Baseball: Wausau West rallies from 5 run deficit to tie D.C. Everest before game suspended in the 8th.

With some severe weather in the forecast for late in the afternoon on Friday, it was decided that the Wausau West at D.C. Everest baseball game would be moved up four hours to a 1 pm first pitch. The decision turned into a wise one but, in the end, the only winner was the weather. In the top of the 8th inning, the lightning came and the game was suspended with the game tied at 5.

The game started like D.C. Everest would blow the Warriors away in much the same way the wind was blowing up to 35 miles per hour at Simon Field. The Evergreens scored twice in the first inning on a pair of wild pitches to lead 2-0. Everest would add to their lead in the 2nd, as Ty Rohde singled in a run to make it 3-0. Cooper Richie would then add a 2 RBI single to make it 5-0 after 2 innings.

The Warriors got a run back in the 4th on a Carson Thurs sacrifice fly and added two more runs in the 5th on a wild pitch that scored a run and an RBI grounder by Kam Blasky to make it 5-3. The West comeback continued in the 6th when they would tie the game. A Marshal Helke fielder's choice scored a run to make it 5-4 and, with two outs, a ground ball to shortstop led to an off-target throw that scored the Warriors' second run of the inning to tie the game at 5.

Everest had chances to win it in both the sixth and seventh innings. In the 6th, the Evergreens loaded the bases with one out but Warrior lefty Parker Monday got Cole Van Slyke to pop up followed by a fly out by Aiden Haupt to keep it 5-5. In the 7th, the Evergreens had a runner at third with two out but Monday again stranded the runner when he retired Maddux Wyro on a ground ball.

With the clouds darkening the Warriors came to bat in the 8th and loaded the bases with two out. Alex Kapitz was at the plate with a count of 1 and 1 when lightning was seen in the sky beyond the center field fence. The umpires immediately suspended the game and shortly thereafter, the thunderstorms and a tornado hit the Weston area. It was the 2nd time this week that D.C. Everest had a game that was suspended due to storms. The Evergreens game vs. SPASH on Monday was suspended in the 3rd inning with the game tied at 3.

Joe Graveen had 2 hits for the Warriors, who had 4 hits in the game. Everest also had 4 hits. DCE starter Cade Felch went 4 innings, allowing just 1 run on 1 hit with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. West got solid pitching in relief from sophomore Parker Helke, who also went 4 innings and allowed 1 run on 1 hit with 2 strikeouts and 1 walk.

No official resumption time has been announced but the teams will meet again on May 5th at Wausau West and on May 7th at D.C. Everest. This season, after Merrill left the Wisconsin Valley Conference, each team faces their league opponents three times during the regular season.