FORT MILL, S.C. — A bases-loaded walk-off balk by the Indian Land Warriors gave the Catawba Ridge Copperheads a 4-3 win in eight innings.
Ben Wilson and Ethan Solnick singled to start the bottom of the eighth. A walk to Brennan Helms then loaded the bases before a balk with two outs ended the game Friday, April 12.
A balk occurs when a pitcher makes an illegal motion on the mound that the umpire deems to be deceitful to runners. Any men on base are awarded the next base, and the pitch (if thrown) is considered a dead ball.
Indian Land started strong, picking up a run in the top of the first inning off a single by Alex Blanchette that set up a fielder’s choice by Cole Dombkowski driving him in.
The Copperheads were just as hot as Sam Schwamb drove in Owen Noonan, who singled to open the bottom of the first.
An error by Indian Land gave the Copperheads another run, giving them a 2-1 lead with two outs.
Indian Land’s James Knoll led the third inning off with a single and then stole second to give the Warriors some life. Cole Gutmann reached on an error. The rally continued with Blanchette double scoring Knoll and Gutmann to give Indian Land the lead again. The rally ended as Schwamb picked off a runner stealing second and starter Jackson Mullen got a strikeout to end the top of the inning.
Catawba Ridge would get the run back in the bottom half as Peyton Dhein singled and then scored on a Ben Wilson single.
Indian Land threatened some, but base-running errors plagued the Warriors in the fourth inning. Mullen was removed in the inning for Zack McMahon. Mullen allowed three runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out five in three and two-thirds innings.
Logan Sulli came in the game for Indian Land in the fourth and got the Copperheads out of the inning.
Indian Land got base runners on in the fifth inning as Gutmann got on after getting hit by a pitch, but McMahon stayed calm under pressure and struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam.
The Warriors threatened again in the sixth inning with one out and Michael Doan at second after initially reaching on a walk, but the Copperheads’ defense came through to aid McMahon.
Both teams continued to threaten to score, but continually left runners stranded.
In the top of the seventh, McMahon was replaced with Bryce Meil. McMahon went two and a third innings, allowing one walk, while striking out four without giving up a hit.
Indian Land put two runners on with two outs in the seventh after a hit batter and a walk, but couldn’t get another hit to score the runner.
Another pitching change by the Warriors in the bottom of the seventh kept Catawba Ridge off balance, leading to extra innings.
The loss drops Indian Land to 13-8 overall and 9-3 in Region 3-4A. The Warriors have a three-game series against the Lancaster Bruins this week.
