Warriors take out rival KC
Dawson Cook knew he was facing his last batter. He just didn’t want to leave a mess for the next guy.
So he cleaned things up rather nicely.
The Moniteau right-hander pitched 6.2 innings against Karns City in their District 9 Class 2A baseball semifinal Thursday at Pullman Park, getting a 2-1win over the top-seeded Gremlins. But it didn’t come easily.
Koen Williams drew a walk for KC (15-3) to begin the bottom of the seventh. Pinch-hitter Colton Christie beat out a swinging bunt to third base and the Gremlins had the tying and winning runs on base with nobody out — and Cook’s pitch count was approaching 100.
“At that point, I was thinking strikeout. I felt that’s what I needed,” Cook said.
Instead, Hobie Bartoe tried bunting the runners up a base. He bunted the ball back to to Cook, who quickly fired to third base to get the lead runner.
“If we bunt the ball anywhere but to the pitcher, it’s a success,” Karns City coach Josh “Sluggo” Smith said. “But the ball went right back to the pitcher. It didn’t work out for us.”
Cook was going to go over 100 pitches for the day with the next hitter — meaning he was leaving the game after facing Tyler Kelly, regardless.
“Had to get an out there,” Cook said. “If that guy (Kelly) gets on, we have a mess and we could lose. I knew Dawson Wallace was going to come on to pitch and he’s a horse. I love that guy.
“I didn’t want to leave him a mess.”
Cook struck out Kelly and Wallace struck out Jacob Jones looking to end the game, leading the Warriors (12-7) to the district title game. Moniteau will play Redbank Valley at a time to be announced on Monday at Showers Field in Dubois.
Moniteau scored its two runs on sacrifice flies by Ian Ross in the first and fifth innings. The Warriors stranded 10 runners on the evening, six of them in scoring position.
Both of Ross’ sacrifice flies came with two strikes on him.
“All I wanted to do was hit the ball to the outfield and bring home a run,” Ross said. “I wasn’t being selfish at all. Just put the ball in play, try to make something happen for the team.
“It was a little frustrating, us stranding those runners, but we got the job done in the end. That’s what counts.”
Cook threw 104 pitches, striking out eight and walking two. He allowed six hits. Karns City starter Adam Manuel pitched four innings, allowing five hits and a pair of runs. Jones came on with the bases loaded and no one out in the fifth inning, limiting Moniteau to one run.
“Adam and Jacob gave us a chance to win. That’s all we can ask,” Smith said. “Cook pitched a great game for them. He had our number for 6.2 innings.”
Jones did triple to deep center leading off the KC sixth, scoring on Manuel’s line single to left. Manuel got to second on a passed ball, but was stranded.
“We fought hard, they fought hard,” Smith said. “That’s the way this game goes sometimes. Our two programs have a lot of respect for each other. I respect Ross (Moniteau coach Martin) and I think he respects me.
“I have to say goodbye to my two seniors, Hobie Bartoe and Jacob Callihan. Those guys gave me their best for four years. I still love my team. I’m as proud of these guys as I would be if we had won.”
Moniteau 100 010 0 — 2 5 0
Karns City 000 001 0 — 1 6 1
WP: Dawson Cook 6.2IP (8so,2bb). LP: Adam Manuel 4IP (2so, 2bb).
Moniteau (12-7): Dawson Wallace 2B 1B, Keagan Book 1B, Ian Ross 2-RBI, Landon Kelly 2B, Alex James 1B.
Karns City (15-3): Hobie Bartoe 1B, Jacob Jones 3B, Adam Manuel 1B RBI, Mason Sherwin 1B, Tyson Frazer 1B, Colton Christie 1B.
Monday: District 9 2A championship-Moniteau vs. Redbank Valley at Showers Field, Dubois, time TBD
