Strong pitching performances led the McDonald County Mustang baseball team at a four-team jamboree held on March 10 at MCHS. The Mustangs hosted East Newton, Diamond and Purdy in three-inning scrimmages, winning two before tying with Purdy to end the day.
The Mustangs opened against East Newton by claiming a 4-1 decision. Junior right-hander Charlie Moore started for the Mustangs and was nearly perfect in his two innings of work. Moore did not allow a hit while striking out five and walking one.
Oakley Roessler worked the third inning in relief, allowing one run on one hit.
The jamboree format calls for a runner to placed on first base to start the second inning and on second base to start the third. The first batter Roessler faced doubled in a run before the junior right-hander struck out the next three batters.
McDonald County scored three runs in the first inning on two hits, an error and a walk. Jordan Platter opened the inning with a walk before Boston Dowd reached on a two-base error to put runners on second and third.
After a strikeout, Joe Brown singled in both runners with a sharp ground ball up the middle. Moore then recorded the Mustangs' only extra-base hit of the day, an opposite-field double, to drive in the third run of the inning.
McDonald County scored its final run in the third inning when Brown's comebacker was misplayed.
The Mustangs' only other hit in the game was a single by Micah Burkholder in the second inning.
Diamond
McDonald County then claimed an 8-2 win over Diamond. Grant Cooper gave up one run on just one hit while striking out two in two innings.
Cooper overcame three consecutive errors to start the game by striking out two of the next three batters and getting the third out off a soft ground ball.
McDonald County scored five runs in the first inning, taking advantage of five two-out walks. Brown's single started the two-out rally before five bases on balls, two wild pitches and two errors gave the Mustangs five runs.
McDonald County added a run in the second on an error and a wild pitch before Raygan Bradley held Diamond to a run in the third inning without allowing a hit. A wild pitch and a sacrifice fly accounted for the Wildcat run.
The Mustangs closed out the game with two runs on two hits in the third. Platter singled before Ty Shaver singled home two runs with two outs.
Purdy
Purdy scored two runs in the first off of Boston Dowd on a hit and two errors and then held on for a 2-2 tie. Jorge Ruiz and Brown shut out the Eagles in the second and third innings.
McDonald County cut the lead to one with a run in the second on a single by Trey Black.
The Mustangs tied the game in the third on two walks, an error and a wild pitch.
McDonald County opens the season for real on March 16 at the Harrison High School Baseball Tournament in Harrison, Ark.
Sports on 03/15/2018