Heritage had one last at bat but could not push the tying run across.
Zack Wiseman pitched seven innings and gave up the two runs on eight hits and two walks. He also finished with 10 strikeouts. For the Cougars it was just their second WHC loss of the season.
Heritage ends the season at 11-7 overall.
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The Cougar meet on the mound between innings.
