CJ comeback falls short

Cardinals secure district crown

By Anvil Welch, The Joplin Globe

Three Webb City pitchers made a five-run first inning stand up as the Cardinals held off Carl Junction 6-4 on Friday night to win the Missouri Class 3 District 12 Tournament.

The top-seeded Cardinals, 21-5, entertain Branson at 5 p.m. on Tuesday in the sectional round of the playoffs.

Second-seeded Carl Junction, which knocked off the Cardinals in a district final in 2007, finished 19-6 in going 0-for-3 against Webb City this season.

Webb City reached senior left-hander Zak Porath for the five runs and didn’t garner another safety until the sixth when the Cardinals tacked on their final tally.

Porath threw 42 pitches during the four-hit first in which the Bulldogs also struggled on defense.

Said Carl Junction coach Flave Darnell: “It was a rocky first inning, and Webb City made it rocky. That was the difference.

“Webb City batters did a good job of plugging the gap in right center,” Darnell said. “Maybe, Zak’s pitches were up a little (in the first). Chance (Sossamon) getting on base probably hurt. They took advantage of our mistakes.”

Darren Aggus singled to open the inning for the Cardinals and Cameron Beaver struck out.

But it wasn’t an ordinary at-bat by Beaver. He fouled off at least nine pitches before going down.

“I give Beaver a lot of credit,” Cardinal coach Shawn Mayes said. “That takes its toll on a pitcher. Our guys got to see some more pitches.”

Sossamon then struck out but made it to first when the base wasn’t covered. He kept running and safely made it to second with Aggus staying on third.

Mack Kyle then shot a two-run double to right center. Austin Lepper and Patrick Drake followed with run-scoring doubles to right center. Drake moved to third on a passed ball before scoring on Jordan Hickman’s sacrifice fly to right.

Carl Junction, which twice hit into double plays to end innings, scored in the second on Travis Green’s double off the wall in left and Jake Hale’s single.

The Bulldogs made it 5-2 in the third. Jack Luton was hit by a pitch and came around to score on singles by Porath and John Michel.

Mayes used unbeaten Brett Richardson for three innings before opting for fellow senior right-hander Jerick Swarens (moving from third).

“Brett said his arm was tight and didn’t have his best stuff,” Mayes said. “We’re fortunate to be that deep in pitching. We still had options (after Sossamon secured the final out in the seventh).”

Carl Junction drew within 5-4 in the fifth. Matt Thompson singled, Porath walked and both came home on Michel’s single and an error.

Porath, who struck out 11 and allowed six hits, yielded the sixth-inning run on Braxton Perry’s triple to center and Beaver’s two-out single.

Said Mayes: “That Beaver epitomizes Webb City baseball. He’s waited for his time. He’s taken advantage of that opportunity.”

Added Darnell: “Overall, Zak threw great. He bore down after that first inning and kept us in the game.

“We hit the ball well (finishing with nine hits),” Darnell said. “Michel (who was 3-for-4) had a big two-out hit in the fifth. I’m sure that insurance run in the sixth was a relief for them.”

Carl Junction created more drama in the seventh. Porath and Evan Clemons delivered singles to bring on Sossamon. The senior right-hander needed one batter — a pop fly to short squeezed by Drake — to notch the save.