By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Carthage American Legion baseball coach James Kinder said Friday the Merchants’ hitting wasn’t a surprise in their march to the District 15 Tournament championship.
The fourth-seeded Merchants capped their 4-0 effort in the nine-team, double-elimination tourney on Thursday night with an 18-6 victory in eight innings against Cassville Post 118.
Earlier, Post 118, seeded just sixth, ousted No. 1 seed, defending champion Neosho Post 163 with a 5-4 victory in the losers’ bracket final at McDonald County High School.
“We’ve hit pretty much all season with the exception of one stretch,” Kinder said Friday. “We were more consistent, however, in pitching and playing defense in the District 15 Tournament.”
Still, scoring 61 runs with nearly 60 hits — spiced with 13 home runs — in four games is impressive.
“We have guys up and down the lineup who can hit,” Kinder said. “We got it going all together during the tournament.”
Right-hander Kyle Wicklund, working out of the bullpen, picked up two wins for Carthage during the tourney. Wicklund also smashed two grand slams among four homers.
Wicklund’s slam lifted the Merchants past McDonald County 10-9 in the opening round. His second slam prematurely halted the championship contest.
Josh Mason, a left-hander, and right-hander Joe Allan also picked up mound decisions for the Merchants.
Caleb Fierro drove in the last five Carthage runs with a homer and double as the Merchants outlasted Neosho 20-18 in 11 innings in a winners’ bracket semifinal. Carthage finished with 21 hits and four homers.
“Those first two games obviously could have gone either way,” Kinder said.
Carthage, in its title victory against Cassville, received five hits, four runs scored and two runs batted in from Dalton Cossey.
Wicklund finished with three hits, three runs scored and six RBI and was supported by Stephen Poston’s three hits, three runs scored and three RBI. Brian Poston and Levi Snyder each added two hits.
Cassville was paced by Michael Baker’s three RBI and two hits and Travis Northern’s two hits.
Kinder, who’s assisted by (manager) Jerry Poston and Pat Snyder, said it was the Merchants’ first district crown since Mark Bridges’ 2002 edition.
Carthage, 22-22, advances to zone competition at Warrensburg starting on Thursday. Carthage was 5-3 in District 15 during the regular season.
