Cougar baseball gets a little too exciting late

Staff reports

ROACHDALE -- Surrendering a five-run lead in the seventh inning is never good. It is a little consolation when you can pick up the win anyway.

North Putnam baseball went from a 6-1 lead to an 8-6 deficit during the top half of the seventh inning last night. In the end though, the Cougars tied the game and went on to win on Kyle Alcorn's squeeze bunt in the bottom of the ninth inning.

"You never want to let a team back in like that," said coach Norm Fish. "I was happy about the way we stayed in it."

Kyle Rooker went six innings, allowing one run on three hits and seven walks. He struck out five.

"Rooker pitched a great six innings in his first start," said Fish.

In the seventh, though, things got a bit hairy. A number of walks by two Cougar relievers and some key hits from the Sparkplugs made it a game again. Fish finally brought in number one starter Jake Mullis to stop the bleeding. When it was over, though, the Sparkplugs had a two-run lead.

Fish said his kids never doubted their ability to win the game. That showed when they quickly put two on the board to send the game to extra innings.

In the extra frames, Speedway never posed a serious offensive threat.

In the ninth, the Cougars got what they wanted. With runners at second and third, Alcorn's bunt brought home the winner.

"Kyle did a great job getting that squeeze down," said Fish.

"We needed a close game to see how we acted. We hung in there and got it done."

At North Putnam

Speedway 001 000 700 -- 8 5 2

North Putnam 301 200 201 -- 9 8 1

W -- Mullis

Next game -- The Cougars host Greencastle at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.