By Seth Vanderwest
LocalSportsJournal.com
KENT CITY–The Kent City baseball team pulled out a 5-4 extra inning victory over Newaygo on Tuesday afternoon in CSAA conference action.
The host Eagles won in a 12-inning thriller in the first game of the doubleheader and made it through five innings of the second game before it was suspended due to darkness. The teams were knotted up at 2-all.
Game 1 was all tied up 4-4 going into the sixth inning and remained that way until the 12th. Lion pitcher Josiah Long and Eagle pitcher Kyler Larson held their respective opponents scoreless through extra innings, turning the game into a question of which team would blink first.
Eventually, it turned out to be Newaygo.
In the bottom of the 12th inning, the Lions gave up two walks and an infield hit to load the bases. One final walk gave Kent City the run they needed to walk away with the win.
Kent City was led by Zane Kik, who went 3-for-5. Larson had 10 strikeouts and helped his own cause with two hits and a run, and Justin Mack collected two RBI. Also scoring runs for the Eagles were Derek Rodenburg, Tyler Brummel and Jack Duran.
Leading Newaygo was Remy Wells with three hits, three stolen bases and a run scored. Grant Harkness added two hits and a run. Russell Toth, Josiah Long, Hunter Yearsovich and Isaiah Lopez each tallied a hit.
Game 2 continued the pitcher’s duel as both teams were held scoreless for the first three innings. Newaygo scored two in the fourth and Kent City scored two in the fifth before the sun went down. The game will be rescheduled if conference standings are close enough to warrant it.
The Eagles next take the field in a doubleheader at Morley Stanwood on Friday. Newaygo will host Grant on Friday.
