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BASEBALL: Joplin erases early deficit in COC win over Ozark

By:
Lucas Davis

Joplin scored a pair of two-out runs in the third inning to erase a one-run deficit and added insurance in three straight innings while riding a complete-game win from Justin McReynolds on the bump to beat Central Ozark Conference and district foe Ozark 5-2 on Tuesday at the JHS Athletic Complex.

“They scored that first early run but we were able to come back and score two to take the lead immediately after that,” Joplin coach Kyle Wolf said. “That is always a big part of a game. You could tell early, while we have been in a little bit of a funk offensively, that we were trying to find our rhythm. We found it in the middle innings and scored every inning after the first two runs to extend the lead. It was just a good job all the way around the field.”

The Eagles (10-10) evened their overall record with the win, while moving to 5-1 in conference play. The Tigers fell to 14-7 and 3-3 in conference standings.

ON THE MOUND

McReynolds earned the victory after allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits, two walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings for the Eagles.

“Our starting pitching over the course of the last four or five games has been really, really good,” said Wolf. “Justin added to that today.”

Devyn Wright took the loss after allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, on 12 hits and six strikeouts in six innings of work for the Tigers.

GAME ACTION

The first three Tigers reached base in the top of the second following back to back infield hits and a 13-pitch walk to load the bases. After a strikeout, Rhett Hayward brought home a run with a groundout to make the score 1-0.

Joplin used two-out magic in the third inning to take the lead. The Eagles tied the game when Ethan Guilford singled to center field with runners on the corners to plate Bodee Carlson, who singled with one out in the inning. McReynolds was called out in the next at-bat on a bang, bang  play at first base only for the call to be overturned on the field to a safe call, allowing the go-ahead run to score and give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

“That was a huge play for us to be able to get that second run and take the lead with it,” Wolf said. “A 2-1 lead is a lot better than a 1-1 tie. That was an important play for us.”

The Eagles added to the lead with an unearned insurance run in the last of the fourth inning when Carlson reached on an error on a fly ball to right field that allowed Tyler Duley to score to make the score 3-1. Duley was running for Tyler Schumann, who reached on a dropped third strike with one out in the frame.

Kyler Stokes led off the fifth inning with a single through the left side before stealing second base to get into scoring position for Joplin. In the next at-bat, Guilford pulled a ball down the third-base line for an RBI double to push the lead to 4-1.

Joplin made it four straight innings with runs touching home in the bottom of the fifth inning when Stokes singled sharply up the middle with two runners on and two outs to score Carlson, hiking the lead to 5-1.

“I think when we finally saw some balls find some turf, I think we started to loosen up a little bit,” Wolf said of the offensive production. “We went through a couple of games, and credit to who we were playing, where we had trouble scoring runs. We were a little tentative. Once we got those two runs, I thought we loosened up and had some good at-bats.”

Ozark scored a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single from Sutton Hanks to trim the lead to three.

IN THE BOX

Guilford doubled on the way to three hits and two RBI, while Stokes had three hits, scored a run and drove in one. Carlson had two hits and scored twice, while Byler Reither had two hits and scored a run.
Brody Baumann had a hit and scored a run, while Hanks had a hit and drove in one for Ozark.

ON DECK

Joplin is back in action for the third straight day when the Eagles hit the road for a conference and district game at Republic on Wednesday. The game was moved up a day because of the threat of weather. Joplin closes the week of action out with two games on Saturday at the JHS Athletic Complex—Class 5 No. 8 Smithville at 10 a.m. before a 3 p.m. non-conference matchup against Carthage at 3 p.m.

“The great thing is you get to feel good about this one because you beat a really good team,” Wolf said. “But we are right back at the ballpark tomorrow to play again. What else would you rather be doing? Especially on a day like this. We are just trying to take that good energy to Republic tomorrow. They are very good and it’s another big game for us.”

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