WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Shaun Hunt delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, leading second-seeded Webb City past third-seeded Belton 3-2 on Thursday night in the semifinals of the Class 5 District 7 baseball tournament.
In the first semifinal, top-seeded McDonald County got past fourth-seeded Warrensburg 1-0.
With their respective wins, the Cardinals (20-13) and Mustangs (20-8) will meet in the district title game at 6 p.m. on Monday at Neosho’s Roy B. Shaver Field.
WEBB CITY 3, BELTON 2
The game was deadlocked when Webb City came to bat in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Sam Weller walked and went to second on Cy Darnell’s sacrifice bunt before Hunt smacked a game-ending RBI single into left field to give the Cardinals a thrilling walk-off win.
Webb City scored twice in the first inning. Weller walked and Cy Darnell singled to start the frame. Drew Vonder Haar drove in a run with a ground out to third before Christian Brock lined an RBI single into left.
The Pirates cut their deficit in half in the third, as Ethan Yinger doubled to left, went to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a ground out to first.
Belton stranded the bases loaded in the fourth, as Webb City starting pitcher Kaylor Darnell maneuvered out of trouble by recording a pair of strikeouts.
The Pirates tied it up in the sixth on Bryan Choi’s RBI single into left. A hit by pitch and sac bunt started the inning.
Webb City pulled off a key double play to end the top of the seventh after the Pirates had the go-ahead run in scoring position.
The Cardinals stranded the go-ahead run at second in the bottom of the seventh, as Belton’s Jacob Ross struck out two straight batters to send the game into extra innings.
Belton had the bases loaded with one out in the eighth, but Walker Street recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of trouble.
A senior right-hander, Sweet was the winning pitcher. He went 2 2/3 innings and did not allow an earned run while striking out five. He allowed four hits and two walks.
Kaylor Darnell went 5 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on five hits and struck out four.
Kenley Hood had two of Webb City’s six hits.
Ross went the distance for Belton. He took the loss after allowing three earned runs on six hits and three walks while striking out nine in 7 1/3 innings.
Belton ends the season at 17-14.
MCDONALD COUNTY 1, WARRENSBURG 0
Both starting pitchers, McDonald County’s Cross Dowd and Warrensburg’s Sam Slobaszewski, kept the opposition at bay for most of the game.
The Mustangs pushed across the game’s lone run in the bottom of the second without a hit, as Weston Gordon and Fischer Sanny walked before a pair of Warrensburg errors allowed Gordon to cross home.
The Tigers stranded the bases loaded in the fourth, as Dowd struck out Cole Kreisel to end the threat.
The hosts had the tying run at third base with two outs in the seventh before the Mustangs closed out the win.
Warrensburg out-hit Mac County 5-2. The Tigers (11-15) committed three errors, while the Mustangs did not have a miscue in the field.
Dowd delivered a stellar performance on the mound. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing just five hits and three walks while striking out nine.
Angel Ruiz recorded the final out to earn the save.
Dowd and Jack Parnell had Mac County’s lone hits.
Slobaszewski took the loss but allowed no earned runs in six innings. He gave up just two hits and three walks while striking out two.
NOTE: McDonald County defeated Webb City 6-3 on April 4 at Barnes Field.
The rematch, which will be held at Warrensburg High School, will determine who advances to the state quarterfinals.
