COLUMBIA — The marathon that is the baseball season came to an end because of some extra walks on Monday night for the North Pike Jaguars.
Columbia won 12-2 in five innings after the Jaguars allowed nine Wildcat hitters to reach base without swinging the bat — seven were walked and two more were hit by pitches.
“Walks were a big factor,” North Pike head coach George Lott said. “The difference was we made errors behind our walks.”
The Wildcats put four runs on the board in the first to lead 4-1 and put together a six-run fourth to put pressure on the Jaguars to scores runs.
In the top of the fifth, Justin Badon was walked and moved to second as the third baseman didn’t make a charging grab on a grounder from Revis Butler.
Casey Paulk singled through the left side to drive in the second run of the game and make it 10-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, Columbia needed two runs to end it. A single and a walk put runners on second and third for the meat of the order.
No. 3 hitter Ryan Ellis flew out to deep center, which allowed the runners to advance to second and third. An intentional walk to Taylor Humphries loaded the bases.
Conner Brady popped out to third baseman Shaun Green in foul territory for the second out, but that brought up Tyler Simmons, who had driven in three runs in the game.
He pushed a 2-1 pitch into the right centerfield gap for two more RBIs and to clinch the first round playoff series for Columbia.
The walks were even more disheartening as the North Pike pitchers kept Columbia off just enough that a lot of their hits were bloopers.
“I think they hit two balls hard all night,” Lott said. “Dustin Miller pitched exceptional in the playoffs and Paulk threw exceptional tonight. They both stepped up and became leaders.”
Miller started the game and lasted three and a third innings and struck out two. He allowed four runs in the first.
Columbia starter Dustin McNease was hit with an 0-2 pitch and stole second and third. On the throw to third, it bounced away and allowed McNease to tie the game at 1.
A walk to Ellis and a single through the left side by Humphries put runners on first and third.
A blooper that fell right in the middle of second, short and the centerfielder scored a run and a sacrifice fly plated another.
The final run scored on a ball that landed right in front of a diving Paulk in left field.
Green had driven in the first run of the game in the top of the first for the Jaguars. He singled through the left side to score Justin Badon. Badon had reached when the center and left fielder both pulled up on a fly ball as it fell in between them.
In the fourth, Paulk came in to pitch with runners on second and third and one out. A botched pick-off throw scored a run, and a needless throw to second after a walk put two runners in scoring position.
A walk to Humphries after being ahead 0-2 in the count didn’t sit well with the North Pike crowd.
“There were some controversial ball and strike calls,” Lott said. “But those went both ways.”
Simmons got a hold of one to the right centerfield gap to plate two and make it 10-1.
Paulk loaded the bases with another walk and a hit batter before striking out the final hitter.
