The Salina Stockade had just battled back to tie the score in the top of the sixth inning on Wednesday afternoon, but the joy did not last long for the Stockade as the Roswell Invaders scored five runs in the bottom of the frame on their way to an 8-4 victory. Ian Yetsko had the big blow, drilling a bases clearing double as part of a four RBI day for the infielder. Tyler Schmidt earned the win with 5.2 innings of solid relief.

After a scoreless first inning, Salina jumped out in front in the top of the second. Jared Gay led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice. He scored on a base hit by Alex Nielson to give the Stockade a 1-0 lead.

Stockade starter Reid Frase had kept the Invaders off the scoreboard through the first two frames, but they got to him for a run in the third. Collins Robinson singled and moved to second when a pickoff attempt went wild. He reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Coleton Horner.

In the fourth, Roswell took the lead. Seth Strong reached base when Frase misplayed a comebacker. Yetsko followed with a shot down the line. Strong came all the way around to score while Yetsko easily raced into second with a double. Logan Rycraft followed with a  single, moving Yetsko to third, however, it looked like the damage would be minimal for Frase as he retired Rene Moreda on an infield pop up and got Robinson to hit into a fielder’s choice that gunned Rycraft at the plate. That left runners at first and second with two down as Frase looked like he had dodged a bullet, but he seemed to let up, walking the next two batters to drive home the second run of the inning.

The Stockade responded with a run in the top of the fifth. Frase drew a walk, but was replaced on the base paths when Khalyd Cox’s sacrifice attempt dropped right in front of home plate. Horner pounced on it, throwing to second to nail Frase. Aaron Takacs then drew a walk. Salina rolled the dice, going with the double steal. It paid off as both runners were safe and the throw went up the line, allowing Cox to score. However, the Stockade could not get Takacs home as Schmidt struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning.

In the sixth, the Stockade tied the score. Jared Gay led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a two out hit by Jose Tejeda.

After watching their lead vanish, the Invaders responded with five in the bottom of the sixth. Moreda got the inning started with a double. He moved to third on a ground out and scored when Robinson beat out a grounder for a single. Taichi Nakamura followed with a single and both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Horner reached to load the bases. A walk to Austin Marshall extended the lead to two bringing Yetsko to the plate. He took a first pitch strike, then drilled a ball to the wall for a three-run double. That gave Roswell an 8-3 lead.

The Stockade got one of those runs back in the seventh when Eddie Grimaldo scored on a base hit by Drew Schutt. However, they would get no closer.

Yetsko finished 2-3 with a run and four RBI. Tyler Schmidt earned the win, allowing four hits and three runs in 5.2 innings. Gay scored two runs for the Stockade.

Boxscore

By Robert Pannier