MORAN — The Wildcats needed a spark going into the postseason and sophomore Isaac Heskett delivered it on Wednesday in a big way.
“I think this is a pretty big win,” Heskett said. “Everyone is pretty excited for regionals.”
With Marmaton Valley trailing 10-9 in the seventh inning, the first baseman stepped to the plate with a pressure-packed situation. The Wildcats had runners on second and third with two outs.
It was time for Heskett to play the hero, only to fall behind in the count with no balls and two strikes. Now to find a way to put the ball in play.
give it a chance to find a hole.
“I just had to watch the ball and put it in play,” Heskett said. “Just have to make contact.”
That is just what Heskett did. After fouling off a pair of pitches to stay alive, he reached out and slapped a ball past the third baseman for a walk-off double and a 10-9 victory.
“I can’t explain how I felt,” Heskett said of seeing the ball go into left field for a hit. “I couldn’t believe what was happening.”
Although Heskett ended it in the seventh, the rally got started in the sixth when the Wildcats trailed 8-3.
Justice Pugh and Brock Hall each drew walks with a single by Lane Bahnsen sandwiched in between to load the bases for Caiden Elliot, who made the Indian defense pay for playing shallow in the outfield the entire game.
The sophomore lined one over the centerfielder’s head for a bases-clearing double.
“It was big for him, because he has been struggling a bit,” Marmaton Valley coach Derek Scharff said. “That is really what we have been missing on offense in the middle of the lineup.”
Elliot scored on a Heskett sac-fly and Korbin Smith tied the game by scoring on an error with Tallon Ellis at the plate.
The four-run inning tied the game at 8-8, before the Indians scored one in the seventh and Hesket responded with his walk-off hit.
“We lost a lot in a row,” Scharff, who’s team had dropped eight straight, said. “It was big to get this one.”
Elliot was the team’s top hitter and went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Bahnsen added three hits and Pugh reached bases safely in all five on his plate appearances.
UP NEXT
Marmaton Valley will play Yates Center in Monday’s four/five seeded matchup in their regional tournament at Allen Community College at 5 p.m.
