By Richard Polen
sports@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Tyler Dobson was nearly flawless in 32/3 innings of relief pitching for the Nevada Red Sox in winning the District 15 American Legion baseball championship Monday with a 6-4 victory over Carthage.
Carthage scored twice in the first inning and once in the third to take a 3-0 lead, but the Merchants scored just once the rest of the game.
“I’ve been having sucess lately and just stayed with what I know,” Dobson said. “It worked today.”
Dobson allowed one hit and two walks. Ryan Austin allowed one hit and one walk in 21/3 innings and picked up the save.
Trailing 3-1, Nevada tied the score in the fifth on a leadoff single by Kholten Wilson, a triple to center by Colby Shepherd and a sacrifice fly by Ron Johnson. Shepherd collided with Carthage catcher Brian Poston on the play.
Nevada took the lead in the sixth by scoring three runs without a hit. Ross Wolfe walked and stole second. Then, with two outs, Shepherd was walked intentionally and Johnson walked, loading the bases.
Wolfe scored on a wild pitch, and two more runs scored on an infield error.
“It’s unbelievable,” Nevada coach Jim Rayburn said. “I knew we had a good bunch of boys, but I would have never imagined we’d be standing here today.”
Carthage scored in the first on a single by Dalton Cossey and a double by Poston, who went to third on an error and scored on Kyle Wicklund’s sacrifice fly.
Carthage made it 3-0 in the third when Poston was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a fly ball and scored on a passed ball.
In the seventh, Poston singled with two outs, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Caleb Fierro’s single to center.
“They were on Game 4 (in the tournament) and we were on Game 7,” Carthage coach James Kinder said. “To give ourselves a chance to win the championship game, I was proud of our kids.”
