By Angie Ledbetter
With the lightning forking and the rain sheeting, it took nine innings to decide the 14-6 game two between North Delta and Deer Creek.

North Delta emerged victorious after losing 8-4 in game one to force game 3 Thursday night.

The score was not available at press time.

The game took four hours with a thirty minute storm delay.

A controversial balk call at the bottom of the seventh inning, gave Deer Creek the tying run at six to force the first extra inning.

In the ninth inning, the rally started with back-to-back singles by Jim Tom Copeland and Michael Magee.

Britt Lawrence was hit by a pitch which loaded the bags. Geri Lamm walked, driving Copeland home to break the tie. Austin Gant’s  walk drove Magee home.

Garrott was the next victim to be hit by pitch which drove in Lawrence.

Dalrymple cleared the bases with a 3-RBI triple driving in Lamm, Gant and Garrott for a 12-6 lead.

With two outs, Copeland walked then stole second while Greenlee was at bat.

With runners on second and third, Bateman Greenlee drove a hard single, bringing in Dalrymple and Copeland for the 14-6 score.

Greenlee pitched eight innings for the Green Wave with Copeland in relief in the ninth to shutout the Warriors and win the game.

To start the long battle, senior Josh Garrott hit a single. Dalrymple walked.  Greenlee flew out to right driving Garrott and Dalrymple home for the 2-0 lead.

In the second, Lamm and Austin Gant singled with Rob Maddox coming in as pinch runner. Eighth grader Bailey Guckert laid down a sacrifice bunt advancing runners. Garrott drew a walk and Dalrymple hit a 3-RBI double for the 5-0 lead. The Warriors changed pitchers after the Wave recorded five runs.

The designated hitter came to the plate trying to put some excitement in for the Warriors by walking to first. Stealing his way to second by way of pass ball, he found himself on third. Greenlee and the Wave defense hung runner up at third ending the inning with a 5-0 lead over Warriors.

The Warriors went to a third pitcher after Magee walked in top of third. Britt Lawrence singled and Lamm walked with one out. Gant hit into a double play ending the inning.

As a storm was approaching the Wave came up empty for the first time in the game in top of the fourth. The severe thunder storm hit and the game was delayed for about 30 minutes but not before the Warriors loaded the bases with only one out. As dark clouds brought strong wind and rain, players, coaches, parents and fans went to the school gym until the weather improved.

After the delay, the Warriors pushed one runner across and Greenlee struck out the centerfielder, the second baseman popped out to Garrott avoiding a shutout and cut the lead 5-1.

The Deer Creek Warriors added three more runs getting back in the game in the fifth bringing the score to 5-4.

The top of the sixth was big for the Warriors. The shortstop walked and stole second while the first baseman popped out.

Greenlee fanned the catcher for the second out while the shortstop made his way to third on a steal. The designated hitter hit a RBI single to score the runner from third for the fifth run. The right fielder walked advancing the runner to second. The designated runner stole third, putting runners on the corners. With a balk called, the designated runner came home to tie the game at six.

The eighth inning found no runs for either team pushing the playoff game to a ninth inning.

Greenlee was the winning pitcher with 155 pitches and Copeland got the save on the game with thirteen.

Head Coach David Hardy said that Monday’s game and Tuesday’s was totally the opposite.

“Monday night, Deer Creek got first bat at our place and got runs on the board early and we got down early. We were in a little bit of a shock there and didn’t respond right away but eventually did to make that game close.

“Tuesday’s ball game, we got first at bat and put some runs on the board early and gave us some momentum there,” said Hardy. “It had a lot to do with different pitchers that we faced to start the game. We were able to put a lot of balls in play and able to relax some with the lead early.”

Hardy talked about the game getting tied.

“We had two outs in bottom of the seventh inning going in with a two run lead. We had a mistake or two but some of those guys were playing in their first playoff game and were a little nervous. We could’ve ended the game earlier but we allowed them to get in that position. When we got to that final point, we actually had a pitching situation early in that inning where our pitcher rushed a little bit and actually should’ve been called for a balk.

“In no way am I saying there was a tendency to have a make up call,” Hardy clarified. “In the situation when the game was tied, there were two outs and a runner on first and third. A similar situation that we faced with them in the past in the prior game with them and they broke their runner from first and our pitcher came set.  The reason that I was given for the balk call was once he came set, the home plate umpire felt like he shook his shoulders. That’s a judgment call and sometimes you get them right and sometimes you get them wrong. I didn’t see it myself as a balk call, but we’ve been on the forcing side of calls before and it’s just one of those things you don’t have control over. We should’ve never been in that situation to give them a chance to tie it up and have a questionable call possible.”