Sherman, Texas (June 8th, 2024) – The Sherman Shadowcats won on Saturday night in walk-off fashion, taking down the top team in the Mid America League 13-12 in 11 innings.
Abilene started the game off red hot, scoring five runs in the first inning of play. Will Magids (Texas Tech) singled into left field to score Trey Smith (Richland College), Dylan Broadway (Cisco JC) followed with a hit by pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Drew Detlefson (Dodge City CC). Tyler Garritano (Texas State) rounded out the five run inning with a three RBI single after he ripped a ball to right field which got away from Shadowcats right fielder Ryan Sessions (Redlands CC) allowing Magids, Jack Cue (Cisco JC), and Broadway to score before being thrown out at third base, making the score 5-0.
The Flying Bison continued their run after their defense went three-up and three-down in the bottom of the first and delivered three strikeouts in the bottom of the second by scoring four runs in the top of the third. A solo home run from Magids got things rolling for the Flying Bison, as Garritano hit a sacrifice fly to bring Cue home. Tysaac Noland (Stephen F. Austin) smoked a two-run home run to score Broadway advancing the Abilene lead to 9-0.
The Shadowcats made an effort to answer in the bottom of the third as Zach Henry (UT Arlington) ripped a rocket shot out to right field with the bases empty, but that is all they could muster making the score 9-1.
After a quiet fourth inning the Shadowcats got on the board once again in the bottom of the fifth Matt Hererra (Centenary) doubled to score Anderson Acinger (LSU-Shreveport) bringing the score to 9-2.
Abilene scored their 10th run on a ground out by Riley Hood (McMurry) to score Samson Pugh (Texas State) going up 10-2.
Sherman was looking for a rally and they finally got one in the bottom of the seventh as they scored four runs on three hits. Herrera smacked a two RBI single bringing home Sessions, and Easton Ford (Redlands CC) before Dylan Flores (St. Edwards) grounded out to third but was able to score Acinger. The final run of the inning came from a Gavin Speirs (Howard College) ground out to short allowing Henry to score, cutting the deficit down to 10-6.
The Flying Bison answered in the top of the eighth as Smith hit a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Noland to make the score 11-6.
The Shadowcats eliminated the run that was scored by the Flying Bison in the top of the eighth by scoring a run of their own in the bottom half as Acinger blooped a single in to right center field to score Ford and make the score 11-7.
Trailing by four in the bottom of the ninth, the Shadowcats put on their rally caps and went on a tear, scoring four runs to send the game to extra innings. A wild pitch brought in Henry to start the rally, as a hit by pitch to Sessions with the bases loaded brought home Speirs, followed by another hit by pitch, this time to Herrera which scored Korson Hastings (Trinity). The bases still loaded Tyson Woodland (Centenary) walked, scoring Jacob Eccles (Southwestern) and tying the game up 11-11.
Due to the Mid America rules, a runner was placed on second base for the Flying Bison in the top of the 10th in Broadway as he scored on a pop fly in the infield that the Shadowcats dropped giving Broadway enough time to score. That made the score 12-11 as Abilene looked to try and hold on in the bottom half.
Sherman answered right back in the bottom of the 10th as Henry was placed on second and immediately scored on a Speirs ground ball to short and the throw to first got away from the Flying Bison first baseman which gave enough time for Henry to come home to tie it up 12-12.
Shadowcats reliever Noah Ferraro (Dallas College Brookhaven) made quick work of the Flying Bison as he went one-two-three to send it to his bats in the bottom half of the 11th.
The rally caps never came off of the heads of the Shadowcats as they kept their rally going into the bottom of the 12th. Acinger was the runner placed on second and advanced to third on a pickoff attempt then went into center field. Abilene then made the decision to intentionally walk Herrera and Cole Carnes (Fort Scott CC) to load the bases and face Woodland. Sherman walked it off as Woodland grounded to short, he threw home to get the force out, the catcher then threw an errant throw to first that ended up in right field allowing Herrera to score as the Shadowcats won 13-12.
The Shadowcats move to 4-8 and finish up their four game series on Sunday night against the Flying Bison with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
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