Central baseball team falls to unbeaten Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Central Tigers averted a gloomy prediction for rain Thursday, but they could not avoid the bats of the Poplar Bluff Mules.

Poplar Bluff banged out 12 hits in a 9-1 victory over the Tigers in a SEMO Conference game at Strenfel Memorial Field to remain unbeaten.

The game was tied 1-1 headed into the bottom of the fourth inning before the Mules took over, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring six runs.

Poplar Bluff (6-0) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but a combination of base-running mistakes and solid Central defense kept the game close.

"I think we came out here not thinking we were going to play today," Poplar Bluff coach Stan Bullington said. "The weather forecast didn't look good. But we were talking about how we've got to come ready. But I really didn't think it looked good. I think we were a little sluggish there, and then in turn we tried to press too much."

Central catcher Josh Morse throws down to first after a Cody Slusher bunt during the fourth inning Thursday in Poplar Bluff, Mo. (Rob Tate ~ Daily American Republic)

Mules senior Alex Lewis put the first run on the board with an RBI single to right field which scored senior Lucas Tibbs.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the second, Central (4-5) turned a double play to escape the jam.

"Either we've got some really good karma coming or we're just hanging on by dear life," Central coach Tatum Kitchen said about the early going of the game. "We had the strike three where the kid took off to second to end an inning. Then the next inning we had a nice 1-2-3 double play. You don't see that all the time."

Said Bullington, "The first couple innings there, we had a lot of scoring opportunities and we left some people on base. I think it was a combination of a lot of things. Obviously they have a very good pitcher over there in [Matt] Chism."

Poplar Bluff senior left-hander Wesley Pyles allowed just one hit while striking out six Tigers over the first three innings.

Trevor Probst led off the Central fourth with a double and scored on a single to right by Josh Morse. Chase Hagerty then ripped a ball to center field, however, Morse was cut down at the plate to keep the game tied.

"I'm sometimes recklessly aggressive, especially when we are trying to score," Kitchen said. "I got a guy thrown out at home, and that's going to happen. In high school, sometimes you've got to test if they can make that relay. Tibbs at short put the ball on the money, and there's not much you can do."

Hagerty advanced to third base on a ground out and Pyles caught Clayton Reynolds looking to end the threat.

From there, the Mules took over.

After Pyles and Cody Slusher reached on errors, Kameron Misner sent a double to the left-center-field gap for two runs.

With two outs, Tibbs doubled home Misner and Brandon Stuckenschneider doubled home Tibbs.

Lewis then lofted a ball over the 330 sign in left field for a 7-1 lead.

Poplar Bluff added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Daniel Francisco, and Logan Misner hit an RBI single in the sixth to set the final score.

Lewis was a triple shy of the cycle as he went 3 for 4. Stuckenschneider and Slusher both had two hits.

"I thought Poplar Bluff swung the bats well," Kitchen said.

Pyles went five innings and pitched to the first batter in the sixth. He allowed just four hits, one earned run and struck out 10. Stuckenschneider went the last two innings, allowing no hits. He struck out four and walked two.

"We know Pyles is going to SEMO, so we know he's legit, and Stuckenschneider, too," Kitchen said. "We saw good arms. We hadn't seen any lefties all year."

The Mules improved to 2-0 in SEMO Conference play.

"Cape's always a big game," Bullington said. "I thought Kennett was going to be a strong one, too. So those are two conference games that are big usually. We'll see Cape again probably, and it might be a lot tougher and a different outcome. They're a solid team with good coaching over there."

Central 000 100 0 -- 1 4 3

Poplar Bluff 100 611 X -- 9 12 0

WP -- Wesley Pyles. LP -- Matt Chism. 2B -- Cody Slusher (2) (PB). Lucas Tibbs (PB). Brandon Stuckenschneider (PB). Kameron Misner (PB). Alex Lewis (PB). HR -- Lewis (PB). Multiple Hits -- Poplar Bluff: Stuckenschneider 2-4. Lewis 3-4. Slusher 2-3.