After inclement weather forced a change of venue, Republic erased an early deficit with four runs in the middle innings en route to a 5-3 win over Joplin in a matchup between teams holding the top two Central Ozark Conference records on Thursday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
The Eagles took the lead with a run in the first inning before the Tigers used a two-out, two-run home run in the third inning to take a 2-1 advantage. Republic added two insurance runs in the top of the fourth to push the lead to 4-1, but Joplin answered back with two runs of its own in the bottom half to trim the deficit back to one. The Tigers added an unearned run in the sixth and held off the Eagles for the win.
“If you are going to win big games against good teams—people talk about the little things, but it’s the winning things,” Joplin coach Kyle Wolf said. “Over the course of the game, we had some opportunities. … Some of the things like catching it and throwing it a little bit and being locked into a situation and understanding what we have to do there. We didn’t do a good job of that, and we need to compete a little better.”
With the win, Republic stays atop the COC standings with a 15-6, 7-0 conference record. Joplin falls to 13-8, 5-2 in the COC.
ON THE MOUND
Vincent Pyeatt earned the win after allowing three runs on three hits, six walks and five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Cole Iles didn’t allow a run while allowing two hits and striking out three in 3 1/3 relief innings.
Joplin’s Fielding Campbell was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits, a walk and three strikeouts in three innings. Josh Harryman allowed one unearned run on one hit, three walks and five strikeouts in four innings of relief work.
“I don’t think Josh was as sharp today as he’s been, but he battled through things and got us some outs in big situations,” Wolf said of his reliever. “He kept us in a position where if we got some guys on and could get a hit, we could tie it up or win it. Good job on him just competing on the bump on a day he might not have had his best stuff.”
GAME ACTION
Joplin drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning when David Fiscus was walked with the bases loaded to plate Bodee Carslon, who reached with an infield hit to lead off the inning.
The Tigers broke through on the scoreboard with two outs in the top of the third inning. After Gavyn Beckner doubled to right field, Ryker Harrington unloaded for a two-run home run to right field in the next at-bat to give Republic a 2-1 lead.
Republic went to work with the bats in the top of the fourth when a single, walk and single loaded the bases with no outs. Gavin Walker followed with a two-run double to right field to make the score 4-1.
Joplin used two-out magic in the bottom of the inning when Carlson drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run, while Campbell followed with an RBI infield hit to shortstop in the next at-bat with the bags still full to score another run and trim the Republic lead to 4-3.
The Tigers added an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Harrington reached second base on an error by Joplin. Kyle Hill singled later in the inning and Harrington was caught in a rundown between third and home, ultimately scoring on a throwing error while in a pickle to push the lead to 5-3.
“We had some good at-bats today, but I also thought we had some incredibly uncompetitive at-bats today as well,” Wolf said of his team’s offensive approach. “Really, that is the first time all year that I would say that is true.”
AT THE PLATE
Harrington had a home run, two RBI and scored twice to lead Republic. Hill had two hits, while Beckner and Walker each doubled.
Carlson had one hit, one RBI and scored a run to go along with two walks to lead Joplin. Campbell added a hit and an RBI.
UP NEXT
Joplin travels to Carthage for games against Smithville and the Tigers on Saturday.
