Waterford’s Kam Johnson, right, is mobbed by teammates after hitting a walkoff single against Monroe Central Tuesday. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

WATERFORD — Waterford’s Kam Johnson is no ordinary No. 9 hitter.

Wildcats head coach Chris Schmitt felt good with Johnson at the plate in a bases-loaded, one-out situation with the score tied in the bottom of the seventh inning against Monroe Central Tuesday.

Johnson proved his skipper right, roping a line drive back up the middle for a base knock to bring in Corbin Stark for a walkoff, 4-3 victory.

“Clutch guy,” Schmitt said of Johnson. “That’s his second walkoff of the year.”

Waterford (17-7) trailed 3-1 after five, but took advantage of a pair of MCHS miscues in the sixth to tie it.

Waterford’s Braun Doak celebrates after getting a strikeout to end the top of the seventh inning against Monroe Central Tuesday. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

With two outs, Hayden Jones grounded to second, but the ball was booted to allow Jones to reach. Jones stole second base, but Seminoles reliever Mason Landefeld got Avery Pottmeyer to strike out. However, the third strike got away from the catcher and bounced up the third base line. Landefeld got to it, but his throw to first was way too high and skipped to the fence, allowing Jones to score and Pottmeyer to get to third.

Braun Doak, who recorded his 100th career hit earlier in the week, smacked the first pitch he saw for a base hit to left to bring in Pottmeyer and tie the game at 3-all.

In the seventh, Landefeld lost his command. After retiring the leadoff batter, Landefeld plunked three straight Wildcats to load the bases and bring up Johnson.

Monroe Central head coach Dane Merckle brought Caleb Griffith, who started and pitched the first four innings of the game, back onto the mound, but Johnson greeted him with a game-ending hit on the first pitch.

“We pitched pretty good early,” Merckle said. “We pieced some hits together and put some runs on the board early. We gave up too many free bases, walks, hit batters, and some untimely errors — that’s what kind of gave them momentum and cost us the game.”

Waterford’s Hayden Jones (10) steals second base as the throw gets by Monroe Central’s Caleb Griffith during Tuesday’s game. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

The ‘Noles (11-12) led 1-0 in the second on Merckle’s RBI double.

Johnson tied it the next half-inning with a bases-loaded walk, but Monroe Central re-took the lead in the third on Preston Binegar’s run-scoring single. The Seminoles added on in the fifth when Griffith’s sacrifice fly to right brought in Caedyn Silva, who led off the inning with an infield hit.

Waterford loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, but Landefeld walked the tightrope and escaped, getting two strikeouts and a pop out to preserve the two-run lead.

“We tell the guys all the time, ‘We can’t leave the village of Watertown on bases,'” Schmitt said. “We need a clutch hit. You have to compete every at-bat, because we’re getting ready for the tournament and every at-bat matters. I think they took that and ran with it at the end.”

Despite coming up empty-handed in that spot — and getting out-hit 9-6 — Waterford found a way to win thanks in part to drawing four walks and six hit batters

Waterford’s Cole Mullenix (4) reaches first base as Monroe Central’s Drew Landefeld tries to make a tag during Tuesday’s game. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

“We teach that,” Schmitt said. “If we’re down in the count, get on top of that thing. If one’s in, you have to wear it. It’s a team game. That’s what won us the game is those guys getting on.”

Doak took the mound for Waterford and went the distance. The senior right-hander, who has pitched two no-hitters this season, didn’t have his unhittable stuff on the mound but still delivered a high-quality outing, striking out six batters and walking one.

“He is riding high,” Schmitt said. “His arm is a little sore. I knew that going in, but he wanted to fight. He’s a competitor. That’s why he’s our leader, right there. He didn’t have his best stuff, but still gets it done.”

Waterford, which is 15-4 over its last 19 contests, has games against Warren and Fort Frye remaining this week before beginning tournament action next week. Schmitt is hoping to see the ‘Cats stay resilient going forward.

“We fought,” he said. “We talk about fighting the fight. When you’re down a little bit, that’s OK. If we are in it together and we fight, we can do it.”

The Seminoles head to Valley on Thursday.

“Waterford’s ranked 13th in the state right now in Division VI,” Merckle said. “That’s a solid team, and we hung right with them. It could’ve went either way. I think we’ve got a pretty solid ball team.”

Waterford 4, Monroe Central 3

M 011 010 0 — 3 9 3

W 010 002 1 — 4 6 0

WP: Braun Doak 7 IP, 1 BB, 6 SO

LP: Mason Landefeld 2.1 IP, 1 BB, 3 SO

Caleb Griffith (starter) 4 IP, 3 BB, 2 SO

Monroe Central (11-12) hitting: Max Demchak R; Caedyn Silva 2-3, R; Preston Binegar 2-3, RBI; Griffith 1-3, RBI; M. Landefeld 1-3; Drew Landefeld 1-4, R; Brayden Baker 1-3; Merckle 1-3, 2B, RBI

Waterford (17-7) hitting: Hayden Jones R; Avery Pottmeyer 1-4, R; Doak 2-3, RBI; Cole Mullenix 2-4, R; Corbin Stark RBI; Kam Johnson 1-3, 2 RBIs