One of the most rewarding and mentally demanding experiences that comes with playing the game of baseball are the moments of dealing with success and failure.
On Wednesday, Joplin’s Alex Curry experienced both in the Eagles’ Central Ozark Conference matchup with Carthage at the JHS Athletic Complex.
In the bottom of the seventh, Joplin (12-6, 4-1 COC) had the bases loaded and one out with the game tied at 3-3 when Curry hit a ball up the middle that looked like it might drive home the winning run. Instead, Carthage was able to turn a double play to end the threat and force extra innings. Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth with a runner on second and two outs and the game still tied, Curry came through with a single to right field to plate Bodee Carlson to give the Eagles a 4-3 walk-off win in extra innings over the Tigers (5-10, 0-4 COC).
“I really just learned from the last couple of at-bats,” Curry said. “He was throwing me a bunch of curveballs. I sat on one and hit backside like I always do. It’s a real confidence booster for everybody. … I think we will fly from here and do what Eagles do—win.”
“Alex has been really good for us all year,” Joplin coach Kyle Wolf said. “What you saw in his last at-bat, driving the ball backside, not trying to do too much, is what he has been able to do all year. … It is big on him to step up in that situation after three pretty tough at-bats and come through. That shows a lot of toughness on his part. There was a lot of focus and confidence right there to get the job done.”
GAME ACTION
Joplin took the initial lead of the game after Justin McReynolds crossed home on an infield hit with two outs by Kyler Stokes in the bottom of the second.
Carthage answered back right away, scoring three times in the top of the third. After a walk and an error allowed the first two Tigers to reach base and end up in scoring position, Wil McCombs grounded out for an RBI to tie the game. Caden Kabance scored later in the inning on a first-and-third double steal to put Carthage on top 2-1. Clay Kinder came around to score with two outs on a wild pitch to push the lead to 3-1.
The Eagles cut the lead to one in the bottom of the fourth inning after McReynolds, who reached on an error, came around to score on a groundout from Stokes. Joplin tied the game in the next at-bat, as Carlson singled to short to allow Carson Wampler to touch home.
“I told them that this game is hard enough and we are putting a lot of pressure on ourselves trying to do too much,” Wolf said about his team battling back from a two-run deficit. “We just have to do enough. Just be good enough. We were able to get guys to second and third and scored a couple of runs without hitting the ball out of the infield. Sometimes, that’s baseball. We just had to grind that game out.”
Carthage had a runner on second with two outs in the top of the eighth but failed to push across the go-ahead run.
Joplin had a chance to end the game in the bottom half of the eighth inning when McReynolds singled to center field with a runner on second with one out only to see the Tigers come up with a game-saving play by throwing the would-be winning run out at home plate.
“I told my guys that we’ve lost to two of the top teams this week in the COC (Joplin and Nixa) on a walk-off,” Carthage coach Luke Bordewick said. “It’s frustrating, but the overall message is we are right there with anybody if we play the ball we want to play. The negative note is eventually we have to start winning some of these one-run baseball games.”
ON THE MOUND
Kohl Cooper started for Joplin and took a no-decision after allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits, a walk and three strikeouts in three innings. Josh Harryman earned the win after tossing six dazzling relief innings without allowing a run. He scattered two hits, walked one and struck out three in his longest outing of the season.
“As long as he was throwing up zeros he was staying out there,” Wolf said with a laugh about Harryman’s outing. “That’s huge for him to come into that situation when we’re down. He came in and was able to hold them at bay and give us a chance to win. He made some really big pitches. … He was really efficient and pounded the zone.”
Mason Utter started and took the no decision after allowing three unearned runs on four hits, three walks and two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Kaden Arr took a tough-luck loss after allowing one run on four hits, three walks and two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
“Getting out of that bases-loaded jam in the seventh was huge,” Bordewick said of Arr’s outing. “They put pressure on us in the eighth, too. He was just, time and time again, locating his fastball, curveball and changeup. You can’t ask much more out of your reliever.”
IN THE BOX
Stokes led Joplin at the plate with two hits and two RBI. McReynolds had a hit and scored twice. Carlson and Wampler each had one hit and scored one run and Carlson drove in one. Curry had one hit and an RBI.
Kaden Kralicek had two hits in four trips to the plate to lead Carthage, while Kanen Vogt and Micah Lindsey also added base hits. McCombs drove in one.
UP NEXT
Joplin is at Kickapoo on April 26.
Carthage hosts Republic at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
