CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage rallied back from a three-run deficit to beat Monett 9-8 and Carl Junction broke a with a late run to beat Mount Vernon 5-4 to cap the third day of the Bill O’Dell Tournament on Wednesday at Carl Lewton Stadium.
CARTHAGE 9, MONETT 8
The Tigers (4-4) took early control with two runs in the first before the Cubs (4-5) used four third-inning errors by Carthage to score three runs and take the lead. Trailing 5-2 after two and a half frames, the Tigers chipped away and tied it at 6-6 by the fourth inning. Monett scored twice in the top of the sixth to get back in front, but Carthage answered with three runs in the bottom half to take its first lead since the first inning en route to the win.
“We weren’t having competitive at-bats (early),” Carthage coach Luke Bordewick said. “The guys scratched and clawed their way back in. We had several errors on defense, so we have to shore that up. But, a win is a win. Monett is a quality team, so we were pretty lucky to get away with that one.”
Carthage is 2-0 in pool play as the hosts and takes on Mount Vernon at 7 p.m. on Thursday. A win sends the Tigers to the championship game at 7 on Friday.
ON THE MOUND
Bradyn Tate started and took a no-decision for Carthage after allowing eight runs, two earned, on five hits, two walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Kanen Vogt earned the win in relief, pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings on one hit and two strikeouts.
Josh Wallace took the no-decision for Monett after allowing seven runs, four earned, on four hits, four walks and six strikeouts in five innings. Walker Bradow took the loss after allowing two unearned runs on two hits in one relief inning.
RALLY CAPS
The Tigers adjusted their rally caps one final time in the last of the sixth inning, after rallying back from a 5-2 deficit to tie the game at 6-6 by the end of the fourth. Trailing 8-6 after the Cubs pushed two across to regain the lead in the top half, Carthage’s Drew Musche led off with a hit-by-pitch before Braxdon Tate walked.
After a pitching change, both runners moved into scoring position following a passed ball. Carthage looked to cut the lead to one when Landon Parker, running for Musche, attempted to take home on a passed ball but was tagged on the chest in his slide and called out.
Caden Kabance followed with an RBI single to left to trim the lead to one before advancing to third on the play after a Monett throwing error. Nate Norbury followed with a game-tying RBI single to left before also moving to third on another throwing error by the Cubs. The Tigers scored the go-ahead run on an RBI groundout by Logan Carmickle in the next at-bat to take a 9-8 advantage.
“It is a resilient group,” Bordewick said. “It was a great job to flip that order. We have seven seniors in our lineup and they know the expectations and what we want to do. They stuck with it and hit a lot of balls hard. … We were aggressive on the base paths and it led to two huge plays. That was great base running that led to some fortunate runs.”
AT THE PLATE
Vogt had two hits, an RBI and scored a run for Carthage. Kabance had a hit, two RBI and two runs scored. Parker Copeland tripled and had two RBI. Norbury had one hit, two runs scored and drove in one.
Wallace had a triple, two hits, three RBI and scored twice. Alex Huntress had a hit, two RBI and scored a run. Daniel Geiss doubled and scored a run.
CARL JUNCTION 5, MOUNT VERNON 4
Carl Junction broke a 4-4 tie with a run in the top of the seventh inning on the way to a 5-4 win over Mount Vernon to close the third day of the Bill O’Dell Tournament.
Kyler Perry reached on an error to start the seventh frame before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jordan Woodruff. Perry stole third to get within 90 feet of scoring before Drew Massey brought him home with a sacrifice fly to right field.
ON THE MOUND
Perry started on the bump and took a no-decision after allowing four runs, two earned, on nine hits, two walks and 11 strikeouts in six innings. Lucas Vanlanduit earned the win in relief after pitched a scoreless inning, surrendering two hits and striking out one.
Tristan Jones took the loss after allowing five runs, one earned, on two hits, five walks and 10 strikeouts in seven complete innings.
AT THE PLATE
Woodruff and Arlen Wakefield had the only two hits for Carl Junction. Wakefield also added a run scored.
Braden Dodson, Jacob Leeper, Brady Brown, Jones and Gavin Johnson all had a pair of hits for Mount Vernon.
ON DECK
Carl Junction wraps up pool play with a matchup against Seneca at 2 p.m. on Thursday. A win would put the Bulldogs in the championship game at 7 on Friday.
