Wildcats fall 6-2 to Mustangs

After taking back-to-back wins over Lamar and Carl Junction, the Cassville Wildcats skidded through two losses. The 'Cats followed up the "one that got away" at Hammons Field against Monett with a "couldn't set the hook" 6-2 loss to McDonald County on Monday, April 18.

It was a frustrating night for Cassville. The Wildcats roughed up Mac's Dusty Stites with 10 hits but only managed one earned run. Ben Makela pitched all seven innings for the Wildcats, giving up only seven hits while striking out eight.

The Mustangs fashioned six runs from their seven hits, highlighted by home runs from Tyler Pillstrom and Kaleb Schlessman.

Cassville took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Ricky Nichols singled and later scored on a sacrifice from John Cavness.

Makela started on the hill for Cassville and opened with two masterful innings. Makela struck out the side in the top of the first inning and picked up his fourth strike-out during a three-up, three-down second frame.

In the third inning, the Mustangs pushed across the tying run with two walks and two hits. Sakel Peak supplied the RBI single.

Cassville loaded the bases in the home half of the third but could not score. The goose egg on the scoreboard represented the turning point of the game.

The big bats came out for the Mustangs in the fourth and fifth innings. Both Pillstrom and Schlessman hit two-run bombs. Even though the Wildcats picked up a run in the fourth when Nichols drove in Evan Stubblefield, the 6-2 score after five full innings would be too much to overcome.

To add to the frustration, Cassville loaded the bases again in the sixth inning and came away with nothing. Stubblefield, Brattin and Nichols all singled to fill the sacks, but a double play killed the scoring opportunity.

The Wildcats fell to 5-8 on the season with the loss.