DELPHOS — It was only one play in the top of the sixth inning.

It was likely the play of the game.

With Jefferson clinging to a 1-run lead, senior catcher Adam Kraning came up with a falling catch of a foul pop to the right of home plate and his teammates erupted for eight runs in the home half for a 15-6 win over Leipsic Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Field.

“They had rallied within one. They had a runner on third with their cleanup man on deck,” Jefferson coach Troy Montenery explained. “That was probably the best defensive play Adam has made in his career here at Jefferson. That got the kids excited when they came into the dugout and that carried over to the plate.”

Jefferson (5-5) led 7-5 to begin the top of the sixth. The Vikings (7-4) got Jay Maag aboard on a leadoff walk from reliever Craig Carder. Two outs later, Derek Mangas lashed a triple to right center to get the Purple and Gold within one and bring in southpaw closer Damon Joseph (2 saves) to face Nate Schroeder (2-for-4, 2 runs). He popped up behind home plate and Kraning made his huge play.

The Wildcats unloaded in the home half. Consecutive walks to Joseph (2 runs) — a stolen base and wild pitch got him to third— Carder — a stolen base got him to second — and Cory Bastian (2 runs) chased the third Leipsic pitcher, Jay Maag, for Derek Mangas.

Sean Fisher (2 runs) bounced back to the pitcher; a throwing error at home left everyone safe and the Wildcats up 8-6. Josh Miller forced Carder at home. An error on Kraning’s grounder plated Bastian and left the bases juiced. Aaron Schuerman (2-for-3, 3 runs) lined a hit to left to score Fisher and Miller came in as Chris Wilkin was plunked. Matt Antalis launched a single to center that scored Kraning and Schuerman for a 13-6 spread. An out later, Carder cracked a double to left center to score pinch-runner Adam Wollenhaupt and Antalis for the final tally.

“I liked how we’ve been hitting the ball lately. We’ve been getting double-digit hits and it’s good to see the bats come alive as the weather warms up,” Montenery said. “Defensively, the ground is awfully hard and there were some tough bounces today. You might think it’s a surprising thing to say this April but we need some rain right now to soften it up.”

Not only did the ’Cats get 10 hits but they also garnered eight free passes.

They went up 3-0 in the first. Bastian and Fisher led off with base hits against starter Nate Schroeder. An out hence, Kraning forced Fisher at second. Schuerman waxed a 2-run triple to deep left. Wilkin walked. He took off for second and got into enough of a rundown to allow Schuerman to swipe home for that 3-run lead.

They got three more in the third. With one down, Fisher walked and stole second an out later. Kraning got aboard on an third-strike error, putting runners on the corners. A wild pitched score a run and moved Kraning up. Schuerman walked and both runners moved up on a wild pitch, scoring on a 2-run knock to left by Wilkin that finished Schroeder and brought in Luke Haselman down 6-0.

Leipsic finally got to Wildcat starter Mike Rahrig (2-1) in the fourth. Schroeder beat out a slow roller to short. Jordan Selhorst got aboard via an error and Craig Meyer walked to load the bases. Jake Schroeder flied out to right to plate Schroeder; an error on the sequence allowed Selhorst to also score for a 6-2 deficit.

The Red and Black made it 7-2 in the home half. Joseph lined a single to left and stole second. An out later, Bastian walked. Fisher flied out deep enough to center to get Joseph to third. Bastian swiped second. Miller beat out an infield chopper behind second base to plate Joseph.

In the Leipsic fifth, Mangas walked and Nate Schroeder grounded a single into left to chase Rahrig and bring in Carder to the mound. A wild pitch advanced them. Selhorst singled to right to plate Mangas; an error on the play got Schroeder home and Selhorst to third. An out hence, Jake Schroeder singled up the gut for the fifth tally.

“This was Mike’s third start and his third solid outing; Craig and Damon both pitched well in relief,” Montenery added. “It was just a tough day for the pitchers with the strike zone; it was a hitter’s day because of that. They did what they had to do to get through it and hold them down until we got that big inning.”

Jefferson hosts Spencerville at 5 p.m. tonight