After struggling in their opener against Uniontown last week, the Yates Center Wildcats found their footing Monday while picking up their first wins of 2025, 14-4 and 17-7 over the Oswego Indians.
With 14 runs in the first three frames, the Wildcats put the opener away by the fifth inning with their pitchers allowing only four hits.
Senior catcher Kaiden Rutherford had a team-leading three RBIs, and sophomore pitcher Evan McVey picked up the win with seven strikeouts over four innings while allowing two walks and one earned run.
Yates Center took advantage of multiple Oswego miscues on the mound, jumping out to a 3-0 lead on a pair of wild pitches and a bases-loaded walk. In the second inning, Rutherford cleared the bases with an inside-the-park home run, then sophomore first baseman Braxtyn Rutherford took Yates Center’s lead to 7-1 with an RBI single. Yates Center continued piling on the runs through the third. Oswego tried to make a game of it with two runs in the fifth but could not cut the Wildcats’ double digit-lead enough to stave off the 14-4 run rule victory.
Yates Center put the Indians away early in the finale. A five-run first inning was Oswego’s only significant at-bat as Yates Center pulled away with an eight-run fifth inning to take command. McVey and senior outfielder Keagan Tadlock tied for the team lead in RBIs with two each. Although sophomore pitcher Nolan Lampe had a team-leading four strikeouts, junior starter Blake Morrison picked up his second win with two innings of work while allowing only four hits, three earned runs and four walks.
The Wildcats return to the diamond Thursday, when they look to knock off the undefeated Crest Lancers on the road. The games are slated for 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
