After scrambling to reschedule around unpredictable weather conditions, the Wright City baseball team was able to squeeze in four games before this week’s void. Coach Dave Chapman had reservations about the toll a busy three-game stretch would have on the Wildcats’ pitching staff this week. But he wasn’t exactly prepared for Mother Nature to intervene in such an exclamatory manner. “It’ll be a while before we see the field again,” said Chapman. The statement was just as true literally as it was figuratively, given the 12 inches of snow that covered Wright City’s complex on Sunday. The Wildcats, who are next scheduled to play in an unlikely contest at Bowling Green on Thursday, opened the season 2-2. The opening games were part of the Four Rivers Conference Tournament. Wright City lost 4-3 against Pacific on Wednesday, before clobbering New Haven 10-0 on Thursday. The Wildcats closed out the week with a 20-9 offensive loss against Festus. Senior Austin Meine started on the mound against Pacific, giving up five hits and one earned run through six innings. He gave up two runs during a shaky first inning, before holding the Indians scoreless for five straight innings. “After they scored their two runs, Austin pitched great,” said Chapman. “His pitch count went way down, and they only got a couple of hits the rest of the way.” The game was locked in a 2-2 tie heading into the seventh inning. Senior Carlos Quiles led off with a single, and junior Austin Marsh followed with a hit. Quiles scored to move the Wildcats ahead 3-2, but they left two runners stranded. “We had first and second with nobody out, but couldn’t push any more across,” lamented Chapman. He decided to pull Meine and call junior Dallas Deroy up for relief in the seventh. An error helped Pacific reach base and eventually score on a fly ball. “It was a tough way to lose,” said Chapman. “I was really happy with the way we played. We had great pitching and our fielding was really good.” The Wildcats recovered the following afternoon, winning in a rout against the Shamrocks. Senior Tyler Tuepker fanned eight batters through five innings, allowing just one hit and walking three. “He was really in command that whole game,” said Chapman. Wright City had nine team hits in the win.