Pittsburg, Kansas, scored six runs in the first two frames and held off No. 6 Carl Junction for a 6-4 win in an interstate matchup at Joe Becker Stadium.
Pittsburg’s offense started with a bang in the top of the first by pushing across four runs on two hits, three walks and a hit-by pitch. The Dragons added two runs in the top of the second inning with the Bulldogs (12-5) breaking through for a run in the bottom half of the second to trim the lead to one. Carl Junction added two tallies in the fifth and scored once in the seventh before the rally ended.
Jackson Turnbull earned the win after allowing three runs, one earned, on five walks and a strikeout in 4 1/3 innings. Cooper Hayden pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits and two strikeouts.
Dylan Eck started and took the loss after allowing four runs on two hits, three walks and a strikeout in 1/3 of an inning. Kyler Perry allowed two runs on two hits, four walks and five strikeouts in 6 1/3 relief innings.
After the first three batters reached to start the game via a hit-by-pitch and back to back walks, Cole Jameson came through with a one-out, bases-loaded single to give Pittsburg a 2-0 lead. Blaine Dunstan followed with an RBI double to left. The fourth run came in on an RBI groundout two batters later by Matt Cicero.
Pittsburg added a run in the second on an RBI groundout from Jameson and scored a second in the next at-bat on a first-and-third double steal play, with Tyler Sutton crossing home.
Carl Junction’s Eck scored on a wild pitch after walking earlier in the second inning for CJ’s first run.
Carson Johnson added a two-run single to left in the fifth inning to trim the Bulldogs’ deficit to 6-3.
Perry doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the seventh and Keaton Johnston followed with an RBI single through the right side to make the score 6-4. Carl Junction followed with three straight outs to end the game.
Carl Junction hosts Webb City at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
