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BASEBALL: Carl Junction rallies late for district win over Raytown South

By:
Lucas Davis

NEOSHO, Mo. — Fourth-seeded Carl Junction battled strong pitching while playing from behind through the first four innings before tying the game at 2-2 in the fifth frame and pushing across five runs in the sixth innings en route to a 7-2 opening-round Class 5 District 7 win over fifth-seeded Raytown South on Saturday at Roy B. Shaver Field. 

“That lefty for Raytown South (Hunter Burford) is really, really good,” Carl Junction coach Jake Stevenson said. “He kind of took us out of our game by controlling the run game at first base, and he got the strikeouts when he needed them. … We made sure to tell our guys to keep staying with our approach, and I think they did that. When it was time to chase him when they gave us an opportunity to strike, we took advantage.

“In playoff baseball, it’s real simple. You have to go 1-0 and scratch, claw and fight to get there, and our guys did that today. We are happy and fortunate to come back and play on Monday.”

Carl Junction (11-15) takes on top-seeded McDonald County in the district semifinals on Monday at Roy B. Shaver Field.
Kyler Perry started and earned the win after allowing two unearned runs on four hits, a walk and seven strikeouts in six innings of work. Lucas Vanlanduit pitched a scoreless inning in relief, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out one.

“Kyler Perry was really good today,” Stevenson said. “He has been our guy in a lot of big games for us this year and he showed up today ready to pitch and I am proud of him. He is a senior and did what we needed him to do.”

Hunter Burford started and took a no-decision after allowing two unearned runs on one hit, six walks and seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Tre Judd took the loss after allowing four runs on one hit and two walks without recording an out. Loyola allowed one run on one hit in 2/3 of an inning.

Raytown South (9-11) took the initial lead with a run scoring on a CJ throwing error in the second inning before the Cardinals went up 2-0 in the top of the fifth when Judd singled up the middle with two outs to plate a runner from third.

The Bulldogs rallied back hard in the bottom of the fifth inning when Cole Wilson, who walked, and Dalton Mills, who doubled, scored on a throwing error by Raytown South to tie the game at 2-2.

An inning later, Carl Junction loaded the bases with one out before Mills drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run. Another run came in on a hit-by-pitch before a sac fly from Arlen Wakefield gave the Bulldogs a 5-2 advantage. Kyler Perry followed with a two-run single to center field to wrap the scoring.

“Whoever can get to the bullpen and grab the momentum is probably going to win the game,” Stevenson said of his team’s late offense. “I was proud of our guys for that. I saw guys looking to attack something in the zone, attack strikes. I thought our guys stayed locked in all game long. It was a good team win.”

Mills had a double, two walks, drove in a run and scored twice, while Wilson had a hit and scored two runs. Perry drove in two on one hit.

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