After defeating district rival Versailles 8-3 on March 22, California Pintos baseball took on the North Callaway Thunderbirds on Monday night. The game was originally supposed to be played at North Callaway, but was moved to California.
Throughout the first six innings of the ball game, California was able to hit the ball off the bat, but they were unable to get the ball past the North Callaway defense for a run. North Callaway scored the game's first run in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk off Martin Kilmer. They added another run in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a 3-0 lead.
California was down to their last three outs in the seventh inning, but began the inning with back-to-back singles by Tristan Nokes and Will Edwards. Nokes advanced to third base on a fly-out to center field. The next batter, Collin Althoff, hit an RBI single to score Nokes from third base.
Martin Kilmer then hit a single to score another run. Jack Schreck then hit a double to right field to put runners on second and third base. North Callaway elected to walk Hayden Kilmer to load the bases for a potential game-winning double play.
Brayden Hallford was next up to the plate and hit an infield single to the pitcher that could've turned into a double play to end the game. The Thunderbirds got the first out at second base, but the ball was thrown away on the throw to first base. Martin Kilmer and Schreck both scored runs to give California their first lead of the game.
The Pintos had turned the game around in one fell swoop. Hayden Kilmer stepped up to the mound in the seventh inning and retired three of the first four batters to complete the comeback and give California the 4-3 win.
Head coach Steven Stock said both teams played a great game and the pitching of the Kilmer brothers is what kept California in the game, even when three runs seemed insurmountable. Stock told Hayden before he took the mound in the sixth inning that Martin had his back and he had nothing to worry about. Stock also said the difference in the seventh inning was they were getting the ball in the gaps for hits and runs.
"Give credit to their defense because we had a couple of balls that looked like they were going to get through the middle and their shortstop made a couple of great defensive plays. I think we left the bases loaded two times. Some of it was reverse of that where they hit the ball well, but the ball came right back to us," Stock said. "I'm satisfied that we went through seven innings of hitting the ball hard and they're going to find their way. The seventh inning was no different. Now all of a sudden, the ball found it's way through. The kids stayed in the game. Our pitching did a tremendous job and we found just enough to get the win."
The Pintos play next at 4:30 p.m. today in Warrensburg.
Hayden Kilmer pitched the final two innings against North Callaway and earned a save. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Brayden Hallford hits the go-ahead hit in the seventh inning for the Pintos. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Will Edwards hits single to right-center field in the seventh inning. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Tristan Nokes cross home plate for a run against North Callaway. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Will Edwards scores from second base to make Monday's game a 4-2 score.(Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)