Cooter defeats Risco for C1D1 championship title

COOTER – In a low-scoring battle of pitching and defense, Risco held Cooter’s explosive offense to only two runs, but after Luke Barnes’ no-hitter performance on the mound for the Wildcats, Cooter won the Class 1 District 1 Championship game 2-0.

“Luke Barnes struck out 19, and had he not done that, we probably wouldn’t have won the game,” Cooter coach David Mathis said. “He was just dominant. He threw 105 pitches and got the last out on his 105th pitch.”

Just one day after Cooter trounced Clarkton 21-0, a game in which the Wildcats hit three home runs in the first inning alone, Risco came ready to play.

Barnes’ no-hitter was complete after seven innings in which he struck out 19 batters and allowed three walks total.

Risco starter Kadin Carlisle lasted 4.2 innings on the mound during which time he threw out eight batters. Carlisle allowed three hits and six walks, but only gave up one earned run. He was relieved by Garrett Hicks to finish out the game, who allowed zero hits and zero runs but walked two.

Risco's Kadin Carlisle attempts to tag out a runner at second base during the Tigers' district semifinal game against Naylor on Monday, May 15, 2023.Christian Johnson, Delta Dunklin Democrat

Two and a half innings went by before Cooter’s Brayson Green was walked with two outs and bases loaded to bring home Rhoads Lynn. Lynn had been walked, Hayden Nazarenus managed a single to left field and Barnes was walked as well.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats scored their second and final run necessary to win as Nazarenus singled home Tyson Banks. Nazarenus managed two of Cooter’s four hits while Lynn and Green both added one.

“We had a lot of spots to score, and we just couldn’t ever break it open,” Mathis said. “We put balls in play, they had a couple errors, but we got thrown out at the plate twice and their pitchers did a great job, too. We just couldn’t string anything together.”

Risco’s Aaron Denson, Noah Burnett and Eli Rodgers each got on base, all having been walked.

After facing the talented group of Cooter seniors for the last few years, Risco coach Brandon Blankenship said that the Tigers knew exactly what they were in for.

"I was just proud our guys for battling," Blankenship said. "We only gave up three hits, and we made some great plays to get out some jams. We did make a couple errors and kind of gave up that second run, but Cooter's a tough one. We were all in, our guys were tough, but you can't give a team like that anything."

Through to the end was a back-and-forth game on the mound and in the field that blanked the remaining frames.

Cooter’s win marks the seventh year in a row that the Wildcats have won their district championship, the sixth since Mathis has been head coach. In 2019, the team went on to place third in the state tournament.

They look to make it further in the postseason once again as they take on District 2 champion Oran in the Class 1 State Sectional 1 on Monday, May 22. The game will be played at Cooter High School beginning at 4:30 p.m.

“We’re going to have to play a lot better Monday, or we’ll go home,” Mathis said. “Oran won’t be the same way; they’ll put the ball in play, and they have an All-State pitcher who we’ve never beat. We’ll give it the best we can. It’s tough going to Oran to win, and it’s tough to come here and win. It’ll be a good one either way.”