Monett scored the tying run in the fifth and the winning run with two out in the bottom of the seventh on a bad-hop single to claim a 2-1 win Friday in Monett.
"Jamie (Hanke)did a great job on the mound," said coach Nick Martin. "They are supposedly one of the best hitting teams around and have a 14-2 record. He gave us a great chance to win."
Hanke and the Cubs' Zach Hammond were locked in a scoreless duel until the top of the fourth when McDonald County scratched across a run.
Hanke singled with one out and scored on a double by Brock Burnett. Jake Wood followed with a bunt hit to load the bases, but Hammond escaped further damage with a strike out and a pop-up.
Monett scored the tying run in the fifth without hitting the ball out of the infield after Hanke retired the first two batters of the inning. An infield hit, a balk a wild pitch and Cameron Witt's single on a roller between first and second allowed the tying run to score when Hanke fell down heading to first to cover the bag.
Isaac led off the seventh with a single, went to second on a sacrifice and to third on a ground out. Jordan Hall's hard grounder between short and third took a bad bounce and hit Mustang shortstop Dagan Stites in he face allowing the winning run to score.
Hanke went the distance allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out six.
Hammond went five innings before Jonathan Hawkins worked two scoreless innings to get the win.
Burnett had two hits to lead the Mustangs while Jake Wilkie, Hanke and Wood had the only other three Mustang hits.
McDonald County falls to 8-9 overall, 1-4 in the Big 8 Conference, heading into its April 20 game at Cassville, The Mustangs return home April 23 to host Rogers Heritage.
Wyandotte
After allowing a first inning run on two hits, McDonald county junior right-hander Mason Hendrix shut out the Jay Bulldogs on just two hits over the next four innings to lead the Mustangs to a 5-1 win April 16 at MCHS. Dillion Lance worked one in inning of hitless relief and Victor Payne got the save after allowing a one-out hit in the seventh.
"Mason did a good job despite not having his best stuff," said coach Nick Martin. "He battled his way through five innings and Dillion and Victor came in and shut the door."
McDonald County trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the third when the scored four runs on five hits and an error. Stites started the uprising with a double. Josh Kinser followed with an RBI single to tie the score. Emitt Dalton singled, Wilkie reached on an error before Hanke singled in the go-ahead run. Brock Burnett followed with a bunt base hit to load the bases before Jake Wood and Donovan Taylor drove in runs on fielder' choices.
McDonald County closed out the scoring in the fourth on a double by Dalton and Hanke's RBI single.
"Jamie and Emitt continue to hit the ball well," Martin said. "Both of those guys are in a good grove."
Jay
The Jay Bulldogs outhit McDonald County, but the Mustangs managed to score six runs on five hits to claim a 6-3 win over Jay on April 13 at MCHS.
Lakota Rose scattered seven hits thorough five innings, allowing three runs while striking out two and walking one. Jay broke a scoreless tie in the top fifth off of Rose, scoring two runs on a walk, and three hits.
"Lakota threw well against a pretty good team," Martin said. "D-Lance (Dillion Lance) out us out of a big jam in the sixth and Victor (Payne) closed the deal. It was a great pitching performance all around."
McDonald County answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring five runs on just one hit, but five Jay errors, a walk and a hit batter led to the big inning.
After allowing a hit and hitting two batters to start the sixth, Rose was relieved by Lance, who got out of the jam by allowing only one run on a sacrifice fly.
The Mustangs got that run back in the bottom half of the inning on two errors and one hit.
Payne relieved Lance to start the seventh, retiring Jay in order for the save.
Dalton, Hanke, Burnett, Wood and Stites each had one hit to lead the Mustang offense.
Providence
D.J. Madewell shut out Rogers Providence on six hits to lead the Mustangs to a 10-0 win April 14 at MCHS. Madewell struck out five and didn't walk or hit a batter.
"D.J. threw good enough to win" Marin said. "He threw strikes worked ahead of most hitters."
McDonald County broke on top in the third, scoring a run on a walk and an RBI double by Hanke. The Mustangs broke the game open in the sixth, sending 14 batters to the plate and scoring nine runs on three hits, five walks and two hit batters.
Burnett led off the uprising with a double. McDonald County loaded the bases when Donovan Taylor walked and Jarrett Sanny was hit by a pitch. Stites, Payne, Dalton and Jake Wilkie each walked to force in a run before Hanke was hit by a pitch to force in another.
Burnett followed with his second hit of the inning to drive in a run. A single by Jake Wood and a fielder's choice by Stites accounted for the final two runs.
Burnett finished with three of the Mustangs' six hits while Hanke, Wood and Taylor had one hit each. The Mustangs received nine walks in the game.
"We only had six hits, but the kids showed a lot of patience at the plate," Martin said. " It's hard to to hit it if they don't throw strikes."
Sports on 04/23/2015