Chickasaws secure 4-2 win over Comets after game stopped midway through sixth inning

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — It was a case of thunder coming before the lightning.

After New Hampton contained a brewing Charles City rally to just 1 run in the bottom of the fifth while holding on to a 4-2 lead during game one of what was supposed to be a Northeast Iowa Conference baseball doubleheader Tuesday at Comet Field, there was a sigh of relief among the Chickasaw faithful.

They may have been concerned when Comet co-captains Vinny Benning and Holden McInroy led off the bottom half of the frame with hard-hit back-to-back doubles. But the real worry was to finish the inning in time to make the game “official” as a Leviathan-shaped and shaded thunderstorm cloud rolled over the Charles City Sports Complex with ill intentions.

Taking no chances when the game ventured into the sixth inning, the Chickasaws rallied for 5 runs to extend their lead to 9-2. But when lightning prompted a delay ahead of the game’s eventual stoppage before the Comets got to bat in their half of the sixth, NH’s thunderous rally was erased from the scoreboard like it was struck down by Zeus as the Chickasaws had to settle for the 4-2 win.

New Hampton sophomore and former Comet Carter Cajthaml got the complete shortened-game win while yielding six hits and 2 earned runs in five innings.

Cajthaml was also 2 for 3 with a double and RBI for the Chickasaws (17-3, 4-3 NEIC), who won their fifth straight.

Charles City sophomore Zachary Schoeck, who has been one of the Comets’ hottest hitters as of late, continued the trend against NH while going 2 for 2.

The second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader was rescheduled for Wednesday, but that game was postponed again due to the weather and has yet to be rescheduled.

The Comets (0-15, 0-9) are scheduled to host Turkey Valley on Friday (7 p.m. first pitch) while looking for their first win of the season.