South Whidbey’s baseball team has had two seventh-inning rally wins in its past three games, though head coach Tom Fallon would rather lead from the start.
The Falcons won 5-4 against the Lakewood Cougars on Wednesday on a walk-off single that capped a three-run rally.
“I love the never-say-die attitude, but it sure would be nice to play with a lead,” Fallon said.
Against Lakewood on March 26, South Whidbey led much of the game. The Falcons were up 2-0, including a solo home run by senior Nick Bennett, who was 2-for-2 at the plate with a home run and a walk.
Lakewood first got on the board in the fifth inning and jumped ahead on three more runs, though only two were earned, in the seventh inning. Suddenly, South Whidbey trailed 4-2 and was three outs from a loss.
In the seventh inning, the Falcons had their top hitters step to the plate. Then came the first out, then the second, and it appeared to be another late-inning loss. But Falcon senior Colton Sterba knocked a single, injecting some life into South Whidbey’s players. Ricky Muzzy, a junior, followed with a single to put two runners on base. Brent Piehler, a junior who pitched into the seventh inning for South Whidbey, ripped a double into the outfield and brought home both Falcon runners to tie the game at 4-4. Enter Mo Hamsa — who slapped a line drive single for the RBI walk-off hit that won the game — and the ensuing mob that piled on him after the dramatic victory at South Whidbey High School.
“It was right where I wanted it: a little up and a little out,” Hamsa said. “I had the easy job. Brent had the hard part. The game was tied, all I had to do was win the game.”
Piehler, who pitched into the final frame, allowed only four hits and two earned runs. Fallon recalled a pair of stellar defensive plays, one from Muzzy who played catcher and threw out a Lakewood player attempting to steal second base. Falcon senior Jake Sladky made a score-saving catch at the fence to end the top of the fourth inning.
“Jake was full-on running back toward the fence and jumped to make the catch,” Fallon said.
South Whidbey traveled to Lakewood for the final game in the series on Friday, after The Record went to press.
