McDonald County's struggles at the plate continued on March 23 when the Mustangs wasted a four-hit pitching effort by Jaime Hanke in a 2-1 loss to the Neosho Wildcats.
"Jaime pitched well enough to win," said coach Nick Martin. "We had guys in scoring position a few times but we couldn't get a timely hit when we needed it. We are playing a lot of guys that are facing varsity pitching for the first time. Our hitting will come around with a little more experience."
Neosho scored both of its runs in the third inning. A one-out walk, a stolen base and a single plated the game's first run before the Wildcats scored the eventual winning run on another hit and a fielder's choice.
While Hanke was holding Neosho to two runs on four hits, Neosho's Jacob Galbraith held the Mustangs to one run on just two hits.
McDonald County scored its lone run in the bottom of the third. Ty Shaver singled to right with one out and ended up on third when the ball went fence after getting by the Neosho right fielder. Shaver came home on an RBI groundout by Emmanuel Baisch to cut the Neosho lead to 2-1.
But Galbraith shut out the Mustangs the rest of the way, escaping a leadoff error in the fifth and a one-out walk in the sixth. McDonald County's only other hit came in the first, a two-out single by Hanke.
Hanke struck out seven and walked five in six innings before Charlie Moore retired Neosho in order in the seventh.
Galbraith struck out 10 and walked two in going the distance.
McDonald County falls to 1-3 for the season entering its March 28 game against Carthage. Outocme of the game was not available at press time. The Mustangs travel to Bentonville West on March 30. Game time is 4:30 p.m.
Community on 03/30/2017