Okarche chops down Jax, 2-1
Pitching, fourth-inning runs push Warriors into semifinal
ETHAN KIRBY (5) reacts as Luke Hill (20) tags out a runner trying to steal second base during Okarche’s 2-1 victory over Wright City in Thursday’s Class A baseball quarterfinal at Shawnee. Sophomore Easton Roby (left) allowed just four hits in picking
Winners win…and Okarche keeps winning.
Behind a stellar complete game from pitcher Easton Roby, the fifth-ranked Warriors knocked off No. 4 Wright City 2-1 Thursday in the Class A baseball quarterfinals at Shawnee High School.
A group of youngsters who advanced to the baseball semifi nals in the fall are now back in the spring…and that’s after a strong core of them won the Class A basketball state championship in the winter.
“I think this group feeds off success,” said coach Ryan Beaman after his team improved to 23-4.
“What we were able to accomplish in the fall and obviously what they were able to do in the winter, I think they’re feeding off of it and hopefully that momentum continues.”
Okarche played No. 1 Tushka in Friday’s semifinal (after press time).
Roby got the win in the fall quarterfinals and the sophomore again got the nod to take on the Lumberjax.
“He’s a mature kid and I think he handles the pressure really, really well,” Beaman said.
Roby scattered four hits and anytime he faced trouble was able to work himself out of it.
The first time came in the bottom of the third when a throwing error allowed Rayner Beene to get to third base.
Roby forced a groundout to the next batter to keep the game scoreless.
He then aided himself with his bat.
A leadoff double in the fourth by Roby had Okarche in business.
He was moved to third on a single by Brett Carnott, prompting the Lumberjax to make a pitching change.
Jett Mueggenborg greeted Kase Lindly with a single to score Roby and advance Carnott to third.
Carnott scored on Ethan Kirby’s RBI groundout to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.
That proved to be enough for Roby.
He was able to hold the Jax scoreless until the fifth inning.
Dakota Billy led off with a single and eventually scored on Lindly’s single.
The Jax tried to get Lindly into scoring position, but he was thrown out trying to steal second by Colin Hendrickson to end the inning.
Only one more Wright City batter reached base the rest of the game.
Beaman noted that the Warriors didn’t let a big throwing error or a couple of base running miscues during the game linger into something more negative.
“It’s always concerning when that stuff happens. We talk a lot about how to handle those moments,” he said. “We try to eliminate those as much as possible, but I know mistakes are going to happen.
“To me it’s a matter of responding and I feel we did a pretty good job.”
Three Wright City pitchers combined to hold Okarche to just five hits.
Roby, Carnott and Mueggenborg had one each while Kirby was 2 for 3 to go with his RBI.