May 04, 2008 12:11 am
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By Ryan Atkinson
ratkinson@joplinglobe.com
Webb City coach Shawn Mayes said he knew his Cardinals would need every run they could scratch out against the Joplin Eagles on Saturday.
He couldn’t have been more right.
The Cardinals took advantage of four errors — two of them leading directly to four runs combined — to build a six-run lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, but then had to sweat out Joplin’s late-game rally to hold on for an 11-10 win at Joplin High School.
“Every inning I kept telling the guys ‘Four runs isn’t going to win this; seven runs isn’t going to win this; 10 runs isn’t going to do it,’” Mayes said. “Joplin is a great team that can hit the ball and we knew we had to tack on as many runs as we could.”
The Cardinals (17-5) topped out on runs at 11 in the top of the sixth when Mack Kyle was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and then scored on an error to make it 11-5.
That’s when the Eagles (8-16) started making things interesting.
Dane Kolkmeyer and Taylor Byrd each singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth and were still at second and first, respectively, with two outs. But Travis Kunce drove home Kolkmeyer with a single to left before John McDermid doubled home a pair of runs to make it 11-8.
Joplin’s Shayne Hoke — who drilled a two-run homer in the fourth — then came on in relief of Eagle starter Barrett Noirfalise and quickly retired the Cardinals in order, keeping the deficit at three.
Drake coaxed a pair of pop outs to shortstop Chance Sossamon — who started for the Cardinals on the mound — and the Eagles were down to their last out with no one on base.
But Kolkmeyer singled to left and Byrd’s grounder to first was booted, putting runners at first and second. Hoke then singled to center to bring home Kolkmeyer before Noirfalise singled back up the middle to score Byrd and cut the Cardinal lead to 11-10 and put the winning run at first base.
But Webb City freshman Tyler Burgess — who earned a save for the Cardinals on Friday against Neosho — got Kunce to lift a lazy fly ball to right to end the contest.
“This was just an exciting high school baseball team between two good teams,” Joplin coach Kirk Harryman said. “I just wish we could have cleaned it up a little bit on defense ... but I’m thrilled with the way we’re starting to swing the bats and the way we fought back.”
The Cardinals pounced on Joplin early, taking a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the third.
Sossamon and Kyle each drove in runs in the first before Jordan Hickman’s pop-up was dropped, allowing two more runs to come home. Two of Webb City’s three second-inning runs scored when Kolkmeyer and Jake Brummer collided on the infield, allowing another Hickman pop-up to fall.
By the time the game ended, six of Webb City’s 11 runs were unearned.
“We just dug ourselves a hole and we couldn’t get out of it,” Harryman said. “And you’ve got to give Webb City credit. They punished us for our mistakes. It comes down to who plays the game of baseball better and tonight they played a little better than we did.”
The key for Webb City, Mayes said, was the Cardinals’ ability to answer Joplin’s runs.
The Eagles scored twice in the second to cut a 4-0 lead to 4-2 before the Cardinals tacked on three more in the third. Webb City answered Joplin’s one in the third and two in the fourth with another three-run outburst in the fifth.
“Our kids battled and it seemed like every time (Joplin) scored, we answered and that’s huge,” Mayes said. “Joplin’s a good team. They can swing the bats. It’s a good win any time you can beat a program like that.”
Webb City wraps up Southwest Conference play at Carthage on Tuesday. Joplin travels to Fayetteville, Ark., on Monday.
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