Three times, in fact.
But the Wildcats couldn’t do what’s been their undoing all season Tuesday night against Harker Heights - driving in base runners in scoring position.
Temple stranded seven runners in the final four innings - including three in the seventh - and lost 5-3 to the Knights at Hallford Field, eliminating the Wildcats from playoff contention.
“We had to have it, there’s no question about it,” Temple coach Larry Haynes said. “We had to win out and it (won’t) happen.”
Temple (8-16-1 overall, 3-7 in 13-5A) trailed Heights (13-11-1, 5-4) by two runs heading into the bottom of the seventh, then pitcher Korey Wacker walked two of the first three Wildcats he saw. Third baseman Andrew Rayas singled to right field to load the bases with one out.
Haynes brought in sophomore Issac Matamoros to pinch hit, needing just a base hit to likely tie the game.
Instead, Matamoros and Zach Crosswhite popped out on consecutive pitches to end the game.
“We just couldn’t get a timely hit late in the game when you need it,” Haynes said. “That’s been kind of our season right now.”
The Wildcats jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the third inning thanks to that timely offense they wouldn’t find later.
Right fielder P.J. Dacus’ RBI single in the second tied the game at 1.
Temple took the lead when shortstop Abe Garcia scored in the third on a passed ball. Second baseman C.J. Reid added to the lead when he scored as Rayas was caught trying to steal second.
Things appeared to be falling right into place for the Wildcats.
Wacker, the 2007 13-5A MVP who allowed just three hits and struck out 11 batters earlier this season against Temple, began to struggle with his control. And after early struggles in the first inning, Temple starter Kevin Lock (4-4) settled down and pitched three straight perfect innings.
Heading into the fifth - nine outs away from one of the Wildcats’ biggest wins of the season - Temple led 3-1.
“I don’t know that we were in total control there,” Haynes said, “but we were putting pressure on (Wacker) and a little pressure on their defense.”
But when the Wildcats needed runs the most, their offense sputtered.
In both the fourth and fifth innings, Temple had two runners on with only one out. And each time Wacker struck out a pair of Wildcats to end the inning.
Wacker, a senior left-hander, had 11 strikeouts.
“We played a good pitcher,” Haynes said. “He’s been one of the better pitchers in our district the last three years and we went head-to-head with him and we competed as best we could.”
As the Wildcats’ offense suddenly was put on ice by Wacker, the Knights began to heat up.
A fifth-inning error by Rayas on a routine grounder to third led to a Heights run that cut Temple’s lead to 3-2.
The Knights tied it in the sixth on an RBI triple by center fielder David Kipp. Temple might have escaped the inning without any damage, but the relay throw from left field hit catcher Crosswhite in the chest.
Heights took the lead in the seventh on back-to-back RBI hits by second baseman Daniel Driver and Wacker.
Temple will close its season with a game at Killeen Shoemaker on Friday and the home finale against Killeen Ellison on April 25.
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
