KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A strong fourth quarter propelled Webb City to a 60-47 victory over Kirksville on Thursday at the 12 Courts of Christmas tournament at Hy-Vee Arena.
Up four at the end of the first quarter, Webb City trailed 25-24 at halftime.
The game was tied at 42 at the end of the third period. The Cardinals outscored the Tigers 18-5 in the final frame to secure their fourth straight win.
It was the first-ever meeting in boys basketball between the two schools.
Junior guard Barron Duda scored 23 points to lead the Cardinals. Duda scored 18 in the second half.
Three other players reached double figures for the Cardinals, as senior forward Alex Martin scored 13 points and senior guard Joe Adams and sophomore guard Holton Keith added 11 points apiece.
Isaac Danielson scored 17 points for Kirksville (5-3).
Webb City (6-2) is at McDonald County on Jan. 3.
CARTHAGE 72, HAZELWOOD WEST 46
ROLLA, Mo. — Junior guard Justin Ray poured in 29 points and hit eight 3-pointers as the Tigers ended the U.S. Bank Holiday Tournament with a second straight win.
The lopsided victory gave Carthage fifth place at the invite.
Carthage led 25-13 at the end of the opening period and extended its advantage to 40-19 by halftime.
Hazelwood West outscored Carthage 17-9 in the third period, but the Tigers won the fourth quarter 23-10 to end the tournament on a positive note.
Ray scored 20 points in the first half and tied a school record with his eight treys. In addition to Ray’s 29, senior guard Max Templeman scored 23 points.
Britt Coy and Clay Kinder added nine points apiece.
Carthage (5-5) hosts McDonald County on Jan. 5.
GENTRY (ARKANSAS) 38, MCAULEY CATHOLIC 34
WASHBURN, Mo. — The shorthanded McAuley Catholic Warriors suffered a 38-34 setback to Gentry (Arkansas) in the fifth-place game of the Southwest Holiday Tournament.
Warriors coach Tony Witt said Michael Parrigon and Jack Jones both went down with injuries in the third quarter.
“We have six varsity guys who are playing hurt or are injured after tonight’s game,” Witt said. “I was pleased with how we didn’t quit when we could have. We had guys in spots they aren’t familiar with playing. We made some mistakes due to that, but we battled all the way to the end.”
McAuley led 22-15 at halftime. Gentry used a 10-3 third quarter to tie the game at 25 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Pioneers outscored the Warriors 13-9 in the final frame.
Noah Black scored 13 points for the Warriors, while Bradley Wagner added eight. Joe Staton and Rocco Bazzano-Joseph each scored five points.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — In the regular season finale, Webb City overcame an early four-run deficit in a big way with 14 unanswered runs en route to a run-rule non-conference victory.
Ranked 10th in Class 5, Webb City ends the regular season with a record of 16-15.
The Panthers plated four runs in the second on two hits, two errors, two walks and a hit batter, but the Cardinals got on the board in the bottom half on Aidan Brock’s RBI single.
Down 4-1, the hosts took the lead for good with a five-run third.
During the big inning, Jeremiah Leaming delivered a two-run double, William Hayes contributed a run-scoring ground out, Leaming came home on a wild pitch and Brantley Carter smacked an RBI double into left field for a 6-4 lead.
Webb City added two runs in the fourth. Cy Darnell doubled, took third on an error and came home on Cade Wilson’s RBI groundout. Leaming tripled and later scored on Hayes’ run-scoring double to the wall in left.
In the three-run fifth, Darnell’s two-run triple made it 10-4. Darnell later scored from third on a wild pitch.
Webb City added three runs in the sixth to end the game early. Eric Fitch smacked a two-run single to left before Darnell hit a game-ending triple into deep right-center.
Webb City recorded 15 hits.
A junior shortstop, Cy Darnell went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Leaming, Hayes, Brock and Carter all contributed two hits apiece, while Fitch, Kolton Eilenstein and Kaylor Darnell had one hit apiece. Fitch, Leaming and Hayes drove in two runs apiece.
Gage Chapman was the winning pitcher. He tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Fitch went the final two innings and did not allow a hit.
Colgan’s Kysen Bennett took the loss after allowing six runs, three earned, on five hits in 2 1/3 innings. The Panthers had five hits, two by Connor VanBecelaere.
Second-seeded Webb City will take on seventh-seeded Grandview at 2 on Saturday at Neosho’s Roy B. Shaver Field in a quarterfinal contest of the Class 5 District 7 tournament.
PIERCE CITY 9, MCAULEY 5
Pierce City scored four runs in the final three innings to pull away for a win over McAuley to close out the Warriors’ regular season.
The Eagles took control with four runs in the first inning before a single tally put them up 5-0 through 2 1/2 innings. In the bottom of the third inning, McAuley answered back with four runs to trim the lead to one. Pierce City scored twice in the five and once in the sixth before both teams traded runs in the seventh.
Jarrett Dombroski earned the complete-game win after allowing five runs on nine hits, two walks and four strikeouts in seven innings.
Rocco Bazzano-Joseph took the loss after allowing five runs, one earned, on four hits, three strikeouts and four walks in four innings. Michael Parrigon allowed four runs, one earned, on three hits, three walks and six strikeouts in three innings.
Bazzano-Joseph had two hits, an RBI and scored a run. Jack Jones had a hit, an RBI and a run scored.
Kris Cloud had three hits, including a double and triple, and scored a run, while Robert Leavitt had three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Luke Perry had two hits and two RBI.
McAuley
McAuley is the second seed in the Class 1 District 7 Tournament and takes on the winner of third-seeded Exeter and sixth-seeded Greenfield on Monday at Hurley High School.
NEOSHO, Mo. — Second-seeded College Heights (with McAuley) opened up district play against seventh-seeded Southwest the best way possible—hanging crooked numbers up on the scoreboard inning after inning while starting pitcher Maddy Colin tossed a four-inning perfect game in the circle.
The Cougars scored three times in the first, twice in the second and plated six runs in the third before finishing off the 15-0 victory in four innings over the Trojans with four more runs touching home in the fourth frame in Class 2 District 6 action at the Neosho Athletic Complex.
“I thought we played great offensively,” College Heights coach Mike Howard said. “We hit the ball really well and had really good base running. After how we played over the weekend, that was definitely a great confidence boost moving forward.”
College Heights improves to 19-4, setting a new program for wins in a season in the progress.
IN THE CIRCLE
Colin was electric from the start, striking out the first six batters she faced before ultimately punching out 10 of the 12 batters she faced without allowing a base runner in four innings en route to the complete-game win.
“She is a workhorse and lives for this moment,” Howard said about his sophomore hurler. “When the game is big and the bright lights are on, that is when she is at her best. She really proved that tonight after not throwing all week long because we couldn’t get outside because of the weather.”
Alli Fosse took the loss after allowing 10 runs on 10 hits, two walks and a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings. Kaleigh Tull allowed five runs, two earned, on three hits, two walks and a strikeout in 1 2/3 relief inning.
GAME ACTION
College Heights pushed across three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take control of the district contest in the early onset. Addie Lawrence picked up an RBI on an infield single that scored Jayli Johnson, who walked to lead off the inning before stealing second and moving to third on a groundout. Lawrence eventually came around to score on a wild pitch before Colin, who reached on a single, scored on an RBI groundout from Aaliyah Perez to make the score 3-0.
“Once it is district time, you never know what is going to happen,” Howard said. “Weird things happen. If we let them hang around later in the game, all of the pressure is on us. We wanted to really jump out on them at the start and I thought our girls had a good game plan in the box. We took a good approach and hit the ball well to get that early lead.”
Two more runs came across the plate in the second inning to give the Cougars a five-run advantage. The first run touched the plate on a throwing error by Southwest before Colin doubled to deep center field to plate Lawrence for a 5-0 lead.
College Heights blew the doors off the hinges in the third inning, plating six runs to build an insurmountable lead. The first run came home when Johnson reached on a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded. Kloee Williamson followed with an opposite-field RBI single to make the score 7-0. Lawrence singled home two runs in the next at-bat before Williams and Lawrence later came home to score on the same wild pitch to push the lead to 11-0.
“It shows that we weren’t content,” Howard said of the six-run third inning. “We were prepared for this game and went up there with a good approach and a mindset of doing whatever we can to get runs across. It gives us more confidence moving forward.”
Johnson added an RBI single with runners at the corners and one out in the fourth before Williamson tripled home two runs on a line drive to center field to push the lead to 14-0. Lawrence reached on an error to allow the 15th run of the game to score and end the game.
IN THE BOX
Lawrence had three hits, four RBI and scored three times, while Colin, who doubled, had three hits, drove in one and scored once. Williamson, who tripled, and Johnson had two hits each. Williamson drove in three and scored three times, while Johnson scored three runs and picked up two RBI. Lauren Ukena, Avery Eminger and Kallie Spencer all had hits for CHC.
Joplin’s Byler Reither fires to first for an out in the Eagles’ win over Carthage on Saturday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Joplin built an early 6-1 lead before Carthage rallied to tie the game in the top of the seventh before the Eagles answered with a two-out run-scoring single by Jackson Queen in the bottom half to send his team to an 8-7 walk-off win over the Tigers in district action to wrap up play on Saturday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
Justin McReynolds doubled to right field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to get a runner in scoring position. Queen then followed with a shallow liner over the head of the Carthage first baseman to plate McReynolds for the winning run.
Joplin’s Brady Mails started and took a no-decision after allowing five runs, three earned, on eight hits and two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Alex Isbell pitched 1 1/3 relief innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits, a walk and a strikeout. Joe Jasper earned the win in relief after pitching a scoreless seventh inning on one hit and a strikeout.
Carthage’s Bradyn Tate took the complete-game loss after allowing eight runs, four earned, on 12 hits and two strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
Carthage’s Bradyn Tate delivers to home on the Tigers’ loss to Joplin on Saturday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Carthage plated a run in the top of the first inning with a run coming home on a fielder’s choice before Joplin answered in the bottom of the frame with a three-run first at-bat. Bodee Carlson led the inning off with a double before scoring with one out on a double to left-center two batters later by Kyler Stokes. McReynolds singled to right to plate a run and Queen wrapped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Joplin doubled its output in the second inning with three more runs touching home Carlson and Ethan Guilford each had RBI singles, while Byler Reither picked up an RBI on a groundout.
Mails brought home the seventh run of the game in the third inning with a safety squeeze to score Layten Copher, who singled to lead off the inning, to push the lead to 7-1.
The Tigers trimmed the lead to five in the top of the fourth when Sylas Browning doubled home a run.
Parker Copeland brought Carthage back into striking distance in the top of the fifth after doubling home two runs with a line drive off the wall in right field with two outs in the inning to make the score 7-4. Browning followed with an infield hit to the hole between second and first to score the third run of the inning, cutting the lead to two.
Kanen Vogt doubled to left-center field to lead off the inning before courtesy runner Kaden Arr came around to score on a passed ball to cut the lead down to one, 7-6.
Carthage led off the top of the seventh with a walk from Braxdon Tate before he stole second on the first pitch of the next at-bat to get into scoring position. Logan Carmickle followed with an RBI double off the wall in right to tie the game at 7s.
Carlson and Stokes each had two hits, scored two runs and drove in one for Joplin. McReynolds had three hits, scored once and drove in one. Guilford had two hits with a run scored and an RBI, while Copher had two hits and scored a run.
Carmickle had three hits, two RBI and a run scored for Carthage. Braxdon Tate had two hits and scored three runs. Copeland had two hits, two RBI and scored a run, while Browning had two hits and drove in two.
Joplin’s Bodee Carlson doubles to left in the Eagles’ district win over Carthage on Saturday at the JHS Athletic Complex. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
SMITHVILLE 10, JOPLIN 1
Joplin took a brief 1-0 lead before Smithville answered with 10 runs over the next three innings on the way to a win over the Eagles on Saturday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
The Warriors took control of the game with four runs scoring in the fourth, another in the fifth and five runs crossing home in the sixth.
Mason Crimm earned the complete-game win after allowing one run on five hits, a walk and three strikeouts in seven innings.
Reither took the loss after allowing four runs on three hits, two walks and six strikeouts in four innings of work. Jasper, Tyler Duley and Eli Sotlar all worked in relief for Joplin.
Joplin took the initial lead with a two-out run scoring in the bottom of the third when Reither doubled to left-center field to plate Landon Maples, who reached with a bunt for a hit to lead off the frame.
Smithville answered back with a crooked number, touching home four times in the top of the fourth to take control, 4-1. Garrett Pulse and Noah Vollenwider had back to back RBI singles before Ben Murawski doubled to right-center field to plate a pair of runs and cap the scoring.
The Warriors added a run on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth inning to push the lead to 5-1.
Smithville put the game out of reach in the sixth inning with five runs scoring in the frame, which was highlighted by a two-run double from Andrew Hedgecorth.
Maples had two hits and scored a run to lead Joplin at the plate, with Reither, Stokes and Guilford all collecting hits for Joplin.
SMITHVILLE 7, CARTHAGE 2
Carthage’s Kanen Vogt records a putout on a foul popup in the Tigers’ loss to Joplin on Saturday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Smithville hung crooked numbers on the scoreboard in the first, third and fourth innings on the way to a win over Carthage in the second game of the day on Saturday.
The Warriors built a 7-0 lead by the end of the fourth before the Tigers plated a pair of runs in the fifth inning.
Austin Miller allowed a run on four hits, a walk and two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings to earn the win. Lucas Noecker allowed one unearned run on two hits, a walk and two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings of relief.
Copeland took the loss after allowing seven runs, five earned, on 12 hits, two walks and a strikeout in six innings.
Hedgecorth singled home a run on a line drive to center before coming around to score on the same play on a Carthage error. Chester Brooks hit a solo home run in the third inning and Ryker Edwards added an RBI single to push the lead to 4-0. A third run came home on a sac fly. Ryan Weers and Edwards added an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning.
Copeland doubled to right field to score a pair of runs in the fifth inning for Carthage.
Braxdon Tate had two hits and scored a run to lead Carthage at the plate, while Copeland doubled and had two RBI. Carmickle, Browning and Clay Kinder each had hits for the Tigers.
Edwards had three hits, two RBI and scored a run, while Brooks and Hedgecorth each had two hits, two runs scored and one RBI.
WEBB CITY SPLITS WITH MARSHFIELD
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City split a non-conference doubleheader with Marshfield on Saturday at Chuck Barnes Field.
The Cardinals won the opener 2-1 before the Bluejays took the second game 12-9.
In Game 1, the Cardinals plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning when Cade Wilson singled with the bases loaded, allowing Kenley Hood and Jeremiah Leaming to score.
The Bluejays pushed across a run in the second on a walk, single and fielder’s choice. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
Webb City’s Gavin Stowell was the winning pitcher. Stowell struck out nine and limited Marshfield to one run on two hits and four walks in five innings.
Cooper Crouch earned the save after tossing two scoreless innings in relief. Crouch fanned five and did not allow a hit.
Webb City recorded seven hits.
Wilson went 2-for-3 with two RBI, while William Hayes, Cy Darnell, Kaylor Darnell, Kolton Eilenstein and Hood contributed one hit apiece.
Marshfield’s Kyler Massie took the loss, but only allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out five.
In Game 2, Marshfield scored two runs in the first, five in the second and one in the third for an 8-0 lead.
The Cardinals pushed across four runs on two hits and an error in the bottom of the third to trim their deficit in half.
Webb City added two runs in the fifth. Hayes doubled to right, took third on an error and came home on Hood’s RBI groundout. Later in the inning, Wilson contributed a run-scoring double, trimming Marshfield’s lead to 8-6.
The Bluejays erupted for four runs on three hits and an error in the sixth for a 12-6 lead.
The Cardinals got a run back in the bottom of the sixth, as Hayes delivered a sac fly to right. Webb City added two runs in the seventh on Aidan Brock’s double.
The Cardinals recorded 10 hits. Cy Darnell, Hayes and Brock had two hits apiece. Jeremiah Leaming, McQuade Eilenstein, Kolton Eilenstein and Wilson added one hit apiece.
Gage Chapman took the loss after giving up seven runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Drew Vonder Haar, Leaming and Hayes all pitched in relief.
Marshfield’s Easton Arthur earned the win after limiting the Cardinals to three earned runs on three hits 3 1/3 innings.
Owen Curley had three hits for the Bluejays, while Kyle Jones drove in three runs.
Webb City (12-14) is at Neosho on Tuesday.
CARL JUNCTION 5, SPRINGFIELD CATHOLIC 1
The Bulldogs scored all five of their runs in the game-changing fifth inning while limiting the Irish to a single tally in the sixth at Joe Becker Stadium.
Carl Junction’s Shane Diskin was the winning pitcher. He went six innings and allowed one run on five hits while striking out nine.
Lucas Vanlanduit tossed a scoreless seventh.
Vanlanduit drove in two runs on two hits for the Bulldogs, while Diskin had two RBI and Bentley Rowden had one. Arlen Wakefield contributed two hits.
Cole Schoen took the loss after giving up four earned runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out seven. Weston Cline gave up one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Ben Smith had two hits for Class 3 No. 1 Catholic.
GLENDALE 6, CARL JUNCTION 1
Ranked second in Class 5, the Falcons plated three runs in the top of the first inning before the Bulldogs answered with a single tally in the bottom half after Wakefield tripled and scored on Kyler Perry’s grounder.
The Falcons added an insurance run in the fourth and two more in the fifth for a 6-1 advantage.
The Bulldogs were limited to three hits, two by Wakefield and a triple by Logan Eck.
Eck went four innings on the mound, allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks.
Vanlanduit and Gaige Carson pitched in relief for the Bulldogs.
Glendale’s Drew Wedgeworth was the winning pitcher. He went the distance and allowed just one run on three hits.
Brayden Biggers had two hits for the Falcons, while Carter Lewis drove in two runs.
MOUNT VERNON SOFTBALL 2, COLLEGE HEIGHTS 1
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — Mount Vernon scored single tallies in the fourth and sixth inning and held off a late rally by College Heights (with McAuley) in a win on Saturday in the Mount Vernon Softball Tournament.
Molly Daniels earned the complete-game win after allowing one unearned run on five hits, two walks and 13 strikeouts in seven innings.
Maddy Colin was saddled with the tough-luck, complete-game loss after allowing two unearned runs on two hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts in six innings of work.
The Mountaineers took the lead in the fourth with a run coming home on a CHC error and pushed the lead to 2-0 in the sixth off an RBI single to right field by Rae Downing.
CHC got on the scoreboard in the seventh on an RBI single from Jayli Johnson.
Downing had one hit, one RBI and scored a run to lead Mount Vernon.
Johnson had two hits and an RBI to lead College Heights at the plate.
EAST NEWTON SOFTBALL 6, COLLEGE HEIGHTS 1
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — East Newton scored three times in the first to take the lead and added insurance throughout in a win over College Heights in the Mount Vernon Softball Tournament.
The Patriots added runs in the second, sixth and seventh frames to build an insurmountable lead.
Addie Lawrence doubled home a run in the seventh inning to get the Cougars on the scoreboard.
Gracie Ford earned the complete-game win after allowing one run on seven hits and five strikeouts in seven innings.
Colin took the complete-game loss after allowing six runs, two earned, on seven hits and 13 strikeouts in seven innings.
Lawrence had two hits and drove in one, while Aaliyah Perez and Kloee Williamson each had two hits.
College Heights held an 8-3 lead after four innings before erupting for 11 runs in the fifth inning on the way to a five-inning win over Wheaton to earn the claim of co-Ozark 7 Conference champions on Friday.
The Cougars (5-9, 3-1 Ozark 7) scored 19 runs on 10 hits, including 11 runs on two hits, eight walks, two bit-by-pitches and two errors in the fifth inning.
Ben Thomas started and earned the complete-game win after allowing three runs, one earned, on eight hits, a walk and four strikeouts in five innings.
Kelton Park started and took the loss after allowing nine runs, four earned, on two hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Nicholas Brueggemann led the Cougars at the plate after going 3-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Thomas had a hit and three RBI. Austin Miller had a hit, scored three runs and drove in two, while Bowen Sitton had a hit, one RBI and scored four times. Kelton Welch had a hit, two RBI and scored a run.
LAMAR 9, MCAULEY 0
LAMAR, Mo. — Lamar scored five runs in the first two innings and added four runs late on the way to the win on Friday.
The Tigers opened with three runs in the first inning before adding two in the second. After a single tally in the fifth, Lamar wrapped the scoring with three runs in the sixth inning.
Mason Gastel earned the win after allowing one hit and one walk while striking out 11 over five shutout innings. Stetson Wiss pitched two scoreless relief innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.
Kable Reichardt took the loss after allowing nine runs, five earned, on eight hits, two walks and four strikeouts in six innings.
Gastel had two hits, three RBI and two runs scored to lead Lamar in the box, while Ty Wilhite had two hits, two RBI and scored a run.
Rocco Bazzano-Joseph and Bradley Wagner each had a hit for McAuley.
NEOSHO, Mo. — Carthage used early offense to build a 4-1 lead after two innings and held that pace on the way to a Central Ozark Conference win over Neosho on Tuesday at Roy B. Shaver Field.
The Tigers (7-14, 2-4 COC) used a single, a Neosho error and a walk to load the bases with one out in the top of the first before Clay Kinder singled a pair of two-out runs home two batters later on a line drive to right field for a 2-0 lead. Kanen Vogt and Nate Norbury singled to reach base in the second before a two-out error on a fly ball by the Wildcats (11-11, 0-6 COC) allowed both runners to score to push the lead to 4-0.
Carter Baslee brought home Neosho’s lone run of the game on a fielder’s choice in the bottom half of the fourth.
Bradyn Tate earned the win for Carthage after allowing one unearned run on three hits, a walk and three strikeouts in six innings. Kaden Arr earned the save after allowing one hit and striking out two in a scoreless seventh inning.
Kael Smith took the loss for Neosho after allowing four unearned runs on seven hits, two strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. River Brill pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief and allowed a hit, walked one and struck out one.
Braxdon Tate and Sylas Browning each had two hits for Carthage. Kinder had a hit and two RBI, while Vogt and Norbury each had a hit and scored a run.
Carter Fenske doubled and had two hits to lead Neosho, while Reece Miller and Eli Zar also picked up hits for the Wildcats.
MCAULEY 6, EXETER 5
McAuley trailed 2-0 early before scoring two runs in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to earn a come-from-behind win over Exeter on Tuesday.
Rocco Bazzano-Joseph started and took a no-decision after allowing four runs on seven hits, two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Kable Reichardt earned the win in relief after allowing one earned run on one hit, a walk and three strikeouts in two innings.
Trailing 2-0, the Warriors (6-3) plated two two-out runs in the fourth inning to tie the game. McAuley scored on an error with two away to cut the lead in half before Chase Gardner brought home the tying run with an RBI single through the left side.
Exeter had back to back run-scoring singles from Jimmy Filipe and Corey Hilburn to take back the lead in the top of the fifth, but McAuley tied it back up in the bottom half with a run scoring on a balk and a passed ball.
The Warriors took the lead for good in the sixth when Bradley Wagner broke the tie with a one-out single to left to plate Reichardt. Wagner later scored on a passed ball for insurance.
Reichardt had two hits and scored two runs, while Wagner had a hit, scored a run and drove in one. Gardner had a hit and an RBI, while Joe Staton, Bazzano-Joseph and Kendall Jones all had a hit and all scored a run. Kevin Tran also registered one of McAuley’s eight hits in the win.
MCDONALD COUNTY 7, SENECA 2
SENECA, Mo. — Class 5 No. 6 McDonald County hung up crooked numbers on the scoreboard in three of the first four innings on the way to a win over Seneca on Tuesday.
The Mustangs (17-5) plated three runs in the first inning before pushing across two runs in the third and the fourth innings to build an insurmountable lead over the Indians (5-15) in the win.
Cross Dowd earned the win after allowing two runs on five hits, eight strikeouts and four walks in 4 2/3 innings. Destyn Dowd struck out one over 2 2/3 scoreless relief innings.
Grant Houchin took the loss after allowing seven runs, four earned, on eight hits, four walks and a strikeout. Tanner Nesvold allowed one hit and walked one in a scoreless inning of relief.
Cross Dowd had a two-run double to right in the first inning to give McDonald County the lead, with Colton Ruddick adding an RBI single up the middle later in the inning. Tucker Walters picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the third, while Ruddick drove in another run with a groundout. Cole Martin singled to left for an RBI in the bottom of the fourth and a second run came home on an error to wrap McDonald County’s scoring.
The Indians got on the scoreboard with a two-run single from Hagen Ginger in the top of the fifth.
Martin had three hits and an RBI to lead McDonald County, while Cross Dowd had two hits, two RBI and scored twice. Ruddick had two hits and two RBI.
Ginger had two hits and two RBI, while Kaden Clouse and Kade Johnson each had a hit and scored a run for Seneca.
College Heights (with McAuley) scored in every inning on the way to clinching the Ozark 7 Conference title with a 12-0 win in five innings over Golden City on Monday.
The Cougars (17-2, 4-0 Ozark 7) tallied single runs in the first two innings before hanging crooked numbers (two, four, four) in each of the final three innings en route to the title-clinching win.
Maddy Colin earned the complete-game shutout win, surrendering just one hit, while walking one and striking out 12 for College Heights.
Brooke Beerly took the loss after allowing eight runs, on nine hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings. Sienna Wirth allowed four runs, one earned, on three walks and a hit in 1 1/3 relief innings.
Holding a 2-0 lead in the last of the third inning, Jayli Johnson scored on a wild pitch before Colin singled home a run in the next at-bat to push the lead to 4-0.
Johnson came up with a two-run triple to right field an inning later before Kloee Williamson brought a run home with an RBI double to left to push the lead to 7-0 in the next at-bat. Colin logged a sacrifice fly later in the inning to bring home Williamson.
Johnson picked up another RBI in the fifth with a bases-loaded walk before Addie Lawrence reached on an error that allowed three runners to score later in the inning to end the game via run-rule.
Johnson had two hits, including a triple, three RBI and three runs scored to lead CHC at the dish. Williamson doubled on the way to two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Lawrence had one hit, scored a run and drove in one. Lauren Ukena and Kaitlyn Bates, who doubled, each had a hit and scored twice, while Avery Eminger singled, scored a run and drove in one.
JASPER, Mo. — College Heights (with McAuley) earned a 7-0 win against Liberal in the semifinals and closed the day with a 2-1 win over East Newton in the championship round to win the Jasper Invitational softball tournament on Saturday.
COLLEGE HEIGHTS 2, EAST NEWTON 1
East Newton scored a run in the first inning and held that lead all the way until the bottom of the sixth when College Heights (16-2) scored a pair of two-out runs to take the late lead and held on to win the championship game.
Maddy Colin was hit by a pitch with one out in the last of the sixth frame and was on second base two batters later when Lauren Ukena doubled to center field to score Colin and tie the game at 1-1. The Cougars took the lead in the next at-bat when Avery Eminger singled to center field to push across the go-ahead run.
Colin earned the complete-game win in the circle after allowing one unearned run on three hits, a walk and 16 strikeouts in seven innings.
Gracie McMahan took the loss after allowing two runs on three hits, two walks and four strikeouts in six innings.
Eminger and Ukena each had a hit and drove in one, while Ukena added a run scored. Colin walked and scored a run, while Addie Lawrence had the only other hit for CHC.
Josie Guinn had two hits to lead East Newton at the plate.
COLLEGE HEIGHTS 7, LIBERAL 0
College Heights (15-2) plated four runs in the first inning and Colin rode the run support to a shutout over Liberal (with Bronaugh) in the semifinals on Saturday.
The first five batters reached in the first inning for CHC, with Lawrence and Colin both picking up RBI singles during that stretch. Eminger and Kallie Spencer drew walks with the bases loaded to push home the final two runs of the inning. The Cougars added a single tally in the second inning and added two insurance runs in the sixth en route to the win.
Colin struck out 14 and scattered three hits in a six-inning shutout performance to earn the win.
Jordan Goodell took the loss after allowing five runs on three hits, six walks and two strikeouts in two innings. Kyla Porter allowed two unearned runs on five hits and a walk in four relief innings.
Jayli Johnson had three hits and scored a run in the leadoff spot for CHC. Lawrence had two hits, scored three runs and drove in one, while Colin had two hits and two RBI. Spencer had a hit and drove in one.
JASPER, Mo. — College Heights (with McAuley) held a 1-0 lead before a five-run fifth inning sealed a 7-0 win over Lamar in the first round of the Jasper Invitational softball tournament on Friday.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning, the Cougars (14-2) took complete control after striking for five runs, all coming with two outs, on five hits. Addie Lawrence started the scoring in the fifth with a two-run double to left field before Maddy Colin doubled Lawrence home in the next at-bat for a 4-0 lead. Avery Eminger picked up an RBI later in the inning after getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before Lauren Ukena wrapped the scoring with an RBI single to left in the next at-bat.
Colin pitched a complete-game shutout, striking out 16 while scattering two hits and walking one in seven innings.
Madison Caruthers took the loss after allowing seven runs on 11 hits, a walk and three strikeouts in six innings.
Aaliyah Perez had three hits and scored a run, while Lawrence doubled, had two hits, three RBI and scored twice for CHC. Colin doubled twice and drove in two, while Jayli Johnson had two hits and scored twice.
College Heights is in the semifinals at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
McAuley Catholic sent 25 hitters to the plate in the first three innings on the way to a 15-0 win over Jasper on Monday at Warren Turner Field.
Though inclement weather forced the Warriors (3-2) to the home venue of the Missouri Southern Lions, it didn’t prohibit McAuley in the least bit. The Warriors drew 11 walks as a team and added six hits on the way to the win.
“Our approach at the plate this year has been aggressive, and sometimes too aggressive,” McAuley coach Bryan Jones said. “There were a few guys today who we made sure were being very selective and our guys did a good job of getting on base and putting the pressure on them. … Once that happened, we had very good pitch selection and a few good swings with runners on.”
ON THE MOUND
Kable Reichardt earned a three-inning no-hit win for the Warriors. He walked one and struck out five over three frames.
“Kable shut them down,” Jones added. “He was on today and did a great job. Kable throws strikes about 64 percent of the time and when he gets ahead in the count, it really helps take the pressure off himself.”
Jacob Davis took the loss after allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on two hits, eight walks and three strikeouts in one inning. Clayton Atnip allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks in one-plus innings.
GAME ACTION
After a 1-2-3 top of the first, McAuley set the tone in the bottom of the first with three runs touching the plate. Joe Staton, who walked to lead off the inning, Michael Parrigon, who singled through the left side with one out, and Jack Jones, who walked, all came around to score on passed balls in the inning.
The Warriors sent nine hitters to the plate in the first inning and improved on that mark in the second, with 14 batters making a plate appearance. The first four reached via walk, with Jack Jones earning an RBI with a bases-loaded free pass. Reichardt was hit-by-pitch to force in a run before Bradley Wagner reached on an error that allowed a run to score and give McAuley a 6-0 lead. Reichardt walked in the next at-bat to force in another run, and after a Jasper pitching change, Noah Black drew a walk with the bags full to push the lead to 8-0. All told, McAuley saw the first nine batters reach base in the inning after pinch hitter Trey Martinez singled to left-center to drive home a run for a nine-run lead.
Rocco Bazzano-Joseph picked up an RBI on an infield hit, Jones added a sac fly on a pop out to second base and Kendall Jones capped the inning with a two-run single to shallow center field.
Wagner walked to lead off the last of the third inning before ultimately coming around to score on a passed ball later in the inning with no outs to end the game via run-rule and snap the Warriors’ two-game skid.
“Last week, we had a tough (10-9) loss late in the week (against Wheaton),” Coach Jones said. “We were up and we just ran out of pitching. It was good to see them respond. Their attitude in the dugout was up throughout the game, and that was great to see.”
AT THE PLATE
Staton had a hit, drove in one and scored three times. Bazzano-Joseph had a hit, an RBI and two runs scored. Kendall Jones had a hit, three RBI and scored a run. Reichardt had one RBI, scored a run and went 1-for-2.
Being the fourth coach in four years has new McAuley Catholic Warriors head coach Tony Witt looking to provide the boys basketball program with one important trait they’ve lacked in recent years—stability.
“It is very important,” Witt said. “One of the things during the interview process that I really wanted to establish was being present in the middle school and in the youth programs. That is where it all starts. To get down there and get our kids fundamentally sound before they get to high school is crucial for our success in the future.”
Establishing a foundation for the McAuley program is especially important to Witt because he was a former Warrior, graduating from the school in 2000.
“I am at a loss for words for how excited I am,” Witt said of returning to his alma mater. “To be back, and to be in the same hallways where I was in as a player and student is like no other. … We want to win, but one of the big things for me is getting deeper into the postseason. We want people in our community to be happy about and proud of our program. … That is a huge goal for this program moving forward.”
Senior Daniel Wagner, senior Matthew Dohmen, senior Thomas Black, sophomore Joe Staton and junior Kevin Tran figure to be the starting five for the Warriors. Wagner was a first-team all-conference selection last season and averaged 16.6 points per game. Black was an honorable mention all-conference player a year ago, averaging 11.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest.
“Having Daniel, Matthew and Thomas is huge for us,” Witt said. “They’ve got to step up and show these younger guys how to play because we have a lot of youth beneath them. They are really the only three who have varsity experience. For them to lead by example is going to be huge not only for this year, but for the future.”
Sophomore Kable Reichardt, freshman Bradley Wagner, junior Jeffery Horinek, junior Jacob Bracich, freshman Rocco Bazzano-Joseph as well as seniors Joe Lupicki and Cade Englert expect to provide depth off the bench.
Witt’s philosophy for the offense is simple. He wants to let his kids play. He isn’t focusing on running set plays in the halfcourt, but more so on letting the game come to his kids.
“I am a motion guy,” Witt said. “I don’t like to run sets. I like to teach offense and let the players play. That is crucial for me and really big for our development. We want to be as unselfish as possible. We want to be able to pass on good shots and take great shots. Our motion is pass-and-pick-away base.”
Defensively, the Warriors on focusing on keeping opponents to under 50 points per game using a press defense, particularly in the halfcourt, while using a strong rebounding game to compliment the defensive effort.
“We want to emphasize finishing off defensive possessions with rebounding, and not giving up the offensive rebound,” Witt said. “That is something that our guys have mentioned to me. They want to be a better rebounding team, and they want to be a better defensive team. That was one of their goals that they’ve set this year. That is something we have been working on every day.”
With Witt in charge of turning the program around, he is aware the process will take time. The immediate goal is to turn in a winning season in 2020. McAuley starts that quest with a season-opening matchup against Liberal on Tuesday.
“It is going to be a great one,” Witt said. “It’s the first game of the year, and McAuley-Liberal has been the first game of the year since I was in school. It’s going to be exciting and packed. The team is excited and ready to play.”
Even though the weather still says fall, the winter sports season officially started on Tuesday when McAuley Catholic girls basketball hosted Carthage, College Heights Christian and Miller in a four-team jamboree.
“It’s very exciting,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “When I first scheduled this, I thought we needed to bring some good teams here so we could get the girls used to playing the good teams. It turned out, we have three district champions and a very good Class 5 school in Carthage. The competition level is very high here. Everyone is super excited about playing today.”
WARRIORS RETURN SOLID CORE FOR UPCOMING CAMPAIGN
After finishing with 21 wins in 2018 and 20 wins in 2019, McAuley Catholic is looking to make it three seasons in a row with 20 or more victories. While it won’t be an easy task, the Warriors have several key returning pieces to lead the team this season.
“It is going to take a lot of hard work and effort,” Howard said. “We have a good core coming back. We return three starters. … We are going to need a lot of our younger kids to mature and step up to fill those minutes. I think we will have growing pains early. As long as we work hard and stick together, I think we will be fine down the stretch.
“The beginning of our schedule is pretty difficult. We play tough teams at the start so our kids can get used to the speed of the high school game. Taking our bumps and bruises and learning from our mistakes early is going to be important for our success later.”
The Warriors return junior starters Kennedy DeRuy and Kayleigh Teeter as well as senior Gliza Damaso.
“They are going to mean everything,” Howard said. “Those three are who is going to keep this thing going. Kayleigh and Kennedy are my top two returning scorers, and Gliza is our senior leader who has a great defensive presence. Those three are really going to have to step up for us this year, and they will be a big factor in the success we have this year.”
Sophomore Lily Black and junior Abbey Cahalan figure to fill out the starting five. As far as coming off the bench, the Warriors lack experience in their rotational players.
“Depth is going to be a weakness this year,” Howard said. “We have some younger players who will grow and develop the more time they get on the court.”
Those younger players coming off the bench include freshmen Kloee Williamson and Avery Gardner, and sophomore Aaliyah Perez. Of course, with so many younger players stepping into larger roles this season, the leadership and guidance from DeRuy, Teeter and Damaso will be crucial.
“From the first day of practice, they have stepped up and been leaders on and off the court,” Howard said. “They are great people and great human beings. They have stepped up and will help out the younger kids.”
McAuley opens the season as hosts to Liberal on Nov. 24.
Up four at the end of the first quarter, Webb City trailed 25-24 at halftime.
