Kars comes back in the seventh to beat Stittsville (Tuesday night)

from Chad Milne and John Craig

Stittsville travelled to North Gower Tuesday night to face Kars, in a game that was originally scheduled for June 11, but postponed due to rain and came away with an exciting 8-7 win.

 

Brad Porter had the complete game win for Kars. Dan Konkle started for Stittsville, came out and was relieved by Adam Smith, returned to the game and took the loss in the seventh. 

Kars jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, Nick Ellis walked and moved to third when Corey Alkerton ripped a single just inside the first base bag. Chad Milne then hit a sharp ground ball to shortstop that was handled neatly by Scott Herriot, who stepped on second for the force out, but was unable to complete the double play, allowing Ellis to score.

Stittsville pushed five runs across in the third. Adam Smith singled and later scored on a single by Tim Maisonneuve. Maisonneuve scored later in the inning on a fielder's choice by Tyler Nystedt. After a walk, Dan Jessiman's three run homer made it 5-1 for the 56ers.

 

Herriot hit a solo shot in the fifth for Stittsville to extend the lead to 6-1. 

 

In the sixth, Kars got a couple runs back. Kristian Knapp led off with a single and was driven home by an Ellis single. After a strikeout, Milne hit a single between second and first, allowing Ellis to move up to third. Cory Morrison then singled to cash in Ellis. With two on and only one out, Kars looked for more, but a fielder's choice and a strike-out allowed Stittsville to get out of the inning with a 6-3 lead.

 

The 56ers added another in the top of seventh, Nystedt doubled and was brought in on a Herriot RBI single.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, Kars staged an exciting comeback. Jamie Smith was walked to lead of the inning, which was followed with one out by a walk to Knapp. Ellis then drilled a double that made its way to the fence in right field, with both Smith and Knapp scoring on the play and Ellis advancing to third. Corey Alkerton followed with a single to score Ellis. The next batter, Milne, smoked a line drive to right field that skipped past the right fielder enabling Alkerton to score all the way from first to tie the game. With Milne on second and one out, Stittsville elected to intentionally walk Morrison to set up the force play. Stittsville also made a pitching change, bringing Konkle back in to face Matt Alkerton. Matt Alkerton wasted little time, jumping on Konkle's first pitch and driving it to left field to score Milne with the game winning run and earning himself the Caveman's Choice as player of the game.

 

Kars stats:

Knapp 1-3, BB, 2 runs

Ellis 2-3, 2B, BB, 3 runs, 3 rbi

C. Alkerton 2-4, run, rbi

Milne 2-4, run, rbi

M. Alkerton 2-4, gwrbi

 

Stittsville noteables:

D Jessiman 3run HR

Herriot HR, 2RBI