Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH WEBSTER — Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. Unfortunately for Isaac Whaley, he was good.
Whaley pitched well but a couple of errors led to two unearned runs as the South Webster Jeeps rallied in the seventh inning to beat the St. Joseph Flyers 5-4 on Tuesday.
Whaley pitched a five-hitter, struck out one and walked there.
“Isaac Whaley threw a great game. He deserved a better fate than he got,” said Flyers’ coach Greg Bryant.
“We got a couple of breaks and they got a couple of breaks. It was a good ball game. We’re getting better.”
The Jeeps got a run in the first when Gabe Ruth walked, stole second, and scored on Aiden Andrews’ sacrifice.
The Flyers (10-3) took a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Matt Sheridan walked and Whaley doubled him home. Whaley went to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Payne.
South Webster regained the lead with two runs in the sixth on a hit batsman, two singles and an error.
The Flyers came right back with two runs in the top of the seventh to lead 4-3.
Michael Mahlmeister and Matt Weber singled and Izsak Unger sacrificed the runners up a base. Jackson Rowe singled home pinch-runner Andrew White.
Sheridan put down a sacrifice that scored pinch-runner Elijah Rowe to give St. Joseph the lead.
But the Jeeps came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Gabe Ruth singled, stole second and Andrews singled him home. Andrews went to second on the throw home and — after an intentional walk — Jacob Ruth singled to load the bases. But with two outs, an error allowed the winning run to score.
St. Joseph 000 200 2 = 4 4 4
S. Webster 100 002 2 = 5 5 1
Isaac Whaley and Michael Mahlmeister. Billy Jones and Jacob Ruth. W-Jones (ER-3, K-8, BB-4). L-Whaley (ER-3, K-1, BB-3). Hitting-St. Joe: Jackson Rowe 1-2 rbi, Matt Sheridan rbi, Isaac Whaley 1-3 2B rbi, Ryan Payne rbi, Michael Mahlmeister 1-3, Max Weber 1-3; SW: Gabe Ruth 1-3, Aiden Andrews 1-3 2-rbi, Jacob Ruth 2-4, Cook 1-4 rbi.