Scott City baseball team's offense erupts in Class 3 sectional win over New Madrid County Central

Working on short rest, Scott City ace Braden Cox didn't have his best stuff in Monday's Class 3 sectional, but that didn't really matter.

Cox found his groove after giving up two home runs in the bottom of the first inning and the Rams' offense erupted for 15 hits in a 19-7 victory over visiting New Madrid County Central.

"It's the right time of the year for us to start hitting the ball," said Scott City coach Jim May, whose team's offense is averaging 12.4 runs per game over the last five games. "We started out really slow, and we're hitting 1-9 in our lineup. ... These kids have been down this road, and they've seen good pitchers.

Scott City's Isiah Berry (13) and Caden Hillemann (left) react after a home run by Trent Pobst Monday, May 23, 2016, during a Class 3 sectional baseball game at Scott City High School in Scott City, Mo. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

"We've played a tough schedule all year long for these kind of moments, so hopefully it keeps paying off."

Scott City (21-7) advances to face Clearwater, which upended Brentwood 12-2 in six innings, in a state quarterfinal at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in Piedmont, Missouri.

May said he expects to start senior Jordan Kluesner on the mound against the Tigers. Kluesner threw a no-hitter in the Rams' 9-1 win over host Charleston in the first round of the district tournament.

"Right now it just depends on what happens with the weather, but we've got no qualms with J going to the mound," May said. "We've got his back, and he's got ours. We'll be ready to roll."

The Rams scored five runs in three separate innings, including the top of the first. Hunter Copeland reached on an error, Dylan Keller drew a walk and Cox singled to load the bases with nobody out. Trent Pobst reached on a walk to plate Copeland before a sacrifice fly by Drew Short gave Scott City a 2-0 lead. Kluesner followed with a two-run base hit, and Caden Hilleman delivered an RBI single to extend the Rams' lead to 5-0.

The Eagles accomplished a rare feat when they got to Cox in the bottom of the inning.

Jacob Keene led off with a single and scored when Palmer Campbell sent a 2-2 pitch over the right-center field fence, cutting the lead to 5-2. Garrison Keene provided a one-out single before the next batter, Tyler Sprouse, blasted a 1-2 pitch over the left-field fence to pull NMCC (11-15-1) within a run, 5-4.

Cox responded by retiring the next two batters, and he didn't allow another hit until the third inning.

"We talk all the time about being focused and grinding for seven innings. It doesn't matter what the score is. We don't really even want to look at it," May said. "We're going to grind and focus and get all we can get for seven innings. If we do it well enough, then we'll be winning at the end. That's what we've been doing."

Scott City's Braden Cox delivers a pitch to a New Madrid County Central batter Monday, May 23, 2016, during a Class 3 sectional baseball game at Scott City High School in Scott City, Mo. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

The junior righty went six innings to secure the win on the mound. He allowed five runs (all earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

Pobst, who finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, added some insurance in the top of the third when he sent a solo shot to left-center. Kluesner lined a one-out triple to the fence in right and scored on an RBI single by Wilthong, extending Scott City's lead to 7-4.

"We came out and hit the ball really well today. It was just a really good team effort honestly," said Kluesner, who finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs. "... Everybody's doing their job and playing good ball right now."

Chase Silman singled to score Drew Pikey, who reached on a one-out single, to pull NMCC within two runs, 7-5, in the bottom of the third before the Rams added another five-run inning in the top of the fourth.

Eagle starter Palmer Campbell gave up a single sandwiched between a pair of walks before being replaced by Garrison Keene, who inherited the bases loaded with nobody out. Short followed with an RBI single, and Kluesner added an RBI on a groundout before a throwing error at second and two passed balls gave Scott City plenty of cushion with a 12-5 advantage.

"They just seemed to find the holes," New Madrid coach Joseph McClarty said. "They squared a few up. They had a good approach. They weren't going to try to pull the baseball. They were trying to stay middle, and then they got a couple and put a charge into them.

Scott City coach Jim May (left) greets Jordan Kluesner (right) at third base against New Madrid County Central Monday, May 23, 2016, during a Class 3 sectional baseball game at Scott City High School in Scott City, Mo. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

"We seemed to be pitching behind in the count all day long, and their hitters were sitting on stuff. They just put good swings on it. Hats off to them. Congratulations to Coach May. He's got a good group of guys over there, and I'm excited to see where they end up."

Campbell was tagged with the pitching loss in three innings of work. The junior left-hander scattered eight hits, allowed 10 runs (seven earned), struck out three and walked four. Garrison Keene went the rest of the way, giving up nine runs (six earned) on seven hits in four innings of work. He finished with two strikeouts and three walks.

"Our pitchers just never settled in today," McClarty said. "Cox finally settled in towards the end of the game. We kept fighting, kept competing, but we just couldn't score enough runs today."

The Rams tacked on two more in the top of the fifth and put together another five-run inning for good measure in the top of the seventh. No. 8 hitter Hillemann finished 3-for-5 and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. His tripled and scored with two outs in the final inning before Copeland, who finished 2-for-6, added the Rams' final run on a single.

Scott City had seven players record multiple hits, including Cox (2-for-3), Short (2-for-4) and Wilthong (2-for-5).

"We can hit up and down through our lineup," May said. "We're not one of those teams where if you can get past the first five, you can kind of let up. The bottom half of our lineup can hit. That's why we end up scoring a lot of runs. A lot of times they're the ones who are the catalysts for it all."

NMCC added two unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh off Scott City reliever Bryan McNeely.

Pikey, Garrison Keene and Sprouse each finished with a pair of hits in their final varsity game for NMCC.

"With Tyler Sprouse and Drew Pikey and Garrison Keene, they're just the cornerstone of what you want your program to be," McClarty said. "They showed up every day for four years. They put in work. They've gotten better every day, and they're going to be sorely missed. That's a group you hate to see go, and they're hard to replace. But at the same time, they've done what they need to do as far as leadership, and they've shown to the younger guys what it takes to be winners.

"That's all you can ask for from a group of young men. I wish them well in their future careers."

Scott City 502 520 5 -- 19 15 4

NMCC 401 000 2 -- 7 9 2

WP -- Braden Cox. LP -- Palmer Campbell. 2B -- Caden Hillemann (SC). 3B -- Jordan Kluesner (SC), Hillemann (SC). HR -- Trent Pobst (SC), Campbell (NM), Tyler Sprouse (NM). Multiple hits -- Scott City: Hunter Copeland 2-6, Cox 2-3, Pobst 2-4, Drew Short 2-4, Kluesner 2-4, Ty Wilthong 2-5, Hillemann 3-5; New Madrid: Drew Pikey 2-3, Garrison Keene 2-4, Sprouse 2-4.