WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City split a non-conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Chuck Barnes Field.
Webb City defeated Nevada 4-1 in the opener before the Cardinals suffered a 9-1 setback to Nixa in the finale.
The games were added to the schedule after the Willard Tournament was rained out.
WEBB CITY 4, NEVADA 1
Webb City senior right-hander Kaylor Darnell was stellar on the mound in Saturday’s opener.
Darnell earned the pitching victory after limiting the Tigers to one run on three hits in five innings. A Missouri Southern signee, Darnell struck out eight and walked four.
Sophomore Landon Fletcher pitched two perfect innings in relief to earn the save.
The Cardinals scored twice in both the first and third innings, while the Tigers’ lone run came in the fifth.
In the first inning, leadoff batter Cy Darnell doubled and later scored on McQuade Eilenstein’s fielder’s choice.
Later in the frame, Kaylor Darnell reached on a dropped third strike and later scored on a double steal to make it 2-0.
Junior third baseman Drew Vonder Haar delivered a two-run double to left field in the third inning that gave the Cardinals a 4-0 cushion. Sam Weller and Eilenstein scored on the play.
In the top of the fifth, Nevada got on the board when Nebraska recruit Case Sanderson singled and later scored on Caden Klump’s RBI single up the middle.
Webb City recorded six hits.
Webb City senior second baseman Landon Johnson went 2-for-3 at the plate. Johnson also made a nice diving catch in shallow right field early in the game, robbing the Tigers of a hit.
Cy Darnell, Kaylor Darnell, Kenley Hood and Vonder Haar had one hit apiece for the Cardinals.
Klumpp took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits while striking out five and walking one.
Nevada fell to 2-1 with the loss, while the Cardinals improved to 2-2.
NIXA 9, WEBB CITY 1
By pushing across runs in five different innings, the Eagles won the non-conference matchup between Central Ozark Conference rivals.
Nixa scored twice in the second, once in the third, twice in the fourth, once in the fifth and three times in the sixth.
Webb City’s lone run came in the fourth.
With two outs, Shaun Hunt singled to left before Vonder Haar reached on a walk. William Hayes reached on an error, with pinch-runner Weller scoring on the play.
The Cardinals were limited to three hits in the game, two by Hunt and one by Eilenstein.
Walker Sweet was charged with the loss.
In three innings of work, Sweet allowed three earned runs on six hits while striking out four.
Hunter Shull, Payton Marshall and Gage Chapman pitched in relief for the hosts.
Nixa’s Ethan Taylor earned the pitching victory after going four innings. He gave up one run on one hit and two walks and struck out five. Gaven Krans and Parker Bridges pitched in relief for the Eagles.
Nixa’s Caden Cloud went 4-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored, while Vincent and Jack Edwards each had two RBI.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City (2-3) hosts John Hersey (Illinois) at 4:30 on Tuesday.
Nevada’s Caden Klumpp delivers a pitch to the plate against Webb City on Saturday. Photos by Jason Peake.
