Introduction 

Jackson Heights and Pleasant Ridge varsity baseball face off in a makeup doubleheader that was originally supposed to be played last Thursday, but was postponed due to poor field conditions from weather. The game was remade on Wednesday this week and was a game not to miss. The Pleasant Ridge Rams enter the night 11-1 in both NEKL play and overall. The Jackson Heights Cobras come into the doubleheader 3-7 in league play and 3-9 in the overall. The Rams are tied for first in the North-East Kansas League and are playing for a title, where as the Cobras, now bumped up to seventh in the league, will compete to finish in the top half of the NEKL division. 

Game One - Pleasant Ridge VS Jackson Heights (12-6)

Game one started off beat-for-beat with both teams scoring two runs in the first inning. The Rams charge ahead first with Austin Green parking a two-RBI-double scoring Jack Maley and Nate Herken. The Cobras respond with Senior Weston Shultejans and junior J.W Moore scoring off a two-RBI-double from senior Micheal Cornelison. The Cobras snatched the lead in the bottom of the second scoring junior Joshua Smith and sophmore Drake Mellies. The Cobras recorded two runs and two hits in back-to-back innings, the snakes were now up by two runs, 4-2. The game stalled for a bit with both teams only getting one run heading into the sixth inning with the score 5-3, Cobra Lead. In the top of the sixth the Rams rallied to take the lead 6-5 with two hits and the help of a Cobra fielding error, which could have possibly resulted a double-play. The Cobras tied it up in the bottom of the sixth with an impressive score by Drake Mellies as he reached base off a single, stole second by a hair, stole third by an inch, and got batted in by J.W Moore. In the top of the seventh inning the Rams came out hot with six runs, five hits, left one on base, and got assisted by two fielding errors by the Cobras. Scoring runs in the inning for the Rams were: Brady Mance, Hank Lance, Josh Herndon, Jack Maley, Nate Herken, and Austin Green. Jackson Heights we’re unfortunately not able to rally in the bottom of the seventh, but the Rams had an amazing end of the game double-play from Mason Ewert at center field who caught the pop up fly for the second out, and then sent the ball hurling towards first to get the runner out before the tag up. Weston Shultejans pitched an excellent game for the Cobras despite the loss going nearly six innings, recording five strikeouts, and throwing one-hundred six pitches. Brady Mance came in for the rest of the game for the Rams during the third inning and held the Cobras to two runs and four hits with four strikeouts to finish. 

Game Two - Pleasant Ridge VS Jackson Heights (10-11)  

Now if anyone experiences a lot of Deja Vu this second game is going to feel quite similar to the first one, except a different and thrilling finish. Rams once more take a two run lead to start the game, this time off a home run parked towards left-center field from Austin Green, his sixth of the year, to drive in himself and Jack Maley. Cobras only respond with one run however in the bottom of the first with Drake Mellies getting home. Cobra junior pitcher, Kade Holiday, barely scraped by in the second inning for the snakes, as he only gave up one run but having the bases loaded off three walks and a base hit for a single by Riely Gallaspie. The Cobras were shutout in the bottom of the two and both teams scored one run in the third, making the score 4-2 with the Rams in the Lead. Jackson Heights had a phenomenal fourth inning allowing no hits and no runs in the top, and then responding with four runs of their own to take the lead 6-4. Drake Mellies also started the fourth inning with a solo home run with an out to bring it within a one run game. It’s at this point Pleasant Ridge takes out their starting pitcher, Mason Ewert, and places back in their ace pitcher from game one, Brady Mance. The Cobras are able to roll with Kade Holiday at pitching until the sixth inning where Drake Mellies makes his return in the season at pitcher. In the fifth inning (before the switch to Mellies at pitcher)the Cobras give up two runs off a two-RBI-single by Rowan Fast. Jackson Heights returns two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead 8-6. In the sixth, the Rams tie the game in style with a two-run-home-run by Nate Herken, and proceed to hold the Cobras scoreless in the bottom of the six with three straight strikeouts from Brady Mance. Entering the final inning of the night, the seventh, it’s all tied up 8-8. Sound familiar? Well it’s not much of a worry for the Rams as they put up two runs to take a two run lead 10-8. It comes all down to the wire and Jackson Heights manages to tie it up 10-10 with only one out in the inning. Weston is on base after his two-RBI-double that tied up the game and up to bat is J.W Moore. Tension is high, hearts are racing, and Moore is on a one ball and one strike count. On the third pitch he slices one down the right line past first base for a walk-off RBI single to score Shultejans for the walk-off win. The Cobras made not only a physical comeback but a mental one to win 11-10. 

Summary 

In the end both teams brought hot bats with fourteen hits coming from Pleasant Ridge on the night and Jackson Heights with sixteen total. It was excellent baseball from both teams and made for an exciting and entertaining show for the folks tuning in at home to the Cobra Channel! Both Coaches were proud of their team’s offensively, but there were a plentiful number of fielding errors from both sides throughout the matchup. Pleasant Ridge after the doubleheader will now be both 12-2 in the league and overall. Jackson Heights however will be now 4-8 in league and 4-10 overall. Both teams still have a few NEKL matchups left on the year, and If anything is foreshadowed from today, it’s going to be an exciting rest of the season! 

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