The Salem Wildcats dropped their season opening baseball game at home to Mount Vernon 4-3, losing a 3-1 lead after 6 innings. Salem trailed 1-0 after the top of the first inning when the Rams would score an unearned run on a pair of Salem errors. The Cats would tie it in the 3rd before taking the lead when they scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. The Rams would answer right back with 3 of their own in the sixth and would hold on for the lead.
At the plate, Jalen Inlow had a hit and a run, Gavin Zimmermann drove in a run on a hit and scored as well. Rhett Detering singled and Cody Beard had a hit. Kam Wilkins also scored for Salem. On the mound, Zimmermann worked 5 innings allowing 3 hits and no earned runs. In fact, none of the four runs for the Rams were earned. Rhett worked an inning in the sixth and Noah Nix needed 11 pitches to work the 7th 1-2-3.
Alex Kiefer had a big day for the Rams going 3-4 with a triple and RBI. Trevor McClure had 2 hits with RBI also from Chase Gowler and Jarrett Johnson. Gage Cutler worked 4.2 allowing just 1 earned run and struck out 6 in the no decision. Diedrich Smith worked 2.1 to get the win in relief.
The Wildcats are off until Friday when the JV and Varsity both head to Murphysboro.
The Salem JV opened with a 5-3 loss to the Rams at the Little League Complex. Eli Lograsso had a hit and run, Colton Rogers added a single. Payton Gullion scored on a groundout by Avery Gullion as Salem trailed 5-1 in the final inning and battled before coming up short. Carter Lowe started for Salem and worked 6 innings allowing 7 hits and 5 runs, 2 of them earned, with 5 strikeouts. Avery Gullion came in and worked a clean 7th inning needing just 7 pitches.
Harrisburg’s Coach Thompson Winningest Coach In IHSA History At Single School
Also yesterday, Harrisburg beat Vienna 10-1, the win was career victory #894 by Coach Jay Thompson, making him the single winningest coach at one high school in IHSA history. His Bulldog teams have won State hardware 7 different times. They won state titles in 89 and 04 and were 2nd on 4 occasions. Over 35 years, Thompson and his Bulldogs have won 20 or more games every year except 1.
Also last night, Greenville tied Wood River 10-10, Grissom 20-0 over Benton, Marion beat DuQuoin 9-5, Newton over Flora 5-1, North Clay opened with a 3-1 win over Casey Westfield, Roxana beat Greenfield 13-1, Brownstown/St Elmo lost to Shelbyville 15-5 and TTown over Neoga 13-9.
The SC Cougars look to move to 2-0 on the young season when they travel to Vandalia this afternoon.
