C2D3: Meadow Heights punches ticket to title game with rout of Saxony Lutheran

PERRYVILLE - Early offense and timely defense made the difference in the first of two Class 2 District 3 semifinals on Saturday as the No. 4 seed Meadow Heights Panthers downed the No. 1 seed Saxony Lutheran Crusaders 10-3.

The scoring began in the top of the second when the Panthers led the inning off with a walk and a single, bringing Trae Yamnitz to the plate with two runners on and one out.

Yamnitz doubled home both runners, giving the Panthers an early 2-0 lead.

After a strikeout, Mason Mayfield ripped a single to centerfield, scoring Yamnitz, and giving Meadow Heights a 3-0 lead.

Caidyn Byrd pushed across the fourth run of the inning as his speed forced a throwing error, allowing Mayfield to score to extend the lead.

“It got us going offensively,” Panthers coach Cody Kennedy said. “I like to be the away team because you get the first chance to score runs. We didn’t get that done in the first but we put up a big four spot in the second inning.”

With a 4-0 lead in hand, Meadow Heights’ starting pitcher Braeden Hays ran into some trouble in the home half of the second.

Korby Engert singled and Blake Gaebler doubled, giving the Crusaders runners on second and third with nobody out.

The next batter, Reid Bengtson, grounded out, but Engert scored to cut into the Panthers’ lead, making it 4-1.

Gaebler would find his way home courtesy of a passed ball as the Crusaders found themselves within two.

“They just hit some balls,” Kennedy said. “That’s a good team over there and they have good hitters.”

It appeared at that point the Crusaders would be retired, but a two-out walk to Isaac Koenig extended the inning.

Koenig advanced to second on a passed ball, and just a pitch later, Jason Sparks Jr, hit a line drive to center field that dropped in, but a strong throw by Mason Mayfield in center field cut down Koenig and ended the inning.

“Mason has been outstanding,” Kennedy said. “He’s got amazing speed and for a little guy he’s got a pretty good arm. He’s made several plays like that for us this year.”

Eyeing a response, the Panthers’ offense went to work as Braeden Hays and Ransom Grindstaff led the third inning off with a pair of singles.

James Miller delivered a clutch base hit for the Panthers, scoring Hays and Grindstaff, making it 6-2 Meadow Heights.

The Panthers’ Elijah Frazier scored Miller via sacrifice fly to push the lead to 7-2.

“Coming into district play we preached not giving up and not quitting from the first pitch to the last pitch,” Kennedy said. “They’re looking to be in the for the long haul so hopefully Tuesday goes well.”

James Hope grounded into a double play in the bottom of the third, but Blake Gaebler scored, making it 7-3 Meadow Heights.

It felt as if the game was decided in the bottom of the fifth.

As Meadow Heights led 7-3, Sparks and David Weinhold both hit routine ground balls that were botched, giving the Crusaders runners on first and second with nobody out.

Random Grindstaff, who took over for Braeden Hays in the fourth, got the next two Crusaders’ hitters to pop out and got Korby Engert to ground out to end the inning and work out of the jam.

“It’s a difficult spot,” Kennedy said. “The big thing is you can’t let the guys get down on themselves. I went out there and that’s one of the things I told them.”

Meadow Heights added to its lead in the top of the sixth as Hays roped a two-out single into centerfield, scoring Yamnitz and making it 8-3 Panthers.

Grindstaff put the exclamation point on the inning with a two-run single to left field, blowing the game open as Meadow Heights took a commanding 10-3 lead.

The Panthers slammed the door in the sixth and seventh to win and advance to the Class 2 District 3 championship game.

With the loss, Saxony Lutheran ends the season with a record of 13-6.

Meadow Heights (16-8) advances to the Class 2 District 3 Championship where the Panthers will take on No. 2 Chaffee at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, at Perryville City Park.

“We’re going to have to put the ball in play like we have the last couple of days,” Kennedy said. “We need to pitch well, defend well and play as a team.”