Duluth Advances in Baseball Playoffs

With his team holding on to a shakey 3-2 lead in the fifth inning, the bases loaded and his starting pitcher struggling with his control, Duluth Wildcats Coach Matt Champitto marched to the mound knowing he had a very big decision to make.

When he walked alone back to the dugout, he must have wondered if he got it right by leaving his junior righthander Chris Rich in the ballgame.

He did!

Rich worked his way out of the jam, struck out four of the next six batters and delivered a clutch two-run double to left in the seventh inning to give the Duluth Wildcats a 6-2 win over Wheeler in Game 3 of the Class AAAAA playoffs.

The victory gives the Duluth Wildcats a 2-1 win in the three-game series with Marietta's Wheeler and sends Duluth into the next round against Alpharetta on Wednesday at Alpharetta.

Wheeler's Sam Bragg gave the visiting Wildcats the early lead with a towering solo homerun to centerfield in the first inning. (Both teams are Wildcats.)

Duluth tied the game in the second inning on a single by Alex Raffensperger and an RBI double by catcher Jacob Timmie.

Duluth added two more in the third on Evan Dumas' two-run homer to left for a 3-1 lead.

Rich demonstrated excellent control in the first four innings, striking out five and walking only one. But in the fifth, he walked Bragg, gave up an infield hit to Alan Peters and hit Kyle Allen with a pitch to load the bases. Bragg scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 3-2.

Champitto admitted he considered sending in some relief.

"It was close," he said. "I asked him if he could battle through it, and he said he could. He came back real strong."

Rich got out of the inning without allowing another run, and Duluth put the game away with a three-run outbutst in the seventh inning.

Wheeler relief pitcher Stuart Wallace walked the bases loaded, setting the table for Rich, who scorched a line drive down the third base line for a two-run double then scored on Raffensperger's sacrifice fly.