For six innings Perry was in full command of Friday’s non-conference baseball game against Kuemper Catholic.
Then came the top of the seventh inning and a six-run barrage that nearly undid the Bluejays, who managed to hang on for a 7-6 win over the Knights at Progressive Field.
Perry (11-17) scored a run in their first at-bat, then added three runs in the third, with RBI-singles from Kyle Nevitt and Alex Long combining with a Kuemper error to send the score to 4-0. The margin grew to 7-0 after the Jays scored three additional runs in the fifth, all of which proved important.
Nevitt threw six strong innings for the hosts, allowing only two hits and working around six walks thanks in part to nine strikeouts. He was relieved by Alex Long, who was immediately in trouble.
A walk, single and walk began the Kuemper seventh, with an error and a two-run double from Tyler Laing cutting the Knight deficit to 7-3. Another Bluejay error and two singles that surrounded a strikeout brought the guests to within a run placed the tying and go-ahead runs on base, but Long induced a pop-out to catcher Gavin Boyer and a ground ball to first baseman Brandon Kenyon to end the drama.
Laing suffered the loss for Kuemper after yielding seven runs (five earned) on five hits and four walks five innings. Cole Halbur tossed a frame of relief, allowing one hit while striking out one to go with Laing’s six strikeouts.
Perry hosts Pella Monday and Winterset Wednesday in their final pair of regular season games. They will travel to Dallas Center to play DC-G at 7 p.m. Friday in a Class 4A District 14 Semifinal.
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