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Baker dominates early as Tigers split twinbill
NEVADA, Mo. -- The Nevada Tigers bounced back from a rough showing in the Bill O'Dell Baseball Tournament last week by nearly pulling off a doubleheader sweep of the Parsons (Kan.) Vikings Monday at Champion Diamonds.
Heath Baker turned in a mammoth performance in Game 1, starting on the mound for the first time this season and throwing a four-hitter. Baker also carried Nevada offensively, going 3-for-3 with a double, triple and three RBI as the Tigers won 4-2.
The second game was a sloppy effort from both clubs defensively, as the Tigers overcame a 4-0 deficit early to take an 8-4 lead going into the fourth. Parsons chipped away at the lead in the fourth, but Nevada would build an 11-7 lead going into the top of the seventh. A four-run rally tied the score for the Vikings, and the Tigers eventually succumbed 13-11 in nine innings.
The first game looked as if Parsons would dominate early as Baker struggled with his command. The Vikings loaded the bases with one out off a single and two walks, but a line drive double play ended the inning with nobody crossing the plate.
Nevada struck first as Justin Reed walked, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Baker.
Parsons scored in the third on a walk, two groundouts and a single to tie the game at one.
Nevada had a big fifth inning, scoring three off starter Jeff Schibi. Keith Overton drew a one-out walk and courtesy runner Ben Compton stole second. Reed singled, moving Compton to third, then stole second himself.
Baker then drove an 0-2 pitch down the left-field line for a double, scoring Compton and Reed. A wild pitch put Baker on third, and Jerrod Alexander drove him in on a sacrifice fly to right.
The inning made up for a squandered scoring opportunity in the fourth, when Baker led off with a triple, and Nevada loaded the bases with only one out. The Tigers were unable to bring anybody home in the inning.
The 4-1 lead was enough for Baker, who settled down and pitched very well the last four innings for a complete game. Baker struck out four and walked three. The three walks came in the first three frames and Baker only needing 85 pitches to go seven innings.
"What can you say," Nevada head coach Jared Brown said, marveling at Baker's performance both on the hill and in the box. "Heath came out and struggled, but he settled in. He threw well and kept them off balance."
The second game was highlighted by a 3-run homer hit to the power alley in left field by Reed, the first longball of the season for the Tigers. The home run highlighted a five run second inning for the Tigers, who had trailed 4-0 going into the inning. The first two runs in the inning came on a Parsons error.
Cody Thompson hit a two-run single in the third to highlight a three-run inning as the Tigers opened an 8-4 lead.
Parsons used a pair of Tiger errors to get back into it in the fourth, and after Nevada built the 11-7 lead, it was errors that unraveled things for Nevada in the seventh inning, with two of them coming while Nevada was one out from a doubleheader sweep.
The Tigers are now 4-4 this season after they dropped both games in the O'Dell tournament in Carthage last week. After losing the opener to Monett, Nevada played hosting Carthage Saturday in the consolation bracket and managed just three hits against their Southwest Conference rivals, falling 5-0.
The Tigers will be in Harrisonville today for a varsity/JV doubleheader with the Wildcats.
Parsons is now 4-3 this season.