WEIMAR, Texas — Wilder Baseball Club won its first-ever World Series game Saturday morning.
Wilder, the Pacific Northwest regional champion, shaded Lansing, Ill., the Ohio Valley regional champion, 7-6 in a close barn-burner in the first round of pool play at the 2012 Babe Ruth Baseball 16-18 World Series.
The one-run margin gives Wilder a crucial 1-0 record in the National Division standings as the area elite team battles Cape Cod, Mass., in second-round play today at 8:30 a.m. PDT.
Cape Cod, the New England regional champion, had not played its first game by press deadline.
The top three teams in each pool advances to single-elimination bracket competition.
The tourney started Friday night as host team Texas Tri-Counties lost 8-0 to Onondaga, N.Y., in American Division action.
Wilder’s Saturday game went back and forth as Lansing went ahead 1-0 in the first but Wilder scored four in the bottom of the third to take a seemingly safe lead.
Lansing, however, wasn’t about to lay down and came back with a run in the fourth and three more in the top of the fifth to take the lead back at 5-4.
That was short-lived, though, as Wilder scored twice in the bottom of the fifth for a 6-5 advantage.
Lansing scored again in the sixth for a 6-all tie.
Again, Wilder scored once in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead for good at 7-6.
Additional details weren’t available.
Pool play continues through Tuesday for Wilder as the North Olympic Peninsula team plays Mid County, Texas — the Southwest regional champion — on Monday, and goes against Eagle Pass, Texas — the Southern Texas state champion — on Tuesday
Wilder has its bye Wednesday and will start championship bracket play Thursday if it finishes in the top three in National Division pool play.
