By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD — Two state-ranked COC foes locked proverbial horns Thursday as the Glendale Falcons (4-3) hosted the Neosho Wildcats (12-1) at home in a clash of Class 6 elite.
Neosho entered as the No. 8 team in Class 6 while the host Falcons sat one slot behind.
Neosho, behind the arm of ace and University of Arkansas commit Brody Crane, battled back from multiple deficits en route to the come-from-behind 12-8 win.
Crane sports a fastball that tops out in the low 90’s.
Suffice it to say, Glendale knew what they were up against.
“They are a great team. All of them are tough outs. I was just coming in and try to work ahead,” said Crane. “I didn’t have my best stuff today but when the team rallies behind me like that, it is a great feeling.”
The tilt lived up to the billing as the Wildcats improved their overall record to 12-1.
Prior to the game, as well as during the postgame meeting, the message from skipper Keith Kilgore was simple: play as a team.
And that they did.
“I love the fight in this team. Battled through a lot of adversity,” said Kilgore. “Glendale, a great club. Found a way. They [Falcons] had a lead, but our kids still believed.”
Glendale struck first, in the first, when Oklahoma State University commit Sebastian Norman went yard on the solo blast.
A wild pitch added to the lead, as the host led 2-0.
The Wildcats, though, never flinched.
Neosho’s Alex Rodriguez, who would close out the game nearly three hours later, connected for the RBI double in the top of the second.
Finn Versluis, one batter later, did the same.
Glendale plated two more runs in the bottom of the second, but again, the Wildcats stayed true to form.
“For our group, we work a lot on culture, on family atmosphere, and a lot on trust — relationship building. And they keep finding a way to win,” said Kilgore. “They have a will to win. I love this team, this fight, against a great club. It is a long bus drive. Hadn’t played away from home in a while, and they did what they had to do.”
While Crane was not his prototypical self, the offense was, a credit to plate discipline throughout the night.
“He is a competitor. He is going to compete for us. He didn’t have his best stuff, but he competed to give us an opportunity to win,” added Kilgore. “This was a great team win; had a lot of quality at-bats.”
The resolve was not lost on anyone in the dugout or in the stands, as no matter the challenge, the mindset never wavered.
“They just have a will to win. Every day we are working on our identity, how we are going to get better,” said Kilgore.
The approach at the dish could not be matched, as the Wildcats, with two strikes or two outs and sometimes both, just dug in the cleats and gripped the bat a little bit tighter.
“The kids have bought in to the philosophy. It is fun. They enjoy playing this game,” said Kilgore. “We didn’t play well defensively. That is not our brand of baseball, could have played better defensively. But then we had to have a different approach at the plate when it got late. We have worked hard on shortening swings and have confidence with a two-strike mentality. That is something we work on every day, so I think it is paying off.”
That two-stroke discipline made an appearance in the fourth when Liam McInturff drew the bases loaded base-on-balls, which gave the ‘Cats their first lead of the game, 5-4.
After Glendale starting hurler Easton Friesen tied the game 5-5 on his fourth-inning RBI single, the Wildcats responded in the sixth as Kanten Smith drilled the 2-run round tripper as the Wildcats, once again, led 7-5.
The tide had officially turned.
The Wildcats did what they had to do: knock out Glendale’s Friesen, who exited in the fourth.
“It is just the mentality that we all believe in each other. We all trust in each other,” said Smith.
Glendale responded in their half of the sixth when an RBI double by Norman and a two-run homer by Friesen swung the favor back to the host, 8-7.
That favor, though, was short lived.
The Falcons left the bases loaded, igniting a thunderous spark in the visitors’ dugout.
A common theme on this cool, windy evening.
Neosho plated four runs in the top of the seventh to close it out, as Rodriguez came in and allowed two walks and one single in his three-out performance.
Crane went 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits.
Neosho outhit Glendale 13-6.
Neosho is at Fort Smith Southside on Saturday and the Falcons are in Springdale, Ark., on Friday.
