Charlie Moore pitched a complete game eight-hitter to lead the McDonald County Mustangs to their fourth consecutive win in a 3-2 victory over Carl Junction on May 5 at Carl Junction High School.
Moore, a sophomore right-hander, struck out three and walked two to pick up his first win of the season after missing several games due to an injury.
McDonald County broke out on top in the third. Jon Martin led off the inning with a double into the left field corner. James King advanced pinch runner Caleb Curtis to third with a sacrifice bunt before Ty Shaver drove in Curtis with a sacrifice fly.
Carl Junction tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on a double, two hit batters and a walk. Moore escaped further damage when Jordan Platter turned a hard hit one-hopper into a 4-6-3 double play.
In the fifth, McDonald County scored the go-ahead and eventual winning runs. Oakley Roessler singled to lead off the inning. Martin reached on a throwing error, putting runners on second and third. King doubled in Roessler to give the Mustangs a 2-1 lead before Martin scored on a ground ball by Emanuel Baisch.
Carl Junction cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth on three hits. In the seventh, the Bulldogs had runners at first and second with two out when Moore got the final out of the game with a strikeout.
Roessler, Martin, King, Shaver, Boston Dowd and Tyler Stoutsenberger had one hit each to lead the Mustangs at the plate.
The win improves McDonald County's record to 10-15 heading into its final regular season game against Galena on May 9.
Seneca
McDonald County played small ball in its 14-1 win over Seneca on May 2 at MCHS. The Mustangs pounded out 12 hits, only one of which was for extra bases. The 12-hit total included five bunt hits.
Jamie Hanke picked up the win, allowing one run on five hits in four innings while striking out five. Brandon Burt worked perfect fifth inning, striking out one.
Seneca took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a pair of hits, but McDonald County answered with seven runs in the bottom half of the inning. Platter reached on an error before Roessler bunted for a hit. Platter scored on an error before Martin reached on a fielder's choice and King bunted for a hit to load the bases. Shaver drove in the go-ahead run with a single and Baisch singled in a run. Two more runs scored when Dowd's ground ball was misplayed. Hanke followed with a sacrifice fly and the Mustangs scored their final run of the inning on a hit by Platter.
McDonald County added five runs in the third on bunt singles by King and Baisch, a double by Martin, a single by Hanke and three Seneca errors.
Hanke drove in the Mustangs' final two runs with a single in the bottom of the fourth.
Baisch, Hanke, Platter, King and Shaver had two hits each to lead the Mustangs while Roessler and Martin both had one hit.
Wyandotte
McDonald County avenged a loss to Wyandotte at the Mickey Mantle Wood Bat Tournament earlier in the season with a 4-2 win on May 1 at MCHS.
Grant Cooper picked up the win in relief of Tyler Sellers. Cooper worked the final four innings, shutting out the Indians on one hit while striking out four. Sellers went the first three innings, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out three and walking three.
The Mustangs took a 1-0 lead in the third when Baisch scored on a fielder's choice from Hanke.
Baisch was hit by a pitch to start the inning, stole second and went to third when Dowd bunted for a hit.
McDonald County scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Shaver drove in a run with a single and Baisch knocked in a pair with a single. Roessler walked and King bunted for a hit to set the table.
Baisch had two hits to lead the Mustangs while Dowd, Hanke, Stoutsenberger, King and Shaver all had one.
Sports on 05/11/2017