Sweep And Ride

RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Shiloh Christian's shortstop Connor Clark leaps for a high throw while McDonald County's Caleb Curtis steals second base during the Mustangs' 4-3 win on March 26 at MCHS.
RICK PECK/SPECIAL TO MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS Shiloh Christian's shortstop Connor Clark leaps for a high throw while McDonald County's Caleb Curtis steals second base during the Mustangs' 4-3 win on March 26 at MCHS.

After sweeping a doubleheader against Carl Junction and Riverton, Kan., on March 30, the McDonald County High School baseball team is riding a four-game winning streak while improving its season record to 6-3.

The doubleheader, originally scheduled for March 13 at Carl Junction, was moved up a day to the turf at Missouri Southern State University due to wet grounds at Carl Junction and the forecast of more rain for Saturday.

McDonald County opened with a 4-2 win over Carl Junction behind the pitching of Grant Cooper. The senior right-hander, allowed just two unearned runs on five hits while striking out six and walking none.

After allowing two runs on two errors and a double in the bottom of the fourth, McDonald County came back to tie the score in the top of the fifth.

Jordan Platter started the rally with a one-out single. Oakley Roessler reached on an error before Boston Dowd was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two out. Joe Brown then hit a slow roller that drove in Platter for one run before Shaver scored all the way from second base to tie the game when a low throw on Brown's roller was misplayed.

The Mustangs took the lead in the sixth. Tyler Stoutsenberger reached on an error to open the inning. Omar Manuel bunted him to second in front of an RBI double by Izak Johnson.

McDonald County added an insurance run in the seventh on a hit by Shaver before consecutive hit batters loaded the bases for Stoutsenbeger, who drove in the final run with a fly ball to right.

Brown finished with two hits, while Shaver, Johnson, Platter and Charlie Moore had one each.

Raygan Bradley pitched three innings of scoreless relief to lead the Mustangs to an 11-7 win over Riverton in the second game.

The senior right-hander allowed just one hit while striking out six and walking two.

Sophomore right-hander Cade Smith went the first four innings, allowing seven runs, four earned, on four hits and four walks while striking out seven.

McDonald County overcame a 2-0 deficit by scoring seven runs in the second inning. Stoutsenberger started the uprising with a leadoff single. Manuel sacrificed and reached first on a late throw. Johnson then sacrificed runners to second and third before Platter singled in a run. Shaver followed with a two-run triple. Dowd reached when he was hit by a pitch before Brown doubled in two runs and scored on a double by Moore.

McDonald County added a run in the third on a single by Stoutsenberger and an RBI single by Manuel.

Riverton scored five runs in the third to cut the lead to 8-7, but McDonald County added insurance runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to go along with the relief pitching of Bradley to seal the win.

Brown led the Mustangs at the plate with four hits and four RBIs while Shaver, Stoutsenberger and Manuel had two each and Dowd, Moore, Johnson and Platter had one each.

Carthage

Moore threw a one-hitter to lead McDonald County to a 6-1 win at Carthage on March 28. The junior right-hander struck out 10 and walked three.

McDonald County took a 1-0 lead in the third on Roessler's single, bunt hits of Shaver and Dowd and a passed ball.

After Carthage tied the game in the fourth, McDonald County took a 2-1 lead in the fifth. Shaver reached on an error, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Moore.

The Mustangs added four insurance runs in the seventh. A two-run double by Moore and a two-run single by Platter keyed the inning.

Shiloh Christian

Dowd allowed three runs on seven hits to lead the Mustangs to a 4-3 win over Shiloh Christian on March 26 at MCHS.

McDonald County took advantage of three errors and six walks to score four runs without a hit for the win.

The Mustangs scored three runs in the first on an error, two stolen bases, a hit batter and two walks. Entering the bottom of the fourth tied 3-3, the Mustangs scored what turned out to be the winning run on a hit by pitch, a sacrifice, an error and a steal of home by David Roark.

Roark reached on an error to lead off the inning. He was at third with two out when Dowd, who had reached on an error, took off early from first and stayed in a rundown until Roark had crossed the plate for the eventual winning run.

McDonald County was at Webb City on April 3 before playing Locust Grove at Commerce High School at noon on April 5 in the Mickey Mantle Classic. The Mustangs then face Diamond at 6 p.m. on April 6 at Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin to finish pool play. Finals are on April 7 at a time and location to be determined.

Sports on 04/05/2018