Carl Junction outlasts West Plains

Q: What was the final score of the Carl Junction vs. West Plains baseball games?

Carl Junction won the first game 8-1 and the second game 4-3.

Q: Who were the standout players in the Carl Junction vs. West Plains baseball games?

Cooper Vediz and Brody Pant were notable for their back-to-back triples, while Chris Hayes delivered a crucial performance in the final inning.

Q: How did West Plains manage to tie the game against Carl Junction?

West Plains tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning with three runs, including a double by Ethan Miller and a stolen home by Dominic Hale.

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — When the Carl Junction High School Bulldogs baseball team (12-4) faced West Plains High School (5-8) on the road Tuesday, it plated seven runs in the eighth inning to claim an 8-1 win. Thursday’s final score at Carl Junction was much closer as the Bulldogs eked out a 4-3 walk-off win in a game where no Bulldog batter struck out.

Carl Junction had success at the plate early, with Cooper Vediz and Brody Pant logging back-to-back triples. Pant’s triple plated Vediz and gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

Carl Junction stretched its lead to 3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second stanza. Owin Walker drove in Brayden Larery with a single to short, and Aidan Spencer scored on a Cole Beezley sacrifice fly to right field.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Zizzers tied the game at 3-3 with a trio of scores in the top of the fifth inning: Ethan Miller hit a fly ball double to left field and brought Landon Montgomery home to make it a 3-1 game. After a Miller score, Dominic Hale tied the game after stealing home.

Neither team could get a run across in the sixth inning, bringing the game to the decisive last inning. The Bulldogs sent the Zizzers down in order, setting up some late-game heroics for Chris Hayes.

Leadoff batter Spencer was hit by a pitch, then West Plains pitcher Zeke Cunningham hit Walker with a pitch in the next at-bat. Beezley advanced both runners with a sacrifice fly to right before Hayes walked it off with a pop fly single to center that plated Spencer and sealed the walk-off win for the Bulldogs.

Hayes finished 2 for 4 with an RBI, Vediz was 1 for 2 with a run, and Walker went 1 for 2 with an RBI.

Carl Junction starter Deacon Endicott gave up three runs on five hits, while striking out five and walking two in five innings of work. Larery garnered the win after giving up one hit, striking out three and walking none in two innings of relief.

Miller led West Plains at the plate, finishing 1 for 2 with an RBI and a run.

Zizzers starter Ryan Montgomery gave up three runs, one earned, on two hits while walking two and striking out none. Cunningham gave up one run on two hits after hitting two batters and walking one in 4 2/3 innings of relief.

The Bulldogs travel to Ozark High School (9-6) on Monday and host Branson High School (10-6) on Tuesday. Both games start at 4:30 p.m.