Joplin coach Kyle Wolf said prior to opening day that the early portion of the season would be key for the Eagles building confidence.
The Eagles couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 2021 campaign after earning an 11-1 win in five innings over Parkview before defeating Hollister 9-3 in the nightcap.
“Opening day is an awesome time,” Wolf said. “There is just a different type of buzz. You can play all of the scrimmages and jamborees you want, but when you know it counts for real, there is just a different feeling.
“I thought the kids did a good job of being focused, but playing relaxed and enjoying the game. Overall, I thought we played really well.”
JOPLIN 11, PARKVIEW 1
Joplin pushed across three runs in the bottom of the first before adding four runs in the third to push the lead to 7-1. The Eagles added a single tally in the fourth and scored three more times in the fifth to end the game via run rule.
“Fielding (Campbell) did a good job on the mound of throwing strikes and keeping them off balance,” Wolf said. “We caught it and threw it when we had to. We found ways to get guys on base and came up with some timely hits when we needed, and we took advantage of some of their mistakes to score some runs. Overall, it was a good opening game.”
Fielding Campbell earned the win after allowing one unearned run on five hits and five strikeouts in a complete-game effort. He didn’t allow a walk.
Campbell added a double at the plate and scored twice, while Alex Curry and Kirk Chandler each led Joplin with two hits. David Fiscus doubled, while Kohl Cooper and Kyler Stokes each added triples. Curry, Stokes, Bodee Carlson and Byler Reither all had an RBI in the win.
JOPLIN 9, HOLLISTER 3
Joplin broke a scoreless tie after two innings with a run in the third to take the lead over the Tigers in the second game. Joplin added three more runs in the last of the fourth before Hollister matched that output in the top of the fifth to make the score 4-3. The Eagles scored again in the bottom of the fifth and put the game out of reach with a four-run sixth inning.
Ethan Guilford earned the win after allowing three runs on two hits, five strikeouts and one walk. Josh Harryman, Kirk Chandler and Fielding Campbell all worked scoreless outings in relief.
Bodee Carlson, Kohl Cooper and Chandler each led Joplin with two hits, while Carlson and Cooper, who both doubled, also had a team-high two RBI each. David Fiscus had a team-high three RBI after connecting on a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth.
