Levi Helm and the McDonald County Mustangs were charged up for their final Class 5, District 7 baseball game of the regular season.
Helm gave up just one hit and struck out nine in a complete-game effort on the mound. Helm also hit a pair of two-run home runs, including one in the bottom of the fifth as the Mustangs walked off Neosho, 12-2, in five innings on Saturday.
McDonald County took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and then scored eight runs in the bottom of the second to bust the game open.
Overall, the Mustangs finished with 11 hits and improved to 3-0 in district play.
"From the second we got here, you could tell our kids were ready to play," said Mustang head coach Kevin Burgi. "They were loose. Our dugout was really good and, obviously, our energy and effort on the field were really, really good. There's a lot to be proud of today for sure."
Helm finished with three runs scored, three hits and four RBIs, while Cross Dowd had two hits, a run and RBI to lead the Mustangs at the plate.
McDonald County scored its first run in the first inning when Helm and Isaac Behm each singled and Cross Dowd followed with an RBI single to score Helm and take a 1-0 lead.
The Mustangs went back to work in the second. Destyn Dowd was hit by a pitch and stole second base, and Sanny Fischer singled to score Destyn Dowd to make it 2-0.
Rylan Armstrong pinch ran for Fischer and moved up a base when Colton Ruddick singled. Cole Martin roped an RBI double and Tucker Walters reached on an error to score two more.
Helm homered to left field to make it 7-0.
Behm walked and Cross Dowd singled and both later scored, with Behm crossing the plate on Weston Gordon's sacrifice fly and Cross Dowd scoring on an error for a 9-0 lead.
The Mustangs would add another run in the third when Martin led off with a walk and came around to score on a Behm fielder's choice.
That was more than enough runs for Helm (4-1), who recorded two strikeouts in the first inning and struck out the side, looking, in the second inning. Helm then struck out two more batters in the third.
"I didn't have my best stuff today for sure," Helm said. "The breaking ball finally came late in the game. But once I got in the zone, I was able to throw strikes and commanded the zone."
Burgi noticed Helm was fighting his way through it early in the game.
"Helm's been really, really good all year," Burgi said. "He was coming back on short rest. And, honestly, he'd probably tell you he might not have had his best stuff. But he had tons of life on his fastball and, when you command the zone, good things happen. I'm so proud of that kid."
The only mistake Helm made came in the fourth inning. After Neosho's Carson Williams reached on an error, Wyatt Shadwick hit a two-run home run to left-center field to bring the Wildcats (9-6) within 10-2.
"It was definitely a mistake," Helm said. "I left the ball over the plate too much, and you can't do that in a high school baseball game. He got a good swing on it and take my hat off to him."
Helm's mistake wound up turning into an opportunity later in the game.
Martin walked with one out in the bottom of the fifth. After Walters grounded out, Helm ended the game with his second two-run home run of the game.
"I told (Helm) before the game he was going to go yard," Martin said, "and he went twice."
It was Helm's second walk-off hit of the year after having hit the RBI single to beat Webb City 2-1 in a district game on April 5. He said it was the first time he's ever hit a walk-off home run.
The win sets up McDonald County for a high seed in the upcoming district tournament next month.
"This is our last district game and this pretty much gets us a No. 1 seed in districts," Helm said. "We know we're going to see them again, eventually, so to be able to make that statement was big for us."
Martin said, "I mean we've been playing together since we were little. We've just got to keep going. Don't look ahead to anything, just got to keep our foot on the gas and that's about it."
Burgi has been pleased with how the Mustangs (13-4) have been ready to play in district games.
"I know that we've been ready to play. Whatever that means for seeding is what it means," Burgi said. "I think this group's done a really good job and now we continue to keep playing better and keep getting better."
McDonald County 6, Monett 0
The McDonald County Mustangs were stingy on the mound and greedy on the basepaths in rolling to a 6-0 home victory over the Monett Cubs on Thursday, April 14.
The Mustangs improved to 12-4 overall and 2-0 in the Big 8 West Conference while the Cubs slipped to 4-9 and 0-2.
Junior hurler Weston Gordon (3-1) held the Cubs in check throughout the game, limiting the Monett batters to a double in the first inning and a single in the seventh while striking out nine.
"Weston threw really well," said Mustang coach Kevin Burgi. "As the year went on last year, he kinda found his breaking ball and worked ahead in counts and that's what he did today. That's what made him really good last year. We expect that out of him. He's starting to find his groove and his last two starts have been really good."
McDonald County took advantage of four Monett errors in the game, beginning in the second inning when Gordon was hit by a pitch before being replaced by courtesy runner Rylan Armstrong, who would score on a throwing error after Destyn Dowd drew a walk.
After stealing second and third, Dowd scored on an infield single by Fischer Sanny for a 2-0 Mustang lead.
McDonald County pushed its lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Cross Dowd started the rally by doubling to right, stealing third base and scoring on a throwing error on the play.
Armstrong again came on to run for Gordon, who had drawn a walk and promptly moved to second on a balk by Monett pitcher Marcus Young. Destyn Dowd then pushed Armstrong to third with a sacrifice bunt and scored from there on a wild pitch for a 4-0 lead.
Colton Ruddick was hit by a pitch with two outs and advanced to third on a single to right by Cole Martin. Ruddick scored on another wild pitch, sending the Mustangs in front by a 5-0 margin.
"We do what we have to do to score runs," said Burgi. "We knew runs would be hard to come by today and you have to tip your cap to (Young) today. He was really good on the mound, so we knew we had to do these little things."
McDonald County's final run came in the fifth when Isaac Behm stroked a two-out double to left, stole third and scored on a wild throw to third by the catcher.
"I would have liked to have executed the bunt stuff," said Burgi, "but sometimes even showing it is really big and we were able to do that today. And we were able to run the bases."
Young (2-2) struck out eight, walked three and allowed only four hits before hitting the mandated pitch limit of 105 for a game.
"He threw a great game," said Monett coach Michael Calhoun. "The only reason I took him out was because of his pitch count. I was trying to get as much out of him as I could. I'm really pleased with his performance. He did a good job."
As for facing Gordon, Calhoun said, "He was throwing hard. I liked our at-bats. We hit the ball hard several times but right at people and we got a couple of hits. They made some nice defensive plays."
He said McDonald County is "a good ballclub," adding, "Kevin does a really good job with them. They played better than we did today."
McDonald County 17, East Newton 4
The Mustangs scored five runs in each of the first three innings to take an early 15-3 lead in a five-inning 17-4 rout at East Newton on Tuesday, April 19.
The Mustangs improved to 14-4 overall and 2-0 in Big 8 West play.
Isaac Behm homered, scored four runs and had four RBIs, while Destyn Dowd had three hits, scored two runs and had an RBI. Tucker Walters had two hits, three runs and two RBIs, while Cross Dowd scored two runs and had a hit and RBI. Fischer Sanny had a double and three RBIs, while Jack Parnell had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Colton Ruddick scored two runs, while Cole Martin, Levi Helm, Angel Ruiz and Rylan Armstrong each scored one run.
Weston Gordon (4-1) picked up the win with five strikeouts and three earned runs, while Destyn Dowd and Behm each pitched an inning of relief.
Up next
The Mustangs are back in action at home Thursday against Cassville in another Big 8 Conference game.
-- Staff Writer Bennett Horne contributed to this report.
GRAHAM THOMAS/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County senior Levi Helm rounds third and prepares to shake coach Kevin Burgi's hand after hitting the first of two home runs on Saturday, April 16, against Neosho in a Class 5 District 7 baseball game.
BENNETT HORNE/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County junior Isaac Behm celebrates after hitting a double in the fifth inning of his team's 6-0 win over Monett on Thursday, April 14.
BENNETT HORNE/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County junior Weston Gordon struck out nine while allowing only two hits in the Mustangs' 6-0 Big 8 West Conference win over Monett on Thursday, April 14.