Hornets drop heartbreaker to Jersey Shore

By: Ed Weaver  /  May 3, 2019

The Wellsboro Varsity Baseball team suffered an 11-10 heartbreaking loss to Jersey Shore in the 7th inning on Thursday, May 2.

The Hornets found themselves trailing early as the Bulldogs put up 5 runs in the top of the 1st, thanks for three doubles and a home run.

With two outs in the bottom of the 1st junior Billy Lechler singled up the middle to put a runner on for junior Carson Davis. Davis doubled to score Lechler to put a run on the scoreboard. In the 2nd senior Taynton Repard led off with a base hit and scored on an RBI-single by junior Silas Wagaman to cut the lead to 5-2, then in the 3rd Lechler singled to lead off the inning and was brought home by sophomore Kaeden Mann to make it 5-3.

Jersey Shore added a run in the top of the 4th to increase their lead to 6-3, but Wellsboro came out swining and tied the game up at 6-all. Senior Cam Tennis started the inning with a base hit then moved into scoring postition on back-to-back hit batters Davis singled to score Tennis and freshman Isaac Keane. The Hornets then tied the game up as Repard hit into a fielders choice to score junior Jacob Trowbridge.

Wellsboro held Jersey Shore scoreless in the top of the 5th then took the lead for the first time on the afternoon in the bottom half of the inning. The Hornets put up three runs to lead 9-6. Sophomore Zach Rowland was hit by a pitch to get things started then Wagaman drew a walk to put two runners on. Keane then hit a line drive to right to score Rowland then Wagaman scored on a passed ball. Keane would later score on a Lechler sacrifice fly.

The Hornets held the lead until Jersey Shore scored 5 runs in the top of the 7th to retake the lead at 11-9. The Hornets attempted the rally in the bottom half of the inning as Keane led off with a walk and scored on a Davis sacrifice fly to cut it to 11-10. With two outs Mann doubled to left field to put the tying run at second but Wellsboro was unable to do anything after that.

Davis led Wellsboro at the plate, going 4-for-4 with 4 RBIs. Lechler was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Tennis and Mann were both 2-for-5, and Keane, Wagaman, and Repard rounded out the Hornets' 13 hits.

Keane and Repard shared pitching duty on the afternoon. Repard pitched 2/3 of an inning allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 strikeouts. Keane pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing 8 runs (6 earned) on 12 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.

The loss drops the Hornets' record to 6-5 (6-3 NTL Large School Division). The team is back in action later this afternoon at home against Troy.