By DAVID MILLER

News Sports Writer

Returning to action after a week's layoff, the Ponca City Wildcats registered a 7-4 victory over the Perry Maroons in a game played on the Po-Hi baseball field.

The Wildcats had been scheduled to have a full slate of games during spring break last week, but weather allowed them to play only two, both on Monday a week ago.

The layoff didn't seem to hurt the Ponca City hitters as they got to work early scoring one in the first, two in the second and two in the third to take a 5-0 advantage over the visiting Maroons.

Perry scored its first run in the fifth inning, to cut the lead to 5-1, but the Wildcats came back in the bottom half of the frame to score two more and lead 7-1.

Batting in the seventh, Perry made a bid to catch up, scoring three times and having the tieing run at the plate before Ponca City was able to get the third out and end the game.

"It got a little sloppy there at the end," WIldcat mentor Russell Walden said after the game. "But, hey, a win is a win and we'll take it."

Walden praised the pitching of his starter, senior Matt Lambert, who pitched six and one-third innings.

"I thought Matt pitched well today. He mixed up his changes and fast balls well and tended to keep their hitters off balance," Walden said.

Lambert tired in the seventh, giving up three hits and walking one batter before Michael Berry was called to finish the game.

In the Wildcat first, Stephen Cooper led off with a single, stole second and then scored on Aric McCumber's single.

In the second, catcher Patrick Swain singled. He was replaced on the basepaths by Quentin Cady, who was inserted as a courtesy runner. Consecutive singles by Trevor Feathers, Cale Carson and Cooper got Cady and Feathers across the plate.

The third inning scoring saw McCumber leading off by drawing a walk, Lambert reaching on a Perry error and a double by first baseman Zach Cremers. Cremers had faked a bunt and pulled back the back to hit the ball in the left center field gap. Both McCumber and Lambert scored on his hit.

Perry scored its first run in the fifth as Tyler Schovenec singled and went to second on a single by Joe Lamberty. Schovenec later moved to third on a hit batsman and scored on a ground out.

In the bottom of the inning, Berry singled and scored as Patrick Swain hit one over the outfield fence in the left field corner.

Perry's big threat in the seventh started with a Ponca City error on a ball hit by Lamberty. Ponca City's Lambert struck out the next Maroon hitter. But then a single, a walk, and a single by Taylor Groom scored a pair of runs. Cody Edgar drove home the final run for the Maroons with a single. With two runners on base, Berry got Schovanec to hit one back to the mound ending the Perry threat.

The win improves Ponca City's record to 4-6 for the season. The Wildcats will play next in the annual Gladys Winters Tournament at Enid. They have a 4:30 p.m. game Wednesday against Putnam City North.

PONCA CITY 7,

PERRY 4

Perry 000 010 3 — 4 9 1

Ponca City 122 020 x — 7 11 1

Colton Conrad, Nathan Schwandt (3), Joe Lamberty (5), Taylor Groom (6) and Cody Edgar. Matt Lambert, Michael Berry (7) and Patrick Swain. HR: Patrick Swain (PC).