|
Shake-up:
Bulldogs vs. Cubs CJ,
Monett continue on after disposing of favorites
By
Anvil Welch, Joplin Globe
Carl
Junction and Monett shook up Missouri Class 3 baseball this past
week in a big way.
Their
reward: The Big 8 Conference schools meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday
at North Park in Monett in the sectional round of the playoffs.
Carl
Junction beat No. 1 Webb City 8-4 and Monett knocked off
fifth-ranked Willard 16-9 in eight innings for district titles
Thursday. It was the first district crown for Monett, which
launched baseball in the late 1980s.
The
game is a rematch. Carl Junction prevailed 1-0 on April 19 in
the conference meeting at Monett.
Carl
Junction and Monett are 17-9 and 16-8, respectively, with the
teams tying for second in the Big 8 at 5-2 behind 6-1 Seneca.
The
first clash also was unusual in that it lasted about one hour,
15 minutes.
“We
pushed across a run in the second inning and it held up,” Carl
Junction coach Flave Darnell said Tuesday.
Junior
left-hander Zak Porath, who authored the shutout, has received
the Thursday assignment for the Bulldogs and, according to
Cubs’ coach Michael Calhoun, will be opposed by senior
right-hander Jacob Hobbs.
Hobbs
is 6-3 with a 2.36 ERA and has struck out 61 in 651/3 innings.
Porath, 8-2 with a 1.29 ERA, has struck out 108 and walked 20 in
701/3 innings.
Porath,
in the first clash, outdueled sophomore right-hander Kyle
Coatney in checking a team that is averaging .358.
“We’re
evenly matched,” Calhoun said. “Porath is an outstanding
pitcher.
“We
just want to continue the way we’re playing and keep
focused,” Calhoun added. “Our seniors stepped up in the
district.”
“Monett
has a very good hitting team,” Darnell said. “They have
depth. Zak has his work cut out for him.” |
|
The lofty Monett averages
include a couple of .500 batsmen in junior center
fielder Brendon Cox and freshman right fielder Spenser
Witt.
Sophomore
left fielder Michael Roberts, senior third baseman Tim
Trout and Hobbs carry respective averages of .418, .386
and .371.
Senior
catcher Eric Harper has six home runs and 23 RBI. Hobbs
and Trout have 37 and 29 RBI, respectively.
Porath
also is the Carl Junction offensive leader. He’s
averaging .432 with three homers, five triples and 26
RBI.
Junior
third baseman Jon Michel and senior left fielder Britt
Cacopardo are averaging .350 and .306, respectively.
Porath
beat Webb City in the championship game of District 12.
Hobbs claimed the title game in District 11 at Bolivar
by working 71/3 innings in relief.
The
probable Carl Junction batting order consists of senior
center fielder Scott Thompson, Michel, Porath, senior
first baseman Chris Green, junior second baseman Drew
Caruthers, junior catcher Josh Clark, Cacopardo,
freshman designated hitter Trenton Black for senior
right fielder Paul Richard and junior shortstop Evan
Clemons.
Junior
shortstop Adam Witt is expected to lead off for Monett
with his brother Spenser batting second.
Calhoun
said Cox, Trout, Hobbs, Harper, Roberts and junior
second baseman Ryan Johnson probably will occupy slots
3-8. Coatney, the first baseman, or senior Levi
Buckhannan as the DH will bat ninth.
Carl
Junction, in ousting two-time defending Class 3 champion
Webb City, reached at least the sectional round for the
fifth time.
The
Carl Junction-Monett winner advances to meet Springfield
Catholic or Clinton in a quarterfinal.
|
|