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Tigers win season opener in bottom of seventh
exander's throw home and scored the winning run for Fort Scott in the baseball season opener for both teams in a 4-3 decision over Nevada at Lions Field Monday evening.
Leek got on base for the first time in the game when he reached safely after Nevada catcher Chris Harris dropped strike three and threw high and wide to first base to open the bottom of the seventh inning.
Nevada fans might have smelled conspiracy on this blustery day. But, truth be told, it's more as if the baseball gods have a sense of irony. Making the safe call at first base was Jay Leek, John's father, who both teams agreed could be the base umpire after the scheduled one failed to show.
After the elder Leek and the home base umpire held a discussion, the call was upheld. The younger Leek had managed to beat the first baseman's foot back to the bag after the bad throw.
Leek then advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout to second.
Lane Farrell then put the ball in play for Fort Scott. Alexander had no option but to come home on the throw and Leek got in safely.
Nevada head coach Jared Brown -- a Fort Scott High graduate -- admitted after the game that his team didn't have to be in that position but didn't help itself with the six errors the committed on defense.
Indeed, Nevada's maroon-clad Tigers held the only leads of the game before Leek's game-winner. But Fort Scott was able to get runs via eight hits and those errors.
Nevada scored first when Colby Shepard beat out Farrell's throw from second to reach base with one out in the top of the first. He stole both second and third before scoring on Alexander's single to right.
Fort Scott tied it off Alexander in the third. Alex Bowman led off and reached on a bad-hop single to short. He moved to second on a ground out and made it to third on a wild pitch. He scored from there on Leek's ground out to shortstop.
Nevada put up two in the top of the fifth. Jordan Kerbs led off the inning with a walk off Alex Pemberton, then stole second. Shepard drove him in with a one-out hit to left field, prompting Fort Scott head coach B.J. Pruitt to make a pitching change.
But Kyle Hughes reached base on a Fort Scott error and Alexander singled Shepard home again to make it a 3-1 game.
Fort Scott got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth. Bowman reached on an error leading things off and stole second. He scored on Blake Nelson's single to right.
Fort Scott got two more runners on with two out but Shepard -- who went to the hill at the beginning of the inning -- got out of trouble by inducing a ground out to second.
Matt Wheeler, who took to the mound for Fort Scott in the fifth, put Nevada down in order in the top of the sixth. He then led off the bottom of the inning with a flair single to short right field, a hit that might have fallen into an outfielder's glove on a day other than Monday, which had a strong 20-25 M.P.H. wind blowing into the park all game long.
Wheeler looked to steal second and was safe when the second baseman dropped the ball as he tried to apply the tag. Pemberton then tied the score at 3-3 when he grounded past second to bring Wheeler home.
Farrell and Wheeler had two hits each for Fort Scott. Shepard was three for three for Nevada while Alexander was two for three.
Wheeler, the winning pitcher, allowed two hits while striking out two in the final 2 2/3 innings. Pemberton allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two.
Nevada's three pitchers didn't hurt themselves as they didn't walk a batter. Alexander allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts in the first four innings. Shepard allowed one earned run on four hits in two innings. Kerbs, who came on in the seventh, was stuck with the hard-luck loss.
Nevada had seven base hits in all. Fort Scott had eight safeties while commmitting just two errors.
The Tigers play their first road games of the season Friday when they travel to Girard for a non-league doubleheader. The first pitch will be at 4:30 p.m.
Nevada.............. 100 020 0 -- 3 7 6
Fort Scott.......... 001 011 1 -- 4 8 2
WP -- Wheeler (1-0). LP -- Kerbs (0-1).
HR -- none.