Leopold BB gets past Advance (barely) in battle of hot teams

LEOPOLD – The MSHSAA fall baseball season is for learning and development of the players and the Leopold High School squad is showing – of late – that it is taking full advantage of every opportunity to gain experience.

The Wildcats opened the season by dropping five consecutive games, however, heading into Thursday’s home test against Gideon, they had nearly strung together three consecutive victories following a thrilling 9-8 win over Advance on Wednesday at Leopold in eight innings.

“The way that we played in the first four games,” Wildcat coach T.J. Smreker said following the win over the Hornets, “I’ll take this.”

Leopold had moments early in the season in which the 10-man roster showed ability. It lost 7-4 to both Meadow Heights, which has won six games this fall, and Woodland, as well as giving unbeaten Oran (11-0) its toughest challenge of the entire season in a 5-1 loss.

“The boys know this,” Smreker said. “The first four games, we did not look good. We actually had a couple of games that we could have won, but we just kicked ourselves in the butt.”

That almost occurred against Advance.

The Wildcats (2-6) held a 5-0 lead after a couple of innings, and an 8-5 lead entering the seventh inning. However, the Hornets (2-6) sent nine batters to the plate in the top of the seventh, with three batters getting hit by a Leopold pitch, and tied the game at eight to force extra innings.

“What we are striving for,” Advance coach Neil Johnson said, “everybody wants to see wins, wins, wins, but our main thing about this fall is, are we getting better?”

That answer is a definitive yes, for both teams.

Like Leopold, Advance got off to a rough start this fall by dropping its first five games, and exactly like the Wildcats, Johnson’s team, which doesn’t have a senior, and features seven freshmen, has nearly won three straight heading into Thursday’s home game against Campbell.

“I tell the boys all of the time,” Johnson said, “to trust the process. Good things will come our way, and everything is starting to look up right now.”

Leopold has beaten Risco and Advance in recent games while dropping a 6-5 game in nine innings against Bell City.

Advance had recent wins over Naylor and Neelyville, before the Leopold contest.

The Hornets got a walk in the eighth inning against Leopold from freshman Drew Welch, followed by a single from sophomore Jameson Hamlin.

Freshman Cole Curtis loaded the bases after reaching on a dropped third strike, but Leopold pitcher Drew Engelen got a strikeout and ground out to get out of the jam.

Engelen worked a couple of innings and only allowed one hit and no earned runs while walking two batters and striking out five.

“Drew did a heckuva job,” Smreker said. “He is the one who pitched (in the win over Risco).”

Engelen threw six innings against the Tigers and only allowed one hit.

“He is coming on pretty strong,” Smreker continued.

In the Wildcats’ final at-bat, senior Keegan Deck hit a lead-off single before advancing to second base on a single by Thomas Beussink. Those two moved up another base on a single from junior Joshua Horrell while a sacrifice fly from Frederick Brandel scored Deck for the game-winner.

“I’m just glad that we are playing competitive baseball (right now),” Smreker said. “We’re having fun.”

Horrell paced the Wildcats with four hits, three runs, and a walk while Brandel (one hit, three runs, one RBI, two walks), Braden Halter (three hits, two runs, four RBI), Preston Campbell (one hit, one RBI), Riley Engelen (one hit, one RBI), Deck (one hit, one RBI), and Beussink (one hit) also contributed.

Halter had two doubles while Campbell also connected for a two-bagger.

Curtis was solid on the mound and at the plate. He had two hits, two RBI, and one run while Hamlin (two hits, two runs, one walk), Welch (one run, three walks), Braxton Kennedy (one hit, one run, one RBI), Kadon Rodgers (two hits, one run, two RBI), Lelind Kennedy (one hit, three RBI, one walk), Morgan Swinford (one hit, one run), Josiah Joliff (one run) also were productive.

Braxton Kennedy, Curtis, and Rodgers all had doubles while Rodgers added a stolen base.

Curtis worked the final 3 2/3 innings in relief and allowed four hits and just one earned run. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three.

Advance will visit Egyptian High School on Monday at 4:30 p.m.

Leopold will close its fall season with a game against Bernie on Monday at 4:30 p.m. in Leopold.