Depending on how you look at it, the Blessed Sacrament Huguenot baseball team could be labeled either the Bad News Bears or the Bash Bunch. Then again, throwing in the Cardiac Kids would not be inappropriate.

The Knights hosted the Tidewater Academy Warriors last Wednesday and the “Bears” gave up 15 runs, 17 17 hits, committed six errors and walked eight. The hardly-old-enough-to-shave “Bashers” pounded out 15 hits of their own (including three home runs), and scored 16 runs.

“I’m used to fielding teams with great pitching and a good defense,” said head coach James Poore. “These kids can really hit.” The “Cardiac Kids”— three juniors and the rest ninth and tenth graders — never led until the final batter and came back from four-, then five-, then six-run deficits to run their record to 5-3.

A walk, two errors and a double put starting freshman pitcher Brandon Holt in a 0-2 hole before the Knights had their first at bat. BSH got one back on Taylor Myers’ perfect bunt, Connor Paul’s infield single and starting pitcher Dillian Pearson’s bases-loaded walk. The Knights left the bases full.

Tidewater tacked on another run on a two-out walk and a double at 1-3 to start the second. The Knights returned the favor on Ryan Bendele’s two-out single and steal. Myers’ single to left-center plated him.

Another BSH error let Tidewater’s lead off batter reach and a ground rule double that bounced over the center field fence scored him. A single to center had the Warriors up 2-5. Chris Howard’s lead-off fly ball drove the centerfielder against the fence for out number one. Gavin Paul singled and Austin Wingfield took a Pearson fast ball in the shoulder. Tidewater turned Alex Winfree’s smash to short into a perfectly executed double play and the Knights had squandered another scoring opportunity.

Holt was touched for a lead-off double to start the fourth and Bendele took over on the mound. A single and sacrifice fly pushed the Warriors’ lead to 6-2. David Schlake went down swinging and Holt grounded to short on a 2-0 pitch. But with two away here came the Cardiac Kids. Bendele crushed a 2-1 pitch over the centerfield fence and brought in new pitcher Chris Grammer. Myers walked and trotted home in front of Connor Paul’s laser over the left-center field fence. Howard’s flare found the right field corner for a triple, Gavin Paul drove him home with a shot through short and it was six all.

But the Knights couldn’t stand prosperity. Tidewater revved up their offense and batted around to start the fifth. When the dust settled, the Warriors seemed comfortably ahead at 11-6. But the Knights opened their half of the inning with a Winfree double that clanged off the fence in left. Schlake flied out in front of Holt’s walk. Bendele’s double to left scored a run and put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one away. Myers cleared the bases with a shot over the right field fence and the Knights had closed to 11-10.

Again, the Knights couldn’t deal with good fortune. A lead off double and two walks loaded the bases with only one gone. Bendele went back to play shortstop and Connor Paul took over the pitching duties. He struck out the first batter he faced and then walked in a run. Paul hung a 0-2 count on Jake Adams before Adams laced a triple to right center to put the Warriors back in front by five at 15-10. Grammer struck out the side and once again the Knights looked dead in the water.

With runners at the corners and two away, Connor Paul got out of the jam with a four-pitch strike-out to start off the seventh. Bendele led off the bottom of the inning with a smash through third base. Myers (4-4) stroked a single to right and went to second on the fielder’s bobble. Connor Paul worked Grammer for a load ‘em up walk and the large Quinton Hellyer came in to face Howard. He promptly hit him to force in run number 11. Gavin Paul’s flare to right would have scored at least two but again the right fielder misplayed it and three Knights sprinted home at 15-14. Wingfield worked the count full then drove in Paul, and the tying run, with a single to right. Winfree looked at a 1-2 count before Hellyer was pulled and Curtis Pittman was brought in to get him out. Two pitches later Winfree drew the walk. With Wingfield at second and Winfree at first, Schlake laid a sacrifice bunt down the first base line and the Knights base runners moved up one. Holt quickly fell behind 0-2 and looked like a sure second out, but he got a piece of Pittman’s third delivery and chopped it to short. With the double play out of the picture, coach Poore sent Wingfield on the crack of the bat. The shortstop’s throw home was perfect; the catcher blocked the plate and applied the tag to Wingfield a foot up the third base line. Wingfield’s hard slide knocked the ball loose.