In game one of the twin bill, the Ozark Mountain Wild started right handed pitcher, Mason Dickemann. For the summer, Dickemann was 0-1 with an 8.00 era.

The Queen City Crush sent righty, Ty Lumley to the mound. Lumley was 1-0 on the summer with a 3.86 era and 18 strikeouts in 14 innings.

The game was close through four innings, but that all changed as the fifth inning rolled around and the Queen City Crush put a seven spot on the board to put them up 9-3. The Wild however, would not go away as they scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and two runs in the sixth.

As we headed into the seventh inning with the score 9-8, the Crush added one more run on the board to make the score 10-8. With the lead, the Crush brought in Cory Dudley to close out the game. Pinch hitter Joey Dopp led off with a walk and was then forced out on a double play. Dudley then struck out Zach Reeder to end the ball game.

Dickemann threw well for the Wild giving up two earned runs on four hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in his four innings of work. With his pitch count rising, Dickemann left after four complete innings with his team up by a score of three to two. Brian Wacha relieved Dickemann in the fifth and allowed 7 runs in the inning with only one of them earned. Weston Chadwell relieved Wacha for the sixth and seventh to keep the game close throwing two innings giving up one run on two hits and two strikeouts. Offensively, the Wild had four hitters with two hits apiece, with Ben Sellers leading the group with two RBI’s to go along with his two hits.

For the Crush, Lumley lasted three and a third innings while giving up two earned runs on two hits, seven walks, and two strikeouts. Tyler James relieved Lumley and threw three and two thirds innings allowing eight hits, five earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts. The Crush were led by Logan Rycraft who was three for three with two runs and three RBI’s. Baylor Hinz was two for four with a run and an RBI and Ross Indlecoffer hit a towering 3-run homerun to left.

The Wild, who have now lost eight straight, fall to 5-11 on the year. The Crush move to 9-8.

Game two starters were Mason Hatch for the Crush and Colby Eckhoff for the Wild. Hatch looked to improve on his record as he started the day 1-2 with a 11.91 era in 11.1 innings pitched. Eckhoff was 2-0 with a 4.63 era in 11.2 innings pitched.

The first two innings of the game saw a pitcher’s duel as both pitchers held each other teams scoreless. In the bottom half of the third inning, the Crush got on the scoreboard with three runs as Tanner Kellerstrass led off the inning with a walk, stole second, and scored on a single by Logan Rycraft. Rycraft came around to score on a monster home run from Ross Indlecoffer his second of the day. The Wild answered back with a run in the fourth as Joey Dopp’s fielder’s choice scored Nolan Ard from third after Ard led off with a triple. In the fifth, the Wild scored another run when Trey Woosley reached on a single and an error by the third baseman that scored Zach Reeder all the way from first base. In the sixth inning, the Wild was finally able to get to the Crush bullpen as Josiah Lovin relieved Hatch. The Wild were able to get runners on second and third with two outs and had Brent Schaffitzel up at the right time. Schaffitzel singled to left on a 2-2 count driving in Joey Dopp for the tying run. As we headed to the top of the seventh, the Wild had the heart of their lineup coming to the plate. Trey Woosley led off with a walk and brought Ben Sellers to the plate. Sellers struck out on an 0-2 fastball that left Woosley at first base. Nolan Ard was next to bat and he flew out to right field. With two outs and a man on first, Joey Dopp grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat. Heading now to the bottom of the seventh, the Crush sent their 2,3, and 4 hitters to the plate and the Wild countered with reliever Joey Dopp. Dopp walked Ross Indlecoffer which brought Jackson Berney to the plate who struck out on a 2-2 fastball. Next up was Baylor Hinz who flew out to left. With Austin Wood up to bat, Indlecoffer stole second on an 0-1 count. Wood worked the count to 3-2 and eventually struck out looking leaving the score tied at 3-3.

As per league rules, if the score is tied at the end of regulation, one inning will be played to determine a winner.

Josiah Lovin was still on the mound as headed to the top of the eighth inning. Isaac Carlson was up first and hit a 2-1 fastball high over the leftfield wall giving the Wild a one run lead. Sam Parrish singled to right and advanced to second on a deep fly ball to centerfield. Schaffitzel singled to center moving Parrish to third. That brought up Zach Reeder who reached on an infield single to load the bases. A pass ball scored another run as Trey Woosley then walked. Ben Sellers hit into a fielder’s choice driving in Schaffitzel from third base. Ard ended the inning as he grounded out to short.

In the bottom of the eighth, Dopp made quick work of the Crush with a ground out, strikeout and a ground out to end the game.

Both Hatch and Eckhoff threw well on the night with Eckhoff throwing four innings, four hits, and three earned runs. Eckhoff was relieved by Joel Singleton who threw two innings and no runs. Joey Dopp received the win throwing two innings of relief striking out three.

Hatch threw five strong innings giving up four hits, one earned run and seven strikeouts. Josiah Lovin relieved Hatch and threw the final three innings allowing four earned runs on six hits. Lovin falls to 0-2 on the summer.

The Wild end their losing streak and improve to 6-11 as the Crush fall to 9-9. Both teams face each other Sunday at 6:30 to finish off their weekday series.