ANDERSON -- McDonald County pitcher Cross Dowd pitched his first no-hitter as the Mustangs smothered the Cassville Wildcats, 8-0, on Thursday, April 21.
The win sends the Mustangs to 15-4 overall and 4-0 in the Big 8 West while the Wildcats fall to 5-11 and 0-3.
"That's one of the first (no-hitters) I've seen since I've been here, so obviously he was good," said McDonald County coach Kevin Burgi. "Cross threw really, really well. To be honest, I was in my mind about what else was going on and I didn't even know he had a no-hitter going. But he was good today."
Dowd (3-1) said he had no idea he was throwing a no-hitter until coming off the field after the top of the sixth inning.
"I didn't know it was happening until the sixth inning when I came into the dugout and one of my teammates said something about it," he said. "I thought that was going to jinx me and I'd give one up in the seventh."
But instead of giving up a hit to lose the no-hitter in the seventh, he struck out the side, giving him 13 strikeouts in the game against two walks.
"We've talked so much about strike one, strike one, strike one," said Burgi. "I don't know what his first-strike percentage was, but it was really good. He controlled his breaking ball and was able to locate it really well."
Dowd actually threw 16 first-pitch strikes and seemed to get stronger as the game wore on, fanning nine of the 12 batters he faced after the third inning.
"I was attacking them with the fastball and then throwing the breaking ball to get them to swing and miss. And I was just working the outside zone," he said. "I felt just fine. I could throw another game."
Burgi was happy with the way his hurler rebounded early in the game after walking a batter in each of the first two innings.
"If you're going to nit-pick his performance, you're going to look at the first and second innings," the coach said. "But I've seen this kid throw for a long time. (Cassville) did a good job of trying to do different things against him. Last year, he might have freaked out a little on the mound, but he kept his composure and did an outstanding job. I'm very proud of him."
In the second inning, the Mustangs capitalized on three Cassville errors, two walks, and a wild pitch to take an early 4-0 lead.
Courtesy runner Rylan Armstrong scored on a throwing error on a bunt and Weston Gordon made it 2-0 when Cole Martin brought him home with a sacrifice fly to center field. Jack Parnell then scored on a throwing error at third base and Destyn Dowd scored the fourth run of the frame when he reached on a bunt single, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error on the same play.
The Mustang pitcher helped himself in the third when he drew a leadoff walk, stole second and then third before scoring on a throwing error to third for a 5-0 count.
McDonald County scored its final three runs in the sixth on two hits and an error. Levi Helm opened the rally with a sharp single through the left side of the infield. Helm then stole second, took third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.
Isaac Behm walked, stole second and made it to third on the wild pitch that scored Helm. Behm then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Tucker Walters for a 7-0 lead. Cross Dowd, who reached on an infield throwing error, was pushed to second on a fielder's choice before taking third on a wild pitch and scoring on a double to right by Gordon.
"I didn't think we ran the bags well today," said Burgi. "I thought we were trying to do too much but, at the same time, we also scored some runs from being aggressive. That's something we've got to work on. And I know our offense is going to show up every day, but we've got to adjust our approach and get better at that."
Destyn Dowd had two of the Mustangs' five hits, with Cross Dowd, Helm and Gordon getting one hit each.
"We didn't swing it very well but we still found a way to score eight runs," said Cross Dowd. "That really helped my confidence. I just know I can trust my defense behind me."
McDonald County 9, West Plains 7
The Mustangs scored five runs over the last two innings to rally by the Zizzers in West Plains on Saturday.
McDonald County scored a run in the first, two in the third and one more in the fourth to lead 4-0.
West Plains plated five runs in the fifth inning to take a 5-4 lead and chase starter Levi Helm from the game.
Weston Gordon relieved and kept the game at 5-4.
The Mustangs took the lead back 7-5 with three runs in the sixth and went up 9-5 with two runs in the seventh.
The Zizzers scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Helm struck out seven and walked one in 4 2/3 innings.
Gordon pitched 2 2/3 with two strikeouts and got the win.
Helm led McDonald County offensively with three hits, two RBIs and a run scored. Cole Martin had two hits and scored three runs, while Isaac Behn had a hit and two RBIs, Gordon two runs and a hit, Tucker Walters a run and a hit, Fischer Sanny a hit and RBI, Colton Ruddick a run and two RBIs and Rylan Armstrong one run.
Mountain Home (Ark.) 9, McDonald County 4
The Bombers scored six runs in the fourth to take the lead for good in a win against McDonald County on Saturday afternoon in West Plains.
Mountain Home led 2-0 after scoring single runs in the second and third innings. McDonald County scored three runs in the fourth to go up 3-2, but the Bombers plated six in the bottom half to take an 8-3 lead.
The Bombers increased their margin to 9-3 in the fifth with the Mustangs scoring one run in the sixth.
Isaac Behm pitched three innings and took the loss for the Mustangs, while Colton Ruddick, Rylan Armstrong, Destyn Dowd and Tucker Walters all pitched.
Cole Martin had two hits and two RBIs for the Mustangs, while Jack Parnell had two hits, a run and RBI and Destyn Dowd had two hits. Cross Dowd had a hit and scored a run, while Weston Gordon and Angel Ruiz also scored runs. Levi Helm had an RBI as well.
McDonald County 7, Seneca 2
McDonald County improved to 17-5 overall and 5-0 in the Big 8 West Conference with a win at Seneca on Tuesday.
The Mustangs shot out to a 7-0 lead after four innings. They scored three in the first and two in the third and fourth innings.
Cross Dowd led the way with his arm and bat. Cross Dowd pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, five hits with eight strikeouts and picked up the win. Destyn Dowd pitched a perfect 2 1/3 innings in relief and had a strikeout.
Cross Dowd also had two hits, scored two runs and had three RBIs.
Cole Martin had three hits and an RBI, while Colton Ruddick had two hits and two RBIs, while Tucker Walters had an RBI and Jack Parnell a run and hit. Rylan Armstrong had one hit.
Up next
The Mustangs were back in action at home Wednesday against Springdale Glendale. Results were not available at presstime.
McDonald County is at Hollister on Thursday before hosting Nevada on Tuesday in the final Big 8 West Conference game.
BENNETT HORNE/MCDONALD COUNTY PRESS McDonald County sophomore Destyn Dowd rolls off third base after being tagged out in the first inning of the Mustang's 8-0 win over Cassville on Thursday, April 21.