Czech's Walk-off Double Lifts Wild Things to Victory
WASHINGTON, Pa. (May 27) – The Washington Wild Things capped off their comeback with a walk-off hit in extra innings en route to their 13-12 win against the Tri-City ValleyCats. This was a relentless comeback by the team in the field and at the plate on Saturday night.
Andrew Czech was the man behind the magic tonight for the Wild Things as he drove in five on three hits including the walk-off hit to end the night.
To start this game off, the ValleyCats came out of the gate swinging as they scored eight runs through the first two innings.
After loading the bases early in the bottom of the first inning on a pair of walks and a Wagner Lagrange single to centerfield, Tristan Peterson walked to bring the first run for the Wild Things home. Then Czech and Anthony Brocato connected with the ball to bring two more runners across the dish and make it a one-run game.
Despite the Wild Things efforts at the plate, the ValleyCats kept their foot on the gas. Jaxon Hallmark blasted a three-run homer and Carson McCusker hit a solo shot. It was an 8-3 ballgame at the end of the second inning and looking grim for the Wild Things.
But all was not lost for the Wild Things as they would score five runs on five hits over the third and fourth innings, with Czech responsible for two of those runs.
The Wild Things comeback would be in full force as pitching would dominate. Zach Blankenship, Andrew Mitchell and Arrison Perez combined to throw three shutdown innings allowing no runs, striking out two and only letting up one hit.
The red-hot night at the plate wouldn't be over: Wagner Lagrange would send one over the left-field fence and Robert Chayka would hit a two-run double to tie the game at 11-11.
The bullpen would stay dominant as Christian James would come in and throw a scoreless frame in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, with no outs and a runner on second, Andrew Czech continued to slash away during his stellar night at the plate with a hard hit RBI-single up the middle to break the tie and give the Wild Things a one-run lead.
The ValleyCats matched the Wild Things on the scoreboard with an RBI-single up the middle off the bat of right fielder Carson McCusker to tie the game at 12-12. The Wild Things couldn’t manage to get one across the plate in the bottom of the ninth.
Lukas Young shut things down in extra innings. With one out, and the international tiebreaker rule runner on second, Andrew Czech capped off his impressive night with an RBI-double to walk it off.
The final game of the weekend series for the Wild Things is set for Sunday at Wild Things Park against the Tri-City ValleyCats. First pitch is set for 5:35 p.m.
