JEFFERSON CITY - Junior starter Jacob Lane and freshman reliever Breycin Dysart combined on a two-hit shutout as the No. 5 seed Wildcats easily captured fifth place in the Calvary Lutheran/New Bloomfield Tournament on Saturday.
New Bloomfield (5-5) jumped on the No. 7 seed Lions for four runs in the bottom of the first inning, tacking on one in the second and three more in the third to widen its lead to 8-0. The Wildcats then erupted for seven runs in the fourth, stopping the game on the mercy rule after five innings.
Lane (3-1) gave up one hit and struck out five over the first three innings to log the win. Dysart workd the final two innings, allowing one hit while striking out three and walking one.
Freshman third baseman Kaleb Brandt was 2-for-2 with a double, two runs batted in and scored a run to help fuel New Bloomfield's nine-hit attack. Junior left fielder Clayton Martin went 2-for-2 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored, while junior catcher RJ Saleny finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and scored once.
Lane was also 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored, and senior center fielder Nick Hammann went 1-for-3 with an RBI and scored twice.
On Friday night at New Bloomfield, the Wildcats committed six errors and wasted a rally in an 8-6 first-round loss to No. 4 seed Belle. The game was shortened to six innings due to rain.
After both teams scored a run in the first, the Tigers broke out for five runs in the bottom of the third to take a 6-1 lead. New Bloomfield quickly answered with five runs of its own in the top of the fifth to tie the game again, but Belle tallied a run in their half of the inning to go in front to stay at 7-6.
The Tigers added a run in the sixth to seal their victory.
Junior second baseman Luke Nadler finished 3-for-3 and scored a run as the Wildcats out-hit Belle 9-7. Hamman - playing catcher - went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and sophomore first baseman AJ Webb was 1-for-2 with a double, two RBI and scored a run.
Martin went the distance in taking the loss for New Bloomfield. Martin (1-2) allowed eight runs - only one earned - on seven hits, struck out seven and issued two walks.
The Wildcats host Eugene in a Show-Me Conference game at 5 p.m. Monday.