Good pitching, good defense, squandered chances, extra innings....Both teams could have the same answers to the same questions.  

Starting pitcher Cohen Epler worked out of jam in the third inning getting out of a two on, one out situation with a ground ball out and strike out.   He finished his four innings of work, allowing only two hits, striking out one and walking one.  

The Cardinals had a runner gunned down at home in the bottom of the second.  With Epler at third and only one out, Coach Doennig took a chance and sent him home on a fly out to right, but the Huskies were up to the challenge, recording the out with a good relay from the first baseman for an inning ending double play.

Webb City struck first with a fourth inning lead off double from Luke Beverlin.  An out later, Brody Eggleston drove him home on a ground out and the Cardinals had a 1-0 lead.

John Hersey answered right back in the next frame.  A walk to the number nine hitter with one out, he moved to second on a ground out.  But two wild pitches allowed the tying run to score.  

And thats how it stayed for the next five innings.

The Huskies threatened in the seventh when they placed their first two hitters on base.  A line out to short and a ground ball 4-6-3 double play put the inning to rest.   Again in the ninth, the Huskies had two on with only one out, but back to back ground outs to third kept the game knotted.  

Webb City had their chances in the eighth and ninth inning.  Back to back singles from Andrew Young and Karsen Myers put two on with nobody out.  An attempted sac bunt was foiled as the Huskies were able to get the lead out at third.  A strikeout and pop out ended the eighth inning.  A Brody Eggleston single to open the ninth and successful sacrifice moved him to second with only one out, but he was left stranded.

Headed to the eleventh inning both teams were virtually identical with one run, on seven hits and nine runners left on base. 

Then the eleventh came along.  A single, walk and ground out had the Huskies with runners on the second and third with only one out.  Two more hits surrounding two miscues by the Cardinals and the Huskies put four runs on the board, taking a 5-1 lead.  The Cardinals could not answer as the game came to a close.

Andrew Young claimed three of the Cardinals seven hits including a double.  Luke Beverlin had the only other extra base hit.

Braden Strickland, the fifth Webb City pitcher of the day, was saddled with the loss.  

The Cardinals will take on Lakes Community at Missouri Southern on Thursday.