Bearcats stage unlikely comeback to clip Wildcats

Win keeps Truro within striking distance of fourth place

Maybe there’s a little magic left after all.

Not much was going right for the Truro Senior Bearcats Friday night at the TAAC Grounds. Plating a run in the first inning, after Darson Murphy scored all the way from first on a botched throw, the Bearcats watched as the visiting Kentville Wildcats scored runs in innings two through five, surging ahead 4-1.

The Bearcats got one back in the sixth, but it didn’t look like they’d get much farther. Then, that magic. Shortstop Jeff Chisholm belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, sending the teams to extra innings. And in the 10th, a patient Matt Mingo waited out the count and recorded the winning RBI on a bases-loaded, walkoff walk, as Truro prevailed 5-4.

It was a big win for the Bearcats who are battling the Wildcats for fourth place in the five-team Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League.

Truro (3-15) sits two games back of the Wildcats (5-15) as the teams jockey for the fourth and final playoff spot, so Friday’s victory plays out big for the Bearcats, both in the standings and emotionally.

Truro hurler John Chapman picked up the win on the mound, while Codey Shrider took the loss for Kentville, despite recording 16 strikeouts. In fact, the Wildcats out-hit the Bearcats 11-5. Defensively, it was a somewhat ragged affair, as Kentville amassed six errors to the Bearcats’ three.

John Ansara had two singles for Kentville and drove in a run; David MacIntyre had a single and drove in two runs.

There’s a logjam atop the NSSL standings as Sydney Sooners (13-4) continue to lead, with Halifax

Pelham Canadians (12-6) in second, and Dartmouth Moosehead Dry (12-7) third.

In a weekend three-game set in Dartmouth, the Sooners downed the Moosehead Dry 7-6 Friday night. Saturday, the Dry swept both ends of a double-header by scores of 2-1 and 8-3.

The Bearcats were slated for

action Sunday, with a game in Halifax against the Canadians. Results were unavailable.

Wednesday, it’s another chance to make up ground as Truro travels to Kentville for a 7:30 p.m. game with the Wildcats.

Friday, the Bearcats return to the TAAC Grounds to entertain Halifax in a 7:30 p.m. start.

TRURO DAIlY NEWS PHOTO John Chapman earned the win on the mound as the Bearcats beat Kentville 5-4 in an extra inning.

TRURO DAIlY NEWS PHOTO Darson Murphy of the Truro Bearcats is too late to apply the tag as Colby Turple of the Kentville Wildcats reaches second. Jeff Chisholm, who belted a two-run homer in the ninth inning to set up the Truro win, is covering on the play.