The McDonald County 16U baseball team opened the Crowder College Showcase with an impressive 4-3 win on June 2 over the Arkansas Express (Jumper), but then suffered two blowout losses to the Arkansas Express (Rogers) and the Arkansas A's on June 3.
Lee Sohse allowed three runs on six hits in a 4-3 win on June 2 over the Arkansas Express at Crowder College.
The game was scoreless until Arkansas scored two runs in the top of the fifth.
But McDonald County answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, keyed by Matthew Mora's two-run double.
McDonald County got an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth before the Express scored one run in the top of the seventh.
Sampson Boles had three hits, while Sohse, Mora, Cole Martin and Bo Leach had one each.
The second Arkansas Express team to face McDonald County had much better luck. The Arkansans scored two runs in the first and three in the second to cruise to an 11-0 win on June 3 at McDonald County High School.
Leach started and took the loss, while Brandon Armstrong worked the final three and two-thirds innings.
McDonald County's only hits were singles by Martin and Sohse.
The Arkansas A's scored 12 runs in the fourth inning to claim a 16-8 decision in McDonald County's second game.
Boles gave up four runs before the A's scored 12 runs in the fourth off Boles, Wade Rickman and Wyatt Jordan.
Martin and Sohse had two hits each to lead the offense, while Boles, Leach and Josh Parsons had one each.
Carl Junction
McDonald County split a doubleheader on May 29 against Carl Junction at MCHS.
Carl Junction claimed a 4-3 decision in the opener. Ethan Francisco went the distance and took the loss, allowing just four hits and one walk.
Boles, Sohse and Leach had the only hits for McDonald County.
Rickman pitched a five-inning no-hitter in the second game to lead McDonald County to a 9-0 win. He allowed three walks and struck out two.
Martin, Sohse and Parsons had three hits each, while Leach had a pair to lead McDonald County at the plate.
Springfield Elite
McDonald County dropped a doubleheader at Springfield on May 30.
Boles went the distance in a 4-1 loss in the opener, allowing four runs on four hits in seven innings.
Leach had the only McDonald County hit and scored the lone McDonald County run. The freshman-to-be had a single in the seventh inning and came around to score on a two-base error and a groundout.
In the second game, Springfield scored four runs in the second inning and six in the fourth on the way to an 11-3 win.
Junior Eliam started and took the loss. Leach and Jordan both relieved in the fourth.
Boles and Francisco had hits for McDonald County.
McDonald County will host Carthage on June 7.
Sports on 06/07/2018