C3D1 Baseball Quarterfinals: Twin Rivers knocks off NMCC 12-6; East Prairie beats Caruthersville 18-3

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
The Twin Rivers bench looks on in the Class 3, District 1 baseball tournament Friday at Malden.

MALDEN - Scoring runs in bunches hasn’t been a forte for the Twin Rivers Royals baseball squad this spring.

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff

Twin Rivers had only put scored 10 runs or more four times entering Friday’s Class 3, District 1 quarterfinal against the New Madrid County Central Eagles.

But the offensive output increased for the Royals on Friday.

No. 5 seeded Twin Rivers scored in five of the seven innings it batted as it knocked off the No. 4 seeded New Madrid County Central Eagles 12-6 at Malden.

“It’s funny how baseball works,” Twin Rivers coach Chris Newman said. “All season long we’ve been struggling getting runs in scoring position and driving them home. Then we get to the end of the year and finally find a way to get it done. I’m so proud of my boys today for swinging the bats well today.”

New Madrid County Central, which trailed 4-0 after the top of the third inning, got as close as 4-3 after four innings and 6-5 after six innings but never caught Twin Rivers.

The Royals took a commanding 12-5 lead when it scored its final six runs in the top of the seventh inning.

“Offensively we just got off to a slow start and had to play the catchup the rest of the way,” New Madrid County Central coach Joseph McClarty said. “We walked a few too many and Twin Rivers did a great job at the plate. Hats off to them because they played a great game."

Six Twin Rivers hitters collected at least one RBI. Warren Thurman finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs, Jolby Jones had a hit and one RBI, Jake Guess collected a hit and two RBIs, Glendon Siebert tallied a hit and one RBI, and Logan Jones had a hit and two RBIs, and Jayden Teague had a hit and one RBI for the Royals.

“We got a big hit in the first inning and kind of went from there offensively,” Newman said.

Clay Cope and Ken King each had a 2 RBI hit for New Madrid County Central. Matt Riley also had a RBI double for the Eagles.

Jolby Jones pitched the first 5 1/3 innings for Twin Rivers before being relieved by Warren Thurman who secured a five-out save.

Twin Rivers (6-10) will take on No. 1 seeded Portageville in a Class 3, District 1 semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. Portageville won its first meeting against Twin Rivers 14-0 on Apr. 13.

“Jolby has been a flame thrower for us all year,” Newman said. “New Madrid is a good team. I know their record may not resemble that but they probably play the toughest schedule in Missouri so we knew we had to throw our best pitching if we wanted to advance. Now we will figure out tommorow tommorow."

Jace Robinson pitched the first three innings, Nate Pipkin pitched the next three innings, and Brady Swims pitched the seventh inning for New Madrid County Central.

New Madrid County Central finishes its season with a record of 4-18. It graduates three seniors - Landon McDaniel, Kannon Nowell, and John Stanley.

“We lose three good ones,” McClarty said. “They were all four-year players for our program. They will be missed but we have a great group coming back so we look to do some good things next year."

East Prairie 18, Caruthersville 3

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
East Prairie No. 3 hitter Garrison Scott prepares to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning against Caruthersville in a Class 3, District 1 quarterfinal Friday at Malden.

Garrison Scott finished a double shy of the cycle to help No. 3 seeded East Prairie beat No. 6 seeded Caruthersville 18-3 in four innings in the nightcap quarterfinal at the Class 3, District 1 Tournament Friday at Malden.

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Caruthersville pitcher Ethan Ludwick fires a pitch to a East Prairie hitter Friday in a Class 3, District 1 quarterfinal at Malden.

Scott collected a triple in the first inning, hit a home run in the second inning, and connected for a single in the third frame. He drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning in his final at-bat.

"He had a good day," East Prairie coach Gary Scott said. "He saw the ball well. He's had a good year and worked hard and it paid off for him today."

Caruthersville jumped out to a 2-0 lead after it loaded the bases with nobody out and bunted two runs home in the top of the first inning.

But East Prairie followed with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to tie things up at 2-all, moved ahead 8-2 in the second inning, and led 11-3 after three innings before plating its final seven runs in the bottom of the fourth frame.

Jayden Ellis, Scott, Jones Castleman, Evan Howell, Bryson Marshall, and Rafe Byassee all had RBI hits for East Prairie against Caruthersville.

“We did what we wanted to do,” Scott said. “We wanted to throw strikes and put the ball in play. We did both of those pretty well today and I am satisfied with the results.”

Owen Knight pitched all four innings for East Prairie against Caruthersville (2-15).

East Prairie will take on No. 2 seeded Malden (18-11) Saturday at 3 p.m. in a Class 3, District 1 semifinal. Malden edged East Prairie 6-5 on Mar. 24.

“We are set up pretty good with our pitching but it will be a tough game,” Scott said. “They beat us earlier in the year. But we are going to come out ready but we feel like we have a shot.”

Photo by Dustin Ward, staff
Members of the East Prairie baseball squad look on from its dugout Friday at the Class 3, District 1 Tournament at Malden.