Third-seeded Glendale pushed across three runs in the first inning and scored four times in the seventh on the way to an 8-0 win over second-seeded Carl Junction in the Class 4 District 12 semifinals on Wednesday.
With the loss, the Class 5 fifth-ranked Bulldogs end their season with an 18-10 record. Carl Junction graduates seniors Keaton Johnston, Cole Stewart, Carson Johnson, Jaxson Mackney, Alex Baker, Lance Smith, Noah Southern, Dylan Eck, Drew Beyer and Brendyn Downs.
Glendale’s Zack Beatty led the game off with a triple before Brooks Kettering followed with a shallow single to left-center field to score Beatty for a 1-0 lead. An error by Carl Junction in the next at-bat allowed the second run of the inning to score. Kent Lockhart drove home the third run later in the inning on a ground out.
Beatty picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
Isaac Wells led off the seventh inning with a triple to center field before scoring on a Bulldogs’ error in the next at-bat to push the lead to 5-0. Carter Lewis highlighted the inning with an RBI double to right field, and the Falcons scored two more runs later in the frame on a CJ error.
Caimon Kufahal earned the win for Glendale after pitching a complete-game shutout, scattering three hits and striking out one in seven innings.
Beyer was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs, three earned, on nine hits, two walks and six strikeouts in six innings. Eck allowed three unearned runs on two hits in one relief inning.
Beatty had two hits, including a triple, scored a run and drove in one. Wells tripled for one of his two hits and scored twice while driving in one. DJ Cofield finished 2-for-4.
Dalton Mills went 2-for-2 at the plate to lead Carl Junction. Baker added one hit in three at-bats.
Glendale will face top-seeded Webb City at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Chuck Barnes Field in the district title game.
