Mason County Central, Montague split WMC baseball twinbill

 

SCOTTVILLE — The Mason County Central baseball team split a West Michigan Conference Rivers Division doubleheader with Montague on Thursday, winning the first game 6-5 in walk-off fashion and dropping the nightcap 17-5.

 

The games were played at the Spartans’ field in Scottville.

 

Game 1 was tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh when Pierce Bladzik singled to drive in the deciding run … the Spartans’ fourth run of the inning.

 

Montague took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the third inning, only to see the Spartans put two on the scoreboard in the bottom half. It was 5-2 after five.

 

Drake McKay, Bryan Thurow and Bladzik each had one run batted in for the Spartans. Montague committed three errors in the field, while Mason County Central had none.

 

Nick Moss, Belinger Bailey and Smith each had single hits for the Wildcats. Belinger and Smith had one RBI apiece.

 

Owen Shimel pitched 6 1/3 innings for the Spartans and gave up five runs (three earned) on five hits, struck out nine and walked three.

 

A nine-run explosion in the third inning spurred the Wildcats’ big win in the nightcap.

 

Ryver Jarka was the leading hitter for the Wildcats, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Bryton Belinger was 3-for-4 with one RBI and Moss finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and four runs scored.

 

Peyton Merz, Shimel and Thurow each had one RBI for the Spartans.

 

Mason County Central is 2-8 on the season and is off now until Wednesday at Frankfort in non-conference play.

 

The Wildcats moved to 6-10 and are scheduled to visit Fremont next Tuesday.