Bob Foos
The Webb City Cardinals at home Saturday had a two-run lead and were one strike away from going to the state final four this weekend at Ozark … when the plot twisted.
The Platte County Pirates, who had won the coin toss to be the home team, managed to load the bases in the ninth inning after Cardinals closer Chayse Denton had gotten the first two outs.
The count on Pirate Dayton Doll was 3-2 when he hit a double to the left-field fence bringing the three base runners home for the 6-5 walk-off win.
Webb City starter Tate Lewis had stayed on the mound for the eighth inning, holding the score tied at 3-3.
The Cardinals also loaded the bases in the top of the ninth. Designated hitter Brock Renfro hit a long sacrifice fly to bring in Cohen Epler. And then Mason Young hit a single to bring in his older brother, Andrew Young, and give Webb City a 5-3 lead.
It’s the first year that MSHSAA has settled the quarterfinal round in Classes 5 and 6 with best-of-three series.
In Class 5, Webb City:Platte County was the only matchup that went three games.
Their series here started Friday with an 11-inning game that started at 5 p.m. and didn’t end until sunset at about 8:30.
Platte County took a 3-0 lead on four hits in the top of the first, but Cardinal pitcher Landon Fletcher allowed only one more hit and no scores through eight innings.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals scored one run in the third and two in the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
After one Platte County hit in the ninth, Lewis relieved Fletcher and stayed under the 30-pitch count through the first out of the 11th inning. Denton continued the no-hit trend to get the last two outs.
Webb City won 4-3 after Andrew Young got on with a single, stole second and advanced to third before scoring on a wild pitch.
Saturday’s action began with another 4-3 game, except with the Pirates walking off with the win after the Cardinals couldn’t tie the game in the top of the seventh. Luke Beverlin pitched a complete game for the Cardinals.
RBI singles by the Pirates’ Doll were responsible for their third run in the second inning and game-winning fourth run in the fourth winning.
For a team that started with a 1-6 record, the Cardinals strung together wins for the rest of the season to finish 20-15.
Nine seniors leaving the program are: Luke Beverlin, Hudson Byrd, Brody Eggleston, Cohen Epler, Landon Fletcher, Austin Miller, Landen Piette, Brock Renfro and Andrew Young.
Zachary Dobbs video