Bowling Green Bobcats Built Early Lead Against Centralia In The Class 3 District 7 Tourney
The Bobcats jumped on starter Ben Schmidt in the top of the first when Kobe McPike stroked a one out single to start the offense.
Stephen Merz was hit by a pitch, then Dylan Huber singled to score McPike for a 1-0 lead.
A single from George Glenn sent Merz across the plate and Mavryk Comley drew a walk to load the bases.
After a strikeout to record the second out, Matt Church worked the count to 3-2 and spoiled a good pitch with a foul ball before taking a walk for an RBI and a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the Bowling Green lead to two runs.
The Bobcats were sent down in order in the second, but went back to work in the top of the third inning.
Huber led off the frame with his second hit of the day, coming home on a hit by Glenn.
Schmidt struck out back to back Bobcats before Church drove in Glenn with a single.
Hayden Finley and Alex Chilson both walked before McPike blistered a line drive into the left field corner to score two more runs.
Bowling Green held that 7-1 lead until the bottom of the fifth inning as starter Dylan Niemeyer ran into his first trouble of the afternoon.
Niemeyer started his final inning of work by hitting the number eight hitter for Centralia ahead of a two run home run by number nine man Kaden Davenport.
A walk and a single would also come around before Niemeyer retired a pinch hitter to end the inning with the Bobcats still up by two runs.
The Panthers by the tying run aboard in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Matt McDannold, but the righty retired Dawson Kirtley on a ground ball to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh the Bobcats got the insurance they needed to put away the Panthers.
Neimeyer led off the frame with a double, but was still on the bases after the next two hitters were retired.
With the infielders positioned deep to guard against a hit, Chilson dropped a bunt down the third base line for an infield hit, allowing Kobe McPike another important at bat.
After taking a breaking ball for a strike and a wasted fastball out of the zone, McPike found the pitch hit was looking for and roped his second double of the day for another RBI.
The next man up, Stephen Merz was hit by a pitch for the third time in the game before Huber knocked his own double to score two more for the Bobcats.
The inning gave Bowling Green back their six run lead heading into the final Centralia at bat.
Closer Dylan Huber wasn’t squeaky clean, hitting two batters, but he struck out a pair and got a fly out to center to eliminate the Panthers from the tournament.
Kobe McPike collected two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored for the Bobcats to earn the Community State Bank/TribCast Player of the Game in the win.
The Bobcats semifinal was rained out on Monday, so Bowling Green is scheduled to play (1)Hallsville on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Montgomery County High School.
(3)Montgomery County downed (6)Elsberry in the other opening round game and will face (2)North Callaway today at 7:00 p.m.
In the Class 2; District 4 Tournament at Louisiana on Monday, rain halted the (3)Louisiana/(2)Van-Far game in the bottom of the first inning.
That game and the match-up between (1)Clopton and (5)New Haven was also rained out.
Both games have been rescheduled for today (Tuesday) at Wallace Park.
(1)Silex was rained out in the Class 1; District 12 Tournament at Community R-VI.
The Owls will face (4)Madison at 5:00 p.m.
