WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City extended its winning streak to eight by earning a pair of run-rule victories on Saturday.
The Cardinals pushed across 27 runs in a non-conference prep baseball twinbill, as Webb City defeated Hillcrest 16-6 and Harrisonville 11-1 on a windy afternoon at Chuck Barnes Field.
The Cardinals are now 22-5.
With just two regular season dates remaining before the postseason arrives, Webb City coach Flave Darnell is confident his team is peaking at exactly the right time.
“We’re playing really good baseball right now,” Darnell said. “I’m really happy with our pitching right now. Noah (Mitchell) had a good outing in our first game. He threw a ton of strikes. Then (Jeremiah) Leaming came in and threw strikes. And then in our second game, Shane (Noel) and Cooper (Crouch) both did a great job. It was good to see those guys pitch well. I’m a firm believer that good pitching and good defense wins games, especially when the playoffs arrive. I think we are hitting our stride at the right time. We’re getting timely hitting and good pitching and good defense. Hopefully we can keep it up.”
WEBB CITY 16, HILLCREST 6
Eric Fitch had a big day at the plate for the Cardinals, as the junior went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI.
Devrin Weathers went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, while Shane Noel drove in four runs on a triple and two sacrifice flies.
Treghan Parker scored twice and drove in two runs, while Matt Woodmansee and Gavin Stowell scored two runs apiece.
Mitchell earned the win on the mound, going five innings and striking out six while allowing four earned runs on eight hits. Leaming struck out one in one inning of relief.
Avery Grant went 4-for-4 for the Hornets.
Ethan Cates took the loss after allowing nine earned runs on nine hits in five innings.
The Hornets plated three runs in the first on three hits and three errors.
The Cardinals got a run back in the second, as Woodmansee scored on a wild pitch.
Webb City scored five runs in the third.
During the big inning, Cade Wilson scored on an error and Noel hit a two-run triple to right. Noel and Gayman both charged home on passed balls.
Hillcrest received an RBI single by Grant in the fourth, but the Cardinals extended their lead by pushing across four runs in the bottom half.
Fitch came home on an error, Weathers scored on Noel’s sac fly, Parker charged home on a double steal before Gayman delivered a run-scoring double to left, giving the hosts a 10-4 lead.
Hillcrest’s Braxton Baker hit a two-run double in the top of the fifth, but the Cardinals answered with four more runs in the bottom half.
Weathers hit a two-run single to left before Parker and Noel contributed sac flies.
The Cardinals ended the game in the bottom of the sixth due to the run-rule when Fitch delivered a two-run single up the middle, scoring Leaming and Gavin Stowell.
In the middle game of the day, Harrisonville defeated Hillcrest 9-8 in an 11-inning marathon.
WEBB CITY 11, HARRISONVILLE 1
The hosts plated eight runs in the first inning and never looked back.
A two-run third and a single tally in the fifth allowed the Cardinals to end the game early.
Webb City scored its 11 runs on 12 hits, with seven different players contributing.
Noel went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBI, while Aiden Brock drove in three runs on two hits and Gayman had two hits and two RBI.
Parker had two hits, while Weathers scored a pair of runs. Parker and Leaming had one RBI apiece.
Noel pitched two innings and did not allow a hit or a walk while striking out four.
Cooper Crouch pitched three innings, striking out four and allowing just one run on two hits.
Harrisonville’s Tucker Vassar took the loss after surrendering eight earned runs on seven hits in one inning.
In the big first inning, Parker hit an RBI double, while Gayman and Brock had run-scoring singles. Leaming contributed an RBI double and later scored on an error.
Noel’s two-run single made it 8-0 early.
The Cardinals went up 10-0 in the third after Noel and Gayman both recorded RBI doubles.
The Wildcats got on the board in the fifth, but the hosts ended the game in the bottom half when Noel walked and later scored on Brock’s single through the left side.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City is at Aurora on Tuesday. The Cardinals will host Kickapoo at 4:30 on Thursday in the regular season finale.
“Those are two quality opponents,” Darnell said. “We’re looking forward to those two games and I hope these two get us ready for the playoffs.”
