Tigers remain undefeated in district play

Is he or isn't he? Although you can't tell from this photograph, but the umpire's calling Nevada senior Colby Shepherd out at second base left several Nevada fans scratching their heads and questioning the close call that they were convinced was wrong. --Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail

"Third time's a charm." That old cliche held true for the Nevada Tigers varsity baseball team as they finally got their chance to play the Carl Junction Bulldogs at Lyons Stadium Monday afternoon.

The Tigers came into the game at 7-5 on the season and 4-0 in district play and Monday's contest turned out to have very strong tournament implications as the winner would likely lock up the top seed for the Class 3 District 12 tournament. The game turned out to be an up-and-down battle that included some interesting moments, to say the least and the Tigers were ultimately able to come out on top by a final score of 7-5.

"I'm excited, the kids are excited, this was a big win for us," head coach Kellan Foster said.

The Tigers got on the board first as they were able to touch Carl Junction's freshman starter Jake Hale for a run in the bottom of the first inning. Colby Shepherd got the start on the mound for the Tigers and allowed a hit in each of his first two innings and gave up the tying run in the top of the second inning, but was able to make a quick recovery and shut the Bulldogs down almost completely through the middle innings.

The Tigers were able to keep the offense going in the home half of the second inning, adding two more hits to bring their total to four in just the first two innings. Austin Baldwin led off the frame with a triple to deep left center and was knocked home by Tyler Dobson's single to give the Tigers the lead back at 2-1 heading into the third inning.

Shepherd extended his streak of consecutive batters retired to five by sending the Bulldogs down in order in the top of the third and as the Tigers came to bat, the string of controversies began. Shepherd was the second man up in the inning and got on with a single, but was called out for the first time in 14 steal attempts at second, though most of the fans in attendance and many members of both teams thought he had slid in under the tag.

The Tigers went on to score one run on three hits in the frame to take a 3-1 lead, but the controversy was far from over.

Shepherd began to have his problems in the top of the fifth, ultimately being charged with three of the four runs that the Bulldogs put up in the frame, though he was off the mound when the runs came in. Baldwin came on in relief with one out in the inning, inheriting a bases loaded situation and gave up a three-run double to Jack Luton on his very first pitch.

"Austin came in and first pitch, gives up a three-run double, then settled in and shut them down," Foster said of the junior reliever. Baldwin did exactly that, allowing just one more run in that inning and two more hits for the rest of the game.

The Tigers came to the plate in the home half of the frame and found themselves down by two runs at 5-3 and were able to cut the deficit in half, putting up one more run on one hit and Carl Junction's second error of the game to head into the sixth down by one at 5-4.

After Baldwin sent the Bulldogs down quietly in the top of the sixth, the controversy began once again.

The Tigers were able to load the bases with one out in the bottom of that inning before Ron Johnson hit into what everyone thought was an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play. As it turned out, catcher Travis Green didn't get his foot on the plate, allowing Corey Kerbs to score and the inning to continue.

"With the bases loaded, they made a good play," Foster said. "They just didn't convert on it."

Carl Junction head coach Flave Darnell pled his case feverishly to the home plate umpire, but after all was said and done, the two teams retook the field and the inning continued. The Tigers went on to put the final nail in the coffin as Scotten came up to the plate next and hit a two-run single that gave the Tigers a 7-5 lead.

An interference call that was made when Ross Wolfe ran into Green at the plate on his way in to score moved Scotten to second, but was ultimately reversed. Scotten was then caught trying to steal second to bring the inning to an end.

Baldwin was able to shut the game down, facing just one over the minimum in the top of the seventh and the Tigers held on to take the victory by a final score of 7-5.

The Tigers will now head into the district seeding meeting tomorrow with very high hopes of earning the top seed for next week's tournament, which is to be held at Lamar. "The No. 1 seed would be an honor for these kids," Foster said. "I'll be at the meeting and I'm going to fight for it."

With that win, the Tigers improved their record to 8-5 on the year and remain undefeated in district play as they prepare to head out on the road against McDonald County today, weather permitting.