Mules roar past Lions on Senior Day

The Poplar Bluff Mules baseball team honors its five seniors, Dylan Bratcher, Rylan Seesengood, Kaine Lewis, Kolby Greenwall and Cameron Settle, before Thursday’s game against Northwest at Bobby Strenfel Field

DAR/Mike Buhler

The Poplar Bluff Mules baseball team honored its five seniors before Thursday’s game, then sent them out with a bang once things got started against the Northwest Lions.

The Mules pounded out 14 hits and used a six-run fifth inning to roll past Northwest 11-1 Thursday afternoon at Bobby Strenfel Field.

Poplar Bluff (18-9) led 5-1 going to the bottom of the fifth inning when its offense put the game on ice.

Myles Johnson connected on a one-out triple, then scored on Cameron Settle’s bunt single to make it 6-1. Noah Spain then doubled home Settle to make it 7-1, while Kolby Greenwall, Kade Huffman and Bryce Dobbs followed with back-to-back-to-back RBI singles to make it 10-1.

After Kaine Lewis drew a walk, Marcus Tabanera singled home Dobbs to make it 11-1 and enforce the 10-run rule.

However, Thursday’s game was close for a time, as the Mules and Northwest were tied 1-1 going to the bottom of the third inning when the Poplar Bluff offense came alive.

Spain led off the inning with a walk, stole second and came home on Greenwall’s base hit with the go-ahead run and a 2-1 lead. Greenwall stole home to make it 3-1, then Huffman scored on Tabanera’s fielder’s choice to make it 4-1. Winning pitcher Dylan Bratcher then singled home Rylan Seesengood to cap the rally.

Greenwall led the Mules offense with three hits, while Johnson, Dobbs and Spain each had two. Greenwall, Huffman and Tabanera each drove in a pair of runs, while Spain doubled and Johnson had a triple. Greenwall also stole a pair of bases.

Bratcher turned in another strong performance on the mound, pitching all five innings and allowing six hits, no earned runs and one walk while striking out four.

The Mules are slated to play Friday afternoon at Valley View in Jonesboro, Arkansas before coming home Tuesday to take on Doniphan in their home finale.

Notes: Before Thursday’s game, the team’s five seniors — Bratcher, Seesengood, Lewis, Greenwall and Cameron Settle — were all recognized. … Of the Mules’ 18 wins this spring, 12 have been by 10 runs or more. … Poplar Bluff wraps its regular season Wednesday at Jackson with a chance to wrap up the outright SEMO Conference regular-season title. The Mules currently are undefeated in conference play.