The Tiger bats went cold on a cold night in Carthage, and Republic’s baseball season ground to a close in a 4-0 loss to Webb City in the district championship game. Webb City starter Derick Newby allowed just three hits and three walks in the complete-game shutout.
Jansen McQuerter pitched well enough to keep the Tigers in the game, going five innings and allowing three runs on five hits. He shut out the Cardinals through the first three innings, before surrendering a run on a groundout in the bottom of the 4th.
The Tigers had one of their best scoring opportunities in the top of the 2nd inning, when Regan Butterworth doubled to lead off. Ryan Cape grounded out to advance Butterworth to third, but Chandler Coates struck out and McQuerter flied out to end the inning.
In the 5th, Coates drew a leadoff walk and Tyler Mackey hit a two-out single, but Newby struck out Austin Atkins to end the threat with runners at first and second.
Webb City tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the 5th, and another in the 6th off reliever Chandler Coates, to put the game away.
“Webb City’s got a good team. They came out and played well and beat us,” says coach Howard Quigley. “We had some opportunities to score a couple innings and didn’t get that done. That’s kind of the difference in the game.
Republic ends its season with a 13-10 record. Despite the difficult ending, Quigley found some positives in the way the team competed.
“They had something to prove and they came out and played well throughout the year. We had very good pitching, we had timely hitting most of the year, and our defense was very good throughout the year,” Quigley says. “The group of kids we had was outstanding this year. They worked hard and they came out and competed for the most part, throughout the year. As a coach, that’s what you’re looking for is kids to get better and compete, and we did that most of the season.”
The game was the final one in a Tiger uniform for three seniors: Parker Nelson, Alex Reynolds, and Jake Smith.