NIXA 5, NEOSHO 4
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Neosho broke a 1-1 tie with Class 6 No. 3 Nixa by scoring two runs in the top of the sixth inning only to see the Eagles answer with a grand slam in the bottom half to fuel a win over the Wildcats on Friday in Central Ozark Conference action.
Neosho (11-14) took the 2-1 lead over Nixa (25-3) in the top of the sixth inning when Quenton Hughes dropped down a bunt for a hit with runners on the corners and no outs. The Wildcats added a second run in the inning on a Nixa error.
Nixa loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning before Jack Edwards hit a grand slam to center field to clear the bases and give the Eagles a 5-3 advantage in the process.
The Wildcats scored a run on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh but stranded the tying run on third base.
Keith Piepmeier earned the win in relief after allowing one run on two hits and a strikeout in one inning of work. Hardy Dougan started and took a no-decision after allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits, two walks and four strikeouts.
Wyatt Shadwick took the loss after allowing four runs on three hits, a walk and a strikeout in 2/3 of a relief inning.
River Brill had two hits and scored a run, while Eli Zar doubled and scored a run. Hughes went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
BRANSON 9, CARL JUNCTION 3
BRANSON, Mo. — Carl Junction rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to take a brief lead before Branson used a seven-run sixth inning to take control of the Central Ozark Conference win.
The Pirates (15-12) scored single tallies in the third and fifth innings to take a two-run lead before the Bulldogs (8-15) answered with three runs in the top of the sixth inning highlighted by RBI singles from Shane Diskin and Lucas Vanlanduit before Cole Wilson doubled to left to score the go-ahead run.
Branson answered with seven runs on three hits, four walks and an error in the bottom half of the sixth for the game’s final momentum swing. Ridge Schroeder fueled the inning with a grand slam.
Kale Lankton earned the win in relief after allowing three runs on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts in four innings.
Logan Eck took the loss in relief after allowing six runs, one earned, on two hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings.
Six players registered hits for CJ, with Wilson and Jordan Woodruff doubling. Diskin and Vanlanduit each drove in one and scored once.
