JARED PORTER
Webb City senior Cole Gayman was admittedly frustrated after an 0 for 3 showing at the plate in the Cardinals' 11-5 win over Carl Junction on Tuesday.
However, it didn't take him long to work out of the funk.
Gayman went perfect at the plate on Thursday — finishing 2 for 2 with a double, one free pass, two RBI and two runs scored — as Webb City claimed a 5-3 win over Central Ozark Conference foe Nixa at ChuckBarnes Field.
"I had a rough day on Tuesday and had to change my mindset," said Gayman, a Missouri Southern signee. "So I was just trying to get my head back in it and find the right pitch earlier in the count rather than waiting for it and falling behind. I think being aggressive out there was key."
The game was originally supposed to be played at Nixa before porous field conditions resulted in it being moved to Webb City.
Gayman and the Cardinals (16-5) didn't waste any time applying offensive pressure on Nixa (16-4) as they plated three runs on three hits and one walk in the top of the first inning.
Leadoff hitter Devrin Weathers opened the frame with a walk before Treghan
Parker logged an RBI double to right field to give Webb City a 1-0 advantage. The next at-bat saw Shane Noel single on a bunt, andthen Gayman drove a tworun double out to center field to extend the lead to 3-0.
"We try to score first," Webb City coach Flave Darnell said. "We think that's really important to do. We got some guys on early today. … We really think it (early offense) puts pressure on other people's defense, and it was good to see."
Nixa plated one run on a balk in the bottom of the second to briefly trim the Webb City lead to two runs. However, in the very next frame, the Cardinals got that run back on a sacrifice grounder that plated Parker, who led off the inning with a single.
"We've been talking a lot about bunting and moving runners over to play a little bit of small ball," Darnell said. "You know, we've been able to do that up and down the lineup."
The Cardinals took their largest lead of the afternoon in the top of the fourth, when Jeremiah Leaming recorded an infield single and later stole home to make it a 5-1 ballgame.
The Eagles responded with one-run showings in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings.
The Webb City pitching staff posted a stellar day, limiting Nixa to one earned run and six hits. Eric Finch surrendered three runs, two unearned, and struck out one batter before Noel posted two shutout innings and struck out three.
"Pitching staff did a great job," Darnell said. "Eric Fitch had a great outing. Shane Noel came in and had a great outing. We've kind of been going hitter by hitter with some of our guys, and they did a great job today."
At the plate, Parker finished 2 for 4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Weathers went 1 for 2 with two walks and one run scored.
Up next, Webb City plays at Marshfield (8-4) in a nonconference game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. It will mark the Cardinals' fifth consecutive game against a team with a .750 winning percentage or better.
"I just think playing good people is really important," Darnell said. "We want to beef up our schedule a little bit to get us ready for the playoffs."
Joplin Globe 04/30/2021 (Used by permission)