Day: April 5, 2023

The College Heights Christian Cougars entered Tuesday’s game against Ozark 7 Conference and crosstown rival McAuley Catholic having scored only eight runs in their four previous games, all losses against Clever (3-2), Exeter (4-0), Ash Grove (19-2), and Purdy (19-4).

Granted, to be fair, Purdy and Ash Grove are ranked second and fourth in Class 2, respectively, and Clever is receiving votes in Class 3 in the latest rankings from the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association.

The Cougars snapped their four-game losing streak and brought out their bats in a big way as they surpassed their runs total from their four previous games with an 11-5 win on Tuesday at Joe Becker Stadium, improving to 2-4 overall and 1-1 Ozark 7 on the season.

College Heights erupted for seven runs in the second and pushed across two runs each in the fourth and sixth innings, while McAuley Catholic scored one in the second, one in the fourth, one in the sixth, and two in the seventh.

College Heights collected 10 hits with three doubles, picked up eight RBI, worked seven walks and reached another time with a hit batter, capitalized on five McAuley Catholic errors, stole seven bases, and left nine runners behind.

Tuesday’s performance at the plate could provide the Cougars with confidence going forward.

“We’ve been talking about just going up there having a plan and being confident,” College Heights coach Phillip Jordan said. “I felt like tonight our kids did a good job, took good swings, and I think statistically it shows because we hit the ball hard, we got on base, and obviously to win games you’ve got to be able to do that. It was a good thing to see and hopefully it will carry us as we continue on.”

Philip Thompson and Kelton Welch each sparked College Heights with two-run doubles during that seven-run outburst in the second.
Welch led College Heights with three hits, Caleb Evans had two, and Jayce Walker, Josh Anderson, Ben Thomas, Austin Miller, and Thompson each had one.

Welch, Evans, and Thomas each scored twice and Welch, Miller, and Thompson each drove in two runs as eight of the nine players in the College Heights order either scored or drove in a run Tuesday.

On the mound, Thomas — one of only two seniors on the College Heights roster along with Bo Sitton — earned the win and he allowed three runs over six innings with nine strikeouts and three walks.

“Ben, he probably wasn’t as sharp as he or we would like, but he was still in the zone and kept hitters off-balance,” Jordan said. “He didn’t really give up any hard hits and defensively, if we had made a few more plays behind him, he could have probably gone a complete game. He’s still early in the year getting his pitching arm in shape so he can really go deep in games, but tonight he went six and gave us a chance to win.”

The Cougars return to action Friday on the road against Pierce City, a team that’s scored 57 runs in their four wins this season, including 21 against Ozark 7 member Verona.

“Baseball is a funny game,” Jordan said. “We played really bad (Monday) at Purdy and came out and played pretty good ball tonight. Not perfect, but hopefully it can carry over. We’ll see Friday if we can take the good things from tonight and get better and learn from our mistakes. The reality is, we did not play well defensively tonight. Could have been a different game if we had made the plays that we’re supposed to make.”
The Cougars were charged with three errors Tuesday.

Joe Staton, Rocco Bazzano-Joseph, Michael Parrigon, Brek Sickman, and Kable Reichardt each had one of the Warriors’ five hits against Thomas and Miller, who pitched the seventh for the Cougars. Staton doubled for the Warriors’ only extra-base hit.
Sickman led McAuley Catholic with two runs scored and Tripp Miller earned two RBI.

Bazzano-Joseph earned the loss, and he allowed nine runs (three earned) on nine hits over five innings with nine strikeouts and two walks, while Parrigon allowed two runs (unearned) on a hit with two strikeouts and five walks over his two innings.
McAuley Catholic dropped to 3-4 overall and 2-1 Ozark 7, and the Warriors return to play Monday on the road against Jasper to start a stretch of four games in five days.

NEOSHO 23, MARSHFIELD 13

No, it’s not a football score.

Neosho (8-1) and Marshfield (5-5) combined for 36 runs on 34 total hits, with the Wildcats walking away with a run-rule win in six innings.

Marshfield took a 7-0 lead after two innings before a nine-run third inning vaulted the Wildcats in front. Both teams traded crooked numbers in the fourth and fifth innings before Neosho put the game away with seven runs scoring in the sixth inning.

Austin Rodriguez earned the win after allowing 10 runs, eight earned, on nine hits, six walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Kyler Massie took the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits, three walks and three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.

Wyatt Shadwick doubled twice and finished with five hits and four RBI to lead Neosho at the plate. Eli Zark and Quenton Hughes each doubled and finished with four hits apiece. Zar drove in four runs, while Hughes had four RBI and three runs scored. C Southern doubled on the way to four hits, two RBI and three runs scored. River Brill had one hit, three walks and five runs scored.

Carson Adams had a double on the way to three hits and three runs scored to lead Marshfield at the plate.

Neosho hosts Webb City on Thursday.

CARTHAGE 3, SENECA 2

Carthage and Seneca battled to extra innings, with the Tigers coming away with a nine-inning win on Tuesday.

Carthage took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after a run scored on an error.

The Tigers (2-7) went on top 2-0 when Carthage’s first hit of the game came in the form of an RBI single up the middle by Ty Perry to score M Adams with one out in the fifth inning.

Seneca (5-6) took advantage of a pair of Carthage errors in the top of the seventh, which led to the tying runs coming around to score. 

Perry reached via the error on a bunt attempt in the ninth inning that allowed the winning run to score for the Tigers.

Brady Carlton earned the win in relief after allowing two unearned runs on one hit, one walk and three strikeouts in 3 1/3 relief innings.

Kade Johnson, who had two hits at the plate to lead the Indians, took the loss in relief after allowing one unearned run on three walks and three strikeouts in two innings.

Carthage hosts Willard on Wednesday.

Seneca is at Aurora on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD CATHOLIC 11, JOPLIN 3

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Joplin rallied from an early deficit before Springfield Catholic responded in kind to pull away for the win.

The Fightin’ Irish (5-0) opened the game with two runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by an RBI double from Coleman Morrison for the initial lead.

The Eagles (3-7) answered with three runs in the second inning, including a two-run single with two outs by Brady Mails,  to jump in front 3-2.

Springfield Catholic took the momentum for good with a four-run third inning. The Irish added two insurance runs in the fourth and sixth innings, sandwiched around a single tally in the fifth.

Cole Schoen earned the win for the Irish after allowing three unearned runs on three hits, two walks and six strikeouts in five innings. 

Byler Riether took the loss for the Eagles after allowing nine runs, eight earned, on eight hits, five walks and six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Ben Smith had three hits, including a home run, scored three runs and drove in one, while Schoen had two hits, including a double, and three RBI. Logan Ripper also homered and drove in two.

Mails had a hit and two RBI to lead Joplin. Eli Sotlar had a hit and scored a run. Caden Shoemaker went 1-or-3 with a walk, with Justin McReynolds also garnering a hit.d

Joplin hosts Carl Junction on Thursday.