The Wayland varsity baseball team defeated state-ranked Parchment 7-6 in 12 innings Saturday in the opening round of the Wayland Invitational.
Brayden Byrne scored on a passed ball to secure the comeback win with two outs in the 12th.
Down 3-1 in the bottom half of the seventh and final inning, the ‘Cats were able to tie the game, thanks to a Bryce Calkins solo home run and a sacrifice fly by Trent Sikkema scoring Eugene Wierkz.
The score remained the same until the 11th, when Parchment took the lead with a three-run homer. However, the Wildcats scored three runs in the bottom half to tie it once again, one on a Panther error and a two-RBI double by Calkins.
Calkins was 3-for-5 at the plate with a single, double and homer and four runs batted in. Cameron Carnevale and Dustin Loomans also both added a doubles of their own.
Carter Koopman started on the mound and pitched four innings, surrendering four hits, two runs, no walks and one strikeout. Calkins worked six and a third innings in relief, yielding six hits, 1 run, two walks and getting seven Ks. Reagan Mutschler finished the game, going 1 2/3 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 0 BB and 1 K to earn the win.
In game two of the tournament, Wayland had four pitchers combine to throw a shutout vs. Tri-County in a 9-0 victory.
The offense was led by Cameron Bogard and Peyton Moore, with both going 2-for-2 at the plate. Wierkz, Moore, Calkins and Zander Davenport all hit doubles in the game. Wierkz, Calkins, Moore and Davenport had 2 RBIs apiece.
Carnevale started on the mound, tossing 3 innings surrendering, 1 hit, 2 BB, and 2 Ks. Craig Steensma worked an inning, giving up not hits or walks and striking out one. Moore pitched 2 innings allowing 1 hit, 0 BB, 4 Ks. And Elijah Dollarhide threw 1 inning in relief, 1 hit, no walks or strikeouts
The Wildcats lifted their overall record to 9-8 and 4-5 in the O-K Gold Conference. This week they’ll visit South Christian Tuesday in a doubleheade, then return home vs. South for a single gameThursday. Friday they’ll play West Michigan Aviation Academy at Cornerstone University.
