Central baseball team flogs Poplar Bluff in district opener

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Central's offense was on fire early and late Monday night.

That, along with the strong pitching of Ronnie Scott, left Poplar Bluff little chance of pulling off an upset in the first round of the Class 4 District 1 baseball tournament.

The second-seeded Tigers collected 11 hits and nine runs over the opening two innings to rout the seventh-seeded Mules 13-3 at Rozier Wilson Park. The game ended in the bottom of the sixth by way of the 10-run mercy rule.

"We were ready tonight. We were pumped up," Central senior right fielder Trey Gardner said. "We knew what we had to do."

Central will play archrival Jackson, the No. 3 seed, for the third time this year in today's 7 p.m. semifinal. The Indians won the two previous meetings, including last week in extra innings.

Cape Central's Ronnie Scott pitches during the first inning of a Class 4 District 1 game against Poplar Bluff on Monday, May 16, 2011, in Farmington. (Kristin Eberts)

"It's a very good start for us," Central coach Steve Williams said. "We know all the games are going to be tough. We'll see what happens [against Jackson]."

The Tigers (14-9) couldn't have gotten off to a much better start, beating the Mules (7-10) for the second time this season.

After Poplar Bluff failed to score in the top of the first inning, Central began its offensive barrage in the bottom of the frame.

Senior third baseman Andrew Williams singled with one out and Gardner belted his second home run of the year over the left-center field fence for a quick 2-0 lead.

"I didn't think it was gone," Gardner said. "I just ran until I saw [Williams, coaching third] give me the home run sign."

Central catcher Ryan Siebert and pitcher Ronnie Scott meet on the mound during the third inning of their Class 4 District 1 game Monday against Poplar Bluff in Farmington, Mo. (Kristin Eberts)

Three more hits, capped by junior shortstop Thomas Crocetti's RBI single, made it 3-0 after one inning.

Poplar Bluff briefly stemmed the tide, getting all three of its runs in the second inning. The Mules had three of their six hits in the frame although all the runs were unearned due to a two-out error.

The tie was brief. The Tigers responded in the bottom of the second with six more runs on six hits, all singles.

Senior first baseman Andrew Hileman and Crocetti both had two-run singles while Scott added an RBI hit.

"I was very pleased to see our kids be aggressive at the plate and get off to such a good start offensively," coach Williams said. "We swung the bats tonight."

Central's offense was held scoreless from the third through fifth innings, but Scott remained firmly in control. The senior left-hander, who also beat Poplar Bluff earlier this season, struck out seven and walked two.

"All those runs helped me out," Scott said.

Scott had the Mules flailing at a curveball that dipped severely as it neared the plate.

"It had good movement today," he said.

The Tigers' bats came alive again in the sixth inning when Central scored four runs on five hits to enact the mercy rule.

Sophomore DH Ramsey Scott got his first varsity homer, a towering two-run shot well beyond the right-center field fence.

"I felt like I hit the ball hard," said Scott, who has had several home runs on the junior varsity level. "I never know if it's gone."

Andrew Williams' RBI single plated the 13th run to end the contest.

Central finished with 17 hits. Hileman, Crocetti and junior catcher Ryan Siebert all went 3 for 4. Williams and senior second baseman J.T. Kratochvil both added two hits.

Crocetti and Ramsey Scott both delivered three RBIs, while Hileman had two RBIs and scored three runs.

"We took some BP at the [Central] high school before we left," Ramsey Scott said. "I guess it all clicked for us tonight."

Poplar Bluff 030 000 -- 3 6 0

Central 360 004 -- 13 17 1

WP -- Ronnie Scott. LP -- Quinton West. HR -- Trey Gardner (C), Ramsey Scott (C). 3B -- Andrew Hileman (C). 2B -- Logan Faith (PB), Trenton Eudaley (PB). Multiple hits -- Poplar Bluff: Faith 2-3; Central: Hileman 3-4, Ryan Siebert 3-4, Thomas Crocetti 3-4, J.T. Kratochvil 2-4, Andrew Williams 2-5. Records -- Poplar Bluff 7-10, Central 14-9.