NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho split a pair of games on Friday, earning a 1-0 walk-off win over Ava before falling 4-1 to Lebanon in Game 2 as part of the Lebanon Wood Bat Tournament at Roy B. Shaver Field.
The tournament games were moved to Neosho because of field conditions in Lebanon.
NEOSHO 1, AVA 0
The Wildcats (3-17) and Bears were in a pitcher’s duel in the opener, as neither team pushed across a run through the first six innings of play. It wasn’t until the bottom of the seventh with two outs when Neosho found some life with the bats.
Still in need of their first hit, the Wildcats got it in a big way when Wyatt Keplar smacked a line drive into center field for a double. In the next at-bat, Ryan Cargile promptly ended the game in walk-off fashion with an RBI single through the left side
Lane Yost earned the win for the Wildcats after pitching a scoreless 1/3 of an inning. Keplar started and took a no-decision after pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings, scattering four hits, walking four and striking out 11 on 105 pitches.
Zach Richards took the loss for Ava after allowing one run on two hits, a walk and nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
Keplar went 1-for-3 with a double at the plate with a run scored, while Cargile went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
LEBANON 4, NEOSHO 1
Lebanon scored single tallies in the second, third and fourth innings to build a lead over Neosho. The Wildcats broke through for a run in the sixth, but the Yellowjackets responded with a run in the seventh and kept Neosho at bay in the last half of the frame.
Keaton Miser earned the win after allowing one unearned run on three hits and two strikeouts.
Lane Yost took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits and seven walks in three innings.
Wyatt Keplar went 1-for-3 with an RBI, while River Brill had one hit and a run scored. Lane Yost added a base hit.
Drew McBride led Lebanon with two hits and two runs scored, while John Greenwood added a hit and an RBI. Gavin Smith had a hit and scored a run.
UP NEXT
Neosho is at Carthage at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Central Ozark Conference action.
