by Steve Christilaw, correspondent
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There’s a sign taped above the spot reserved for the day’s batting order inside the Mt. Spokane dugout that reads “Separation Week.”
After Tyler Bailey laced a one-out single to left to drive in the winning run in the eighth inning for a 7-6 win over arch-rival Mead on Friday night, the Wildcats got just that: a two-game lead in the Greater Spokane League.
“I was talking with Jason (Reich), the Mead coach, before the game and we agreed: in this league a two-game lead is huge,” Mt. Spokane coach Alex Schuerman said. “In this league, anything can happen and anyone can beat anyone else.”
The come-from-behind win was par for the course for Mt. Spokane’s week, which included a home-and-home sweep of University.
“This stat says it all,” Schuerman said with a wry smile. “My relief guy, Braden Mau, has two wins and a save this week.”
Mau came on to pitch a 1-2-3 eighth inning to take the win over the Panthers. He earned the win in Tuesday’s 8-7 win over U-HI and saved Cooper Smith’s 6-4 win Thursday.
Getting to the win Friday was a chore. Both team’s sent left-handed starters to the mound.
Mt. Spokane got to Mead starter Mason Wells for three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first, but would not score again until the bottom of the sixth.
Mt. Spokane’s Stephen Streltzoff kept the Panthers off-balance, but surrendered the lead in the top of the third inning when his defense made four errors. A pair of infield errors sandwiched around a bunt single loaded bases.
“Both of those guys were just lights out,” Schuerman said. “Their guy (Wells) changed speeds on us real well. Our guy (Streltzoff) was just dynamite.”
Bryce Zimmerer walked, moved to second on an infield out and scored on a pair of wild pitches in the bottom of the sixth to pull Mt. Spokane within a run, 5-4.
But Mead got that run back in the top of the seventh.
“Our guys didn’t panic at all,” Schuerman said. “They just kept believing they could win. One of our guys got to third base and he said ‘Don’t worry, coach, we’re going to win this one.’”
The Wildcats scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to get even. Smith and Bailey hit back-to-back singles to open the inning and Smith scored when Mathew Pulliam’s fly to shallow right field bounced off Cam Harms’ glove.
Brian O’Roarke came on in relief, but Billy Parada hit a hard single to left center to score the tying run.
Jared Bell hit a one-out single in the bottom of the eighth and got to third on Smith’s single to set up Bailey’s game-winner.
“It wasn’t pretty and wasn’t an easy game on the coach, but it’s a win,” Schuerman said.