CHEROKEE — Sixth-inning stumbles did in Yates Center High Monday.
The Wildcats held leads in both games of their doubleheader against Southeast, but an eight-run sixth by the Lancers erased what had been an 8-1 Yates Center lead.
Yates Center bounced back with two to retake a 10-9 lead, but Southeast scored the tying run on an RBI ground ball and the winning run on a steal of home to prevail 11-10.
Yates Center tried to put the disappointment behind itself in the nightcap, taking a 5-4 lead into the sixth inning, but Southeast again struck back with Tyler Warner’s two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth as part of a three-run rally to win, 7-5.
The setbacks dropped the Wildcats to 4-10 with home games against Marmaton Valley scheduled for April 25.
The ending was a far cry from Monday’s start.
Kaden Rutherford put Yates Center on the board with an RBI single in the top of the opener, followed by Jacob Meigs’s two-run single.
Keagan Tadlock scored on an error in the second, making it 4-0, Evan McVey added to the tally with a run-scoring single in the third.
The Wildcats tacked on a run in the fifth and two in the sixth to lead, 8-1, before trouble arose in the form of a dropped third strike, putting Southeast’s leadoff runner in the bottom of the sixth. Six consecutive walks, a two-run double and back-to-back wild pitches pulled the Lancers even, still with nobody out.
A two-out passed ball pushed Crest behind for the first time, 9-8, before Meigs ended the Lancer rally with a strikeout.
Rutherford made Southeast pay for its fielding error, putting him aboard with one out in the top of the seventh. He stole second and then made it to third and home on another Lancer error. Tristan Ballin then singled with two outs, stole second and then moved to third and scored on a pair of passed balls to push the Wildcats back on top.
It didn’t last. Back-to-back walks started Southeast’s half of the seventh, leading to the tying and winning runs coming across without the benefit of a hit.
Rutherford struck out seven over three innings, allowing just one hit. Ballin pitched 2.1 hitless innings with five strikeouts. Kate Beck and Meigs each struck out a batter. Beck allowed one hit.
Control was an issue for the Wildcat hurlers, who combined to allow 18 walks.
Southeast’s pitchers were in the same boat, allowing just four hits, singles from McVey, Rutherford, Meigs and Ballin, but walking 13 Wildcat batters.