CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction bounced back from its first loss of the season in the best way possible—sweeping a three-team doubleheader on Saturday.
The Bulldogs improved to 5-1 after opening the day rallying twice for a win over McDonald County before the offense exploded for 14 runs in the first two innings in a shortened win over Springfield Central.
“This was the first time we really faced adversity coming off a tough loss,” Carl Junction coach Jake Stevenson said. “Today was an opportunity to figure out who we are as a team bouncing back from a tough loss. Guys came out ready to play. … Mac County is a good team. I was pleased with how our guys bounced back in that first game. Against Central, we just got off to a hot start and we got a chance to get some younger guys some varsity opportunities. It was a good day at the yard.”
CARL JUNCTION 5, MCDONALD COUNTY 3
McDonald County struck first in the top of the opening frame when Destyn Dowd doubled to right to score Cole Martin, who singled to lead off the inning.
Carl Junction answered right back in the bottom half of the inning when Dylan Eck singled to left with the bases loaded to plate Drew Beyer, with Noah Southern also scoring on an error by the Mustangs to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 advantage.
McDonald County took the lead back an inning later when Martin tripled to center with two outs and a runner on first to score Weston Gordon and tie the game at 2-2. Dowd followed with an infield single to short to score Martin, putting the Mustangs on top 3-2.
After a scoreless third inning, Carl Junction’s Brendyn Downs led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk and wound up on third two batters later on a McDonald County error. Cole Stewart brought Downs home shortly after with a sacrifice bunt to tie the game at 3-3.
“It was a really good high school baseball game,” Stevenson said. “It was back and forth, pitchers were throwing strikes. It was just a good high school baseball game. I thought our guys took advantage of the opportunities when we had them, and we didn’t have a lot.”
Carl Junction took the lead for good in the last of the fifth when Beyer walked with one out and Alex Baker brought him home two batters later with a two-out, go-ahead two-run home run to left field to give the Bulldogs 5-3 advantage and all of the momentum en route to the win.
“Alex Baker, like a lot of our kids, is a good kid who you root for,” Stevenson said. “You want good things to happen for good people. He took advantage of the pitch left up in the zone and got his hands through one. It was a huge momentum swing.”
Baker also earned the start and the win after giving up three runs on seven hits, two walks and eight strikeouts over six innings of work. Kyler Perry pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief without allowing a hit and striking out one.
“I thought Alex threw extremely well today,” Stevenson said. “Mac County took advantage of some good pitches, put the ball in play and had some hits fall their way. Alex stayed the course and was able to get out of innings when he needed to.
“Kyler was facing the top of their order, and they came in having good days. Kyler came in and did a nice job of closing it out.”
Martin took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits, six walks and four strikeouts in four 1/3 innings. Ethan Fransico allowed one run on one hit in 2/3 off an inning. Rylee Boyd pitched a clean inning of relief with three strikeouts.
CARL JUNCTION 15, SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 0
Carl Junction made quick work of Springfield Central with an eight-run first inning followed by a six-run second inning before ending the game in the bottom of the third with a single tally and one out recorded. The Bulldogs totaled nine hits and 11 walks in the win.
“We did a nice job offensively,” Stevenson said. “They gave us some opportunities that we took advantage of—things on the base paths and things like that. Another thing, we had the chance to put the younger guys in and they picked up right where the older guys left off.”
Hunter Cantrell backed up the offensive output with an equally good pitching performance, throwing a three-inning no-hitter without allowing a walk and striking out two.
“The offense did a good job but I want to give a shout out to Hunter Cantrell,” Stevenson said of his junior hurler. “He did a nice job in those three innings not giving up any hits or any walks. He does a good job of throwing strikes, and throwing two pitches for strikes.”
Noah Southern hit a first-inning two-run home run to finish with two RBI and a run scored. Cantrell and Kyler Perry led Carl Junction with two hits apiece. One of Perry’s hits was a double, and he scored a game-high three runs and drove in one. Cantrell finished with an RBI and a run scored. Drew Beyer also had two RBI to go along with one hit and a run scored. Shane Diskin and Logan Eck added doubles and both scored once, with Diskin driving in one. Jaxson Mackney had one hit, one walk, one run scored and one RBI.
UP NEXT
Carl Junction hits the road for a matchup at Aurora, with first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
