Carl Junction baseball team advances with 9-0 win

May 15—BELTON — The second-seeded Carl Junction High School Bulldogs' baseball team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and surrendered just one hit on its way to a 9-0 win over No. 7 seed McDonald County High School during their Class 5 District 7 game on Wednesday at Belton.

The Bulldogs (17-16) got on the board with a Cooper Vediz single in the first inning that brought Craig Hayes across the plate. CJ then capitalized on a wild pitch that scored pinch runner Cole Beezley and a Mustang error that brought Brody Pant home to make it 3-0. Carl Junction scored its fourth run off another wild pitch by Mustang starter Destyn Dowd.

The Bulldogs unleashed four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cody Hollingsworth scored on a Vediz single to left field, and Pant drove in Hayes with another single to expand the CJ lead to 6-0. Deacon Endicott made it an 8-0 game with a double to left field that plated Vediz and Wyatt McAfee.

Hollingsworth hit a fly ball to center field that scored Caleb Barnard in the bottom of the fifth inning to make it 9-0.

Vediz gave up just one hit while striking out nine and walking six in 4 2/3 innings. Pant held the Mustangs (4-21) hitless while striking out six and walking none in 2 1/3 innings.

McDonald County's Dowd gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits with a strikeout and a walk in one inning of work. Freshman reliever Persim Sohse gave up five runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out one and walking none in 3 1/3 innings.

Four Carl Junction players recorded multiple hits. Vediz was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run. Pant was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI, Hayes and McAfee both finished 2 for 4 with two runs each.

Dowd logged the Mustangs only hit of the game, finishing 1 for 4.