Day: May 18, 2021

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. —  Fifth-seeded Joplin scored four runs in the first inning and the Eagles’ pitching staff limited fourth-seeded Lebanon to a single run on the way to a 7-1 victory in the opening round of the Class 6 District 6 tournament on Monday at Central Stadium.

“It’s a really good one,” Joplin coach Kyle Wolf said. “We competed up and down the lineup. It was good to get that early start. … Getting those four runs in the first took a lot of pressure off everybody and let them relax and just go play.” 

Joplin (19-10) waited little time gaining the momentum after pushing four runs across in the top of the first. The Eagles took the initial lead after Bodee Carlson led the game off with a single to left before scoring on a wild pitch later in the inning. Alex Curry singled sharply to right field to plate Carson Wampler, who reached on an error. Three batters later, Ethan Guilford helped himself out with a two-run single to right field to wrap the scoring. 

“We talked before the game and knew he was going to throw a really good fastball,” Wolf said. “We just wanted to jump on that fastball as quickly as we could. And when we get it, don’t miss it. I thought we had a really good approach early. And we didn’t swing at a lot of balls out of the zone. That allowed us to work some walks on top of those hits.”

The top of the first inning was a good indication of the field conditions for Monday’s game. Though the infield was turf, the outfield was natural grass and with all of the rain in the area over the past 24 hours, it was adventurous to say the least. Lebanon’s right fielder lost his footing on two separate plays in the first on line drives in play by the Eagles.  

“We told them just to deepen up and try to keep everything in front of them,” Wolf said. “It is a lot easier to come in on a ball in those conditions than go back. … That was our adjustment to it, and I thought our kids did a good job.”

Joplin added insurance in the top of the fourth when Kohl Cooper hit a two-run triple to center field to score Carlson and Wampler to push the lead to 6-0. Cooper scored on a passed ball in the next at-bat to push the lead to seven.

“He did a good job of fighting and was finally able to get a barrel on a ball,” Wolf said of Cooper’s three-base hit. “He was able to get something elevated a bit that he could hit hard. Those three runs (in that inning) are huge.”

The Yellowjackets (18-8) scored their lone run in the bottom of the fifth when Justin Dameron scored Bennett Schnitzer with a groundout. Schnitzer doubled earlier in the inning.

ON THE MOUND

Guilford earned the win for Joplin after giving up one unearned run on three hits and five strikeouts without allowing a walk in 4 1/3 innings. Guilford threw 56 pitches, which makes him available for the Eagles on Thursday in the district championship should Joplin advance that far.

“You can’t ask for any more out of your starter against a really good offensive baseball team,” Wolf said. “Those guys can flat swing it. I thought he did an outstanding job of hitting spots, staying down in the zone and making big pitches when he had to make big pitches.”

Josh Harryman pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out three to close the game out.

“Josh has just been so good all year,” Wolf said. “He came in, made big pitches and got two really good lefties out. Hopefully, that is a confidence builder for him as well to know that if he executes pitches, he can get anyone out.”

Zach Stewart took the loss after allowing seven runs, six earned, on seven hits, two walks and four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. John Greenwood didn’t allow a run in 3 2/3 relief innings. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out three.

IN THE BOX

Carlson led Joplin with three hits and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot, while Cooper tripled, drove in two and scored two. Wampler had two hits and scored two runs. Guilford had one hit and two RBI. Curry tallied one hit, one RBI and one run scored, while Justin McReynolds had a hit and a walk.

UP NEXT

Joplin takes on top-seeded Kickapoo (24-8) at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the district semifinals.

“They’re really good,” Wolf said. “They do things well, they’re well-coached and they play hard. We are going to have to match their intensity and have to execute some big at-bats and take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.”