PATCH GROVE - The way the Cassville varsity baseball team has been hitting the ball, it’s no surprise they are right near the top of this year’s Six Rivers West conference standings.
After pounding out 11 hits in five innings against River Ridge this past Monday evening, the Comets improved to 6-2 in league play, putting them second behind league-leading Shullsburg/Benton (7-0).
On Monday, coach Brandon Reynolds’ squad exploded for nine runs in the top of the first inning and then cruised to a 14-0 victory in a shortened five-inning contest.
Leading the way for Cassville was junior Ty Karman, who went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs.
Adam Kirschbaum was close behind with two hits in three at bats and one RBI, while Isaiah Okey also went 2-for-3.
Cassville jumped all over River Ridge ace Joel Mezera, who took the loss on the mound.
Mezera lasted just two-thirds of an inning before being pulled. In that time he gave up five earned runs while striking out one batter and walking four.
In relief, sophomore hurler Zach Ertz gave up four earned runs in four and a third innings, striking out five batters and walking four.
On the mound for Cassville was Cam Jenson, who in five innings held the Timberwolves to no earned runs off three hits. The freshman struck out four batters and walked two.
River Ridge senior Spencer White led the Timberwolves with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate.
Last Tuesday evening, Cassville took a pair of wins over host Belmont in double-header action.
In game one, the Comets used seven runs in each the sixth and seventh innings to post a 14-7 victory after trailing 4-0 most of the way.
Both teams finished with nine hits each, but the Braves committed six errors to Cassville’s three.
Ryan Kirschbaum and Hunter Nix each went 3-for-5 in game one, while Nolan Ackerman and Adam Kirschbaum each went 2-for-5.
Ryan Kirschbaum had two doubles, while Adam Kirschbaum had one. Ty Kartman also had a home run for the Comets.
Picking up the win on the mound was Kartman, who in seven innings struck out six batters and did not walk any.
The Braves went through three pitchers, but it was Lane Kamps taking the loss.
In the second game of the double header, Cassville again pounded out nine hits, as they also took advantage of four Belmont miscues.
Nolan Ackerman and Kartman each went 3-for-4 in the second game, while Nix was 2-for-3 with a home run. Kartman hit his second home run of the night, and finished with one in each game.
Nix picked up the win on the mound, striking out 10 batters and walking three in 6.2 innings of work.
Elijah Okey pitched a third of an inning, walking one batter and striking out none.
That same night, River Ridge had picked up an 11-4 win over host Potosi, scoring three runs in the first inning and eight in the seventh.
Junior Derek Posten led the Timberwolves with two hits in four at bats, while Spencer White had a big double in the win.
Joel Mezera collected the win on the mound, giving up four runs off seven hits in seven innings of work. He also struck out three batters and walked one.
Tim Fritz took the loss for Potosi, striking out nine River Ridge batters and walking 10 in 6.1 innings of action.
This past Tuesday evening, River Ridge traveled to Belmont, while Cassville was at Highland.
This Thursday, the Timberwolves will host Potosi, and on Friday, River Ridge is at Black Hawk, while Cassville hosts Argyle.
Cassville 14, River Ridge 0
(from Monday, May 6)
Cassville 910 04 - 14 11 0
River Ridge 000 00 - 0 3 4
Leading hitters - C: Ty Kartman 3x4, Adam Kirschbaum 2x3, Isaiah Okey 2x3; RR: Spencer White 2x2. 2B - Kartman 2 (C). HR - Kartman (C). W - Cam Jenson (5IN, 4K, 2BB). L - Joel Mezera (0.2IN, 1K, 4BB). Other pitchers - RR: Zach Ertz (4.1IN, 5K, 4BB).
Cassville 14, Belmont 7
(game one from Tuesday, April 30)
Cassville 000 007 7 - 14 9 3
Belmont 003 101 2 - 7 9 6
Leading hitters - C: Ryan Kirschbaum 3x5, Nolan Ackerman 2x5, Adam Kirschbaum 2x5, Hunter Nix 3x5; B: Jon Bahr 2x4, Quinn Cushmn 2x4, Kyle Van Bogaert 2x4, Raine Voigts 2x3. 2B - R. Kirschbaum 2 (C), A. Kirschbaum (C). HR - Ty Kartman (C). W - Ty Kartman (7IN, 6K, 0BB). L - Lane Kamps (0.1IN, 1K, 2BB). Other pitchers - B: Kyle Van Bogaert (5.1IN, 11K, 3BB), Jeremy Richardson (1.2IN, 3K, 1BB).
Cassville 8, Belmont 7
(game two from Tuesday, April 30)
Belmont 001 140 1 - 7 7 4
Cassville 201 200 3 - 8 9 0
Leading hitters - B: Kyle Van Bogaert 3x4, Jeremy Richardson 2x2; C: Nolan Ackerman 3x4, Ty Kartman 3x4, Hunter Nix 2x3. HR - Richardson (C), Kartman (C), Nix (C). W - Hunter Nix (6.2IN, 10K, 3BB). L - Raine Voigts (1.2IN, 2K, 0BB). Other pitchers - B: Jeremy Richardson 5IN, 8K, 2BB); C: Elijah Okey (0.1IN, 0K, 1BB).
River Ridge 11, Potosi 4
(from Tuesday, April 30)
River Ridge 300 000 8 - 11 7 1
Potosi 020 020 0 - 4 7 3
Leading hitters - RR: Derek Posten 2x4; P: Tim Fritz 2x4. 2B - Spencer White (RR), Fritz 2 (P), Chase Kruser (P). W - Joel Mezera (7IN, 3K, 1BB). L - Tim Fritz (6.1IN, 9K, 10BB). Other pitchers - P: Udelhoven (0.2IN, 1K, 2BB).
