Bulldogs advance to quarterfinals

The Joplin Globe 

The suspense after the fifth inning of Thursday’s prep baseball game between Carl Junction and Monett turned to whether Zak Porath could toss a no-hitter.

Monett broke up Porath’s bid, but the junior left-hander maintained his mastery of the hard-hitting Cubs as Carl Junction prevailed 6-0 in the sectional round of the MSHSAA Class 3 playoffs at North Park.

The Bulldogs (18-9) will entertain Clinton (15-7) at 2 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals. Clinton nipped visiting Springfield Catholic 4-3.

Eight teams will meet Saturday around the state in Class 3 to determine next weekend's final four, to be held in Springfield June 1-2.

Monett (16-9, 5-2) tied Carl Junction for second place in the Big 8.

Porath, who was reached for clean singles by Brendon Cox (leading off) and Jacob Hobbs in the seventh, stranded three Cubs and finished with a two-hitter, He struck out 11, walked two and hit a batter.

Porath (9-2) embellished his pitching performance by pulling a home run to right — his fourth of the season — after a single by Jon Michel in the fifth made it 6-0.

“(Porath) was the difference,” Monett coach Micheal Calhoun said. “He’s a heck of a pitcher. He’s the only pitcher to shut us out this season — we averaged nine runs — and he did it twice. He’s an all-around player, too.”

Porath allowed only three hits in checking the Cubs 1-0 at Monett in their Big 8 Conference game on April 19.

“Monett is a strong offensive team,” Carl Junction coach Flave Darnell said of the Cubs, who entered the game with a team batting average of .358. “That’s quite an accomplishment to shut out a team of that caliber for 14 innings.

“We wound up hitting the ball well in beating an outstanding pitcher in Hobbs. We took advantage of a couple of errors in scoring three of our four runs in the third inning.”

  

 

Calhoun said an outstanding defensive play by third baseman Michel on a bunt by Spenser Witt with one out in the first helped set the tone of the game.

“He was in control,” Darnell added of Porath. “He set the tempo of the game.”

Porath said he couldn’t help but think of pitching a sectional no-hitter.

“It’s always in the back of your mind,” said Porath, a 5-foot-11, 180-pounder. “But losing it didn’t bother me. Winning is the best part. I don’t judge games.”

Bulldog catcher Josh Clark said it was obvious the pitcher brought his ‘A’ game.

“He was better than usual,” Clark said. “His curveball was a lot better than in the previous game against Monett. Today, of course, his fastball also was effective. But he hardly threw the curve in the previous game (against the Cubs).”

Carl Junction scored all of its runs in the third with two outs.

Trenton Black led off the frame with a single and pinch runner Matt Thompson advanced to second on a bunt by Evan Clemons. Michel grounded a two-out single up the middle to score Thompson.

Porath’s hard grounder was bobbled to set up Chris Green’s sharp run-scoring single that also moved Porath to third.

Drew Caruthers struck out on a pitch in the dirt, but when the ball was thrown away at first base, he reached and Porath and Green raced home to make it 4-0.

Notes: Porath was backed by nice plays in the outfield by Scott Thompson in center and Britt Cacopardo in right. ... Michel and Green also finished with two hits apiece to lead the Bulldogs’ eight-hit attack.