Meridian baseball (7-8) took on a red-hot Clarkdale team (11-1) at Q.V. Sykes Park on Monday night, and the Wildcats proved they could keep up with the Bulldogs through the first four innings.

 

Tied 6-6 at the top of the fifth inning, Clarkdale batted in three runners before Meridian batted in two. However, the Wildcats were unable to score in the final two innings, and Clarkdale won 11-8.

 

The Bulldogs were able to get their final six outs without giving up a run, but their defense was not as stout as usual, according to Clarkdale coach Scott Gibson 

 

“We’ve pitched well and we’ve played good defense all year. Tonight we didn’t,” Gibson said.

 

Gibson said his young pitchers need to get better at throwing strikes while limiting free passes.

 

“A win’s a win,” Gibson said. “We threw some young arms, and they’ve got to learn that free passes get you beat, or will put you in position to get beat. We just expect them to go out and pitch well. I don’t care if they’re ninth graders, eighth graders, tenth graders.”

 

Clarkdale is cruising to the playoffs, but Meridian will be scratching and clawing for an opportunity to play in the postseason now that the Wildcats have a losing record. Meridian coach Michael Lindsey thinks his team can make the playoffs if the Wildcats can clean up some of their issues, including making routine plays in the field.

 

“We competed at the plate. I think that’s our strong point this year,” Lindsey said. “We had a few miscues that I think kind of made the game go in the direction that it did, but I’m proud of our guys. We competed all night long, so from a coaching standpoint, I can’t say enough about them.”