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By Jon Kaufman
Contributor

Kiwanis Field in Salem, Virginia hosted a pair of regional quarterfinals yesterday as the Glenvar Highlanders took on the Dan River Wildcats in a 2A West battle. If you are a fan of close, hard fought tumbles with many score changes an exotic fielding, Kiwanis Field was the right place for you.

Glenvar starter righty Matthew Pulliam, began the game with a strikeout of pitcher Brian McCann, however, McCann reached first on a passed ball, setting up the theme of this game, poor fielding. Ryan Dalton's RBI single would score McCann grabbing the Wildcats a one run advantage. In inning two Kenny Powell led off the frame with a base hit, stole second and scored on McCann's two out single. McCann moved to second on a successful bunt and crossed the plate on an infield error, providing the Cats with an early three run lead.

In the home second, Zach Duncan (Gardner-Webb) blasted a stand up double to dead center field to open the inning. Alec Thompson lined one of his four hits on the day to right field plating Duncan and the Highlanders were on the board. Pulliam settled down on the mound and blanked the Wildcats for the next three innings, with a fastball that hit 84 mph.

In the third, Glenvar exploded for three runs, beginning with Chris Dishon's lead-off single, walks to Troy Mitchell and Duncan and a two RBI, game-tying single by Pulliam. RHP Nick Jones relieved McCann on the mound for the Cats.

In the fifth the Highlanders re-claimed the lead with singles by Pulliam and Thompson, a hit by pitch and a dramatic base hit from nine hitter Jacob Mullins.

All this writer can say is, the seventh inning was a roller coaster with extra turns. A base hit, an error, and a single by McCann loaded the bases quickly. Conner Watt, who had replaced Pulliam on the hill, fanned Jones to record the first out of the inning. Jacob Stewart hit a ground ball to the second baseball, who could not handle the hop, scoring two runs. Clean-up hitter Ryan Dalton lifted a high fly ball to left which was dropped by the left fielder at the warning track. Glenvar turned to ace Zach Duncan to stop the bleeding on short rest, and he surrendered a double to Logan Tate, and the Wildcats now led 8-6.

Reeling from an errorfest, the Highlanders held their future in their hands. Thompson and Smith both singled to lead off the inning and Jacob Mullins beat out a bunt, and the bags were juiced. Watt ripped the second pitch he eyed into the right centerfield gap, as Thompson and Smith celebrated at the plate. With no outs in the inning, Dishon stepped to the plate, and waited to bat. I quietly thought "I bet this game with be won on an error or wild pitch." Just as that thought floated in my though mind, the ball rolled to the backstop and Glenvar prevailed, a winner of a 9-8 game.