Joplin baseball rolls to second straight win

Mar. 26—Brecken Green missed bats and the Joplin offense found barrels and connected often enough to cruise to a 13-0 win on Tuesday over McDonald County for a home win.

Many students were released from school early to watch the Eagles battle the Mustangs. Unfortunately, they had to bear cold weather to do so.

Joplin (5-2) made quick work of its opposition though for the large crowd with a 2 p.m. first pitch. It scored two in the first inning, four in the second, four in the third and three more in the fourth on the way to the five-inning run-rule.

Green surrendered just one hit and struck out 12 batters in five innings of work, meaning only three McDonald County's hitters put the ball in play.

Joplin had 11 hits, drew five walks and four different Eagles were hit by a pitch.

The Eagles got a perfect 3-for-3 day from Cole Lawrence. He had three singles, a walk and drove in three runs while scoring twice. Layne Royle went 1 for 1 with a double, two walks and was hit by a pitch. He scored all four times and had one RBI. Kutler Schwarting had a two-hit day and one was a double. He finished with two RBIs.

Joplin's next game will be Thursday against Booker T. Washington High School out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Tiger/Zebra Classic hosted by Pryor High School and Claremore High School. The Eagles are slated for a doubleheader Thursday, one game Friday and another Saturday.