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Mules make short work of Kelly
The Poplar Bluff Mules baseball team did not just figuratively make short work of the Kelly Hawks Tuesday — the Mules did so literally, too.
Poplar Bluff needed just three innings and less than 90 minutes to defeat the Hawks 16-1 Tuesday at Bobby Strenfel Field.
Fresh off an upset loss to Dexter over the weekend in the SEMO Conference Tournament semifinals, the Mules (17-9) took out their frustration on Kelly, scoring early and often against the Hawks.
The first 10 Poplar Bluff batters reached base against the Hawks in the bottom of the first inning, with the Mules’ first out coming when a runner was thrown out stealing.
Kade Huffman singled home Noah Spain to kick off the rally, then Bryce Dobbs tripled home Spain and Kolby Greenwall to make it 3-1 in favor of Poplar Bluff. Tabanera then singled home Dobbs and pitcher Rylan Seesengood to make it 5-1.
By the time the first inning ended, the Mules led Kelly 8-1 and never looked back, adding six more runs in the bottom of the second, with back-to-back-to-back RBI singles from Spain, Greenwall and Huffman making it 13-1. Seesengood capped the second-inning rally with another RBI hit two batters later.
Greenwall added another RBI single in the bottom of the third inning to make it 15-1, then Huffman hit a sacrifice flyball to score Rion Tenchavez to make it 16-1 and enforce the 15-run rule.
Huffman led the Mules’ offense with three hits and four RBIs, while four Poplar Bluff players — Greenwall, Dobbs, Seesengood and Dylan Bratcher — added two hits apiece. Spain, Greenwall, Dobbs and Tabanera also drove in a pair of runs apiece.
Seesengood earned the win on the hill, going three innings and allowing one hit and one run while striking out four and walking two. He did not allow a hit or a run after the first inning.
The Mules are slated to host Northwest of Cedar Hill on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.