Seven-run 4th inning, Pearson’s clutch relief work allows Highland to hold off Mascoutah
Since dropping a 4-3 eight-inning game at O’Fallon on March 29, the Highland baseball Bulldogs have been flat-out unbeatable.
On Thursday, April 14, it was Mascoutah became Highland’s latest conquest as the Bulldogs exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning and then got some clutch relief work from Blaise Pearson to prevail 9-8 in the Mississippi Valley Conference opener for both teams at Triad High School.
Highland (10-3, 1-0) has been on fire since the end of March, stacking up seven consecutive victories.
“They (the kids) feel like they should be a good team,” Highland coach Joel Hawkins said. “We were upset after the O’Fallon game and we should have been happy to compete against O’Fallon, but that wasn’t the goal then.”
“The kids feel like they should be able to battle with at-bats and battle against everybody and as we’ve gone along a bit, they’ve started to pick that (confidence) up,” Hawkins added.
Mascoutah (10-2, 0-1) grabbed a 2-1 in the bottom second inning thanks to a pair of runs.
In the top of the fourth, the Bulldogs obliterated that margin with their seven-run outburst off Mascoutah starter Wyatt Beer.
Trey Koishor and Jake Ottensmeier keyed the uprising with back-to-back two-run singles. Luke Darling hammered a two-run homer over the left-center field fence and Highland starter Matt Miscik pounded a solo blast to right field for an 8-2 lead.
Koishor was glad to help his teammates get the bats going.
“I was just trying to bear up the ball and just put it somewhere to score a run and I did,” Koishor said. “I think it’s the weather today. We’re swinging hard and putting the ball over the fence, getting more reps at practice and it translates to the game.
“It’s going to be a good conference (race).”
Down 9-4 heading into the seventh inning, Mascoutah had one final charge left, pulling within 9-7 on a mammoth three-run homer over the center-field fence from senior Brendan Brock.
Pearson then walked Lance Funk, putting the potential winning run at first base with one out.
Pearson, who was in the closer role last season, buckled down and struck out Beer and Trevor Geis to stop the Indians.
Losses are never fun for Mascoutah coach Don Eddy, but the late comeback made him feel good about his team’s mindset and approach.
“We tip our caps to them. They (Highland) won and I was proud of my kids and of their effort, their attitude, and their energy,” Eddy said. “Seven’s a big number to recover from, but I was proud of our guys for battling back and, unfortunately, we didn’t get that last hit that we needed.”
HHS and Mascoutah combined for 21 hits.
Quick rematch
On Friday, April 14, the two teams will meet at noon at Glik Park for game two of the home-and-home conference series.
This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 6:46 PM.