Warriors flip the script: 4 run surge lifts WCMS past Monterey

The White County Middle School baseball team was on the diamond Tuesday, February 17, hosting Monterey. After falling into a four-run hole early, the Warriors’ bats came alive late, fueling a 9-7 comeback win in four and a half innings.

Control issues on the mound put White County in an early 5-1 deficit after just two innings. One batter hit-by-pitch, three walks, and a passed ball aided the Wildcats’ big second inning.

White County responded in the third. Samuel Price singled, and Noah Teeple worked a walk before stealing both second and third to put himself in scoring position. Teeple later crossed the plate on a Cayden Boswell single to left field, cutting the deficit to one. Jack Dicus reached on a fielder’s choice with two outs, while Ryder Staggs was hit by a pitch and Aiden Short drew a walk to keep the inning alive. Dicus and Hudson Lee, who was courtesy running for Staggs, both scored on wild pitches before the inning ended with Monterey clinging to a 5-4 lead.

It was the bottom of the fourth when the Warriors flipped the script. Haskel Simmons singled and swiped a pair of bases before scoring on a wild pitch to even the game. A trio of walks loaded the bases for Dicus, who delivered a sharply hit infield single to drive in the go-ahead run and another insurance run. Staggs then ripped a 2-1 pitch into right field for a bases-clearing double, stretching Sparta’s lead to 9-5.

Monterey pushed across two runs in the top of the fifth, capitalizing on a couple of walks and two White County errors, but it wasn’t enough. The Warriors held on and walked off the diamond with the victory.

The comeback win builds momentum as White County closes out preseason play Saturday with another playday before opening the regular season Tuesday on the road against the Cumberland County Jets.