Temple used some late-game magic to record a win in its first league baseball game last week. The Wildcats couldn’t repeat the formula Friday in its District 12-6A home opener, however.

Hewitt Midway built an early four-run lead then held off a scrappy Temple rebuttal, adding another pair in the seventh before holding on through Temple’s strongest push in the bottom half to post a 7-5 victory over the ’Cats, who tallied three runs in the top of the seventh to earn a comeback decision at Killeen Shoemaker to kick off league play last Tuesday.

The Wildcats made another run at a last-inning retort against the Panthers, scoring three runs to get within two while chasing Midway starter Colt Holmes after the first two batters reached on a hit by pitch and walk. Temple loaded the bases with no outs when reliever Brody Potts hit the first batter he faced, after which Adrian Scott slid head-first into home on a passed ball to cut the gap to 7-3.