Dexter BB prevails 2-0 over Sikeston in pitching duel

DEXTER – The offensive story this spring for the Dexter High School varsity baseball squad has been one of feast or famine.

In three of the Bearcats’ eight games this season, they have scored a combined 27 runs and won all three of those games. However, in the other four games prior to Monday’s contest with Sikeston at East Park in Dexter, the Bearcats had been limited to three runs or less and lost all four of those games.

That was not the case against the Bulldogs.

Dexter got really good defense from its fielders, and a tremendous day on the mound out of freshman Trey Pedigo and junior Beau Carrier to survive a grinding win 2-0.

“We had to manufacture runs,” second-year Dexter coach Steve Edwards said following the win. “Sikeston is a good team; I don’t care what anybody says. You put (Bulldog pitcher Carter Goodman) on the bump in the SEMO Conference Tournament, he could beat anybody.”

To Edwards’ point, the Bulldogs (0-10) held the Bearcats to just six hits, and as many total bases. However, as it has been this spring, offensive production has not been in abundance with the Bulldogs.

“I see flashes of a lot of good things in a lot of areas, just about every game” second-year Sikeston coach Wyatt Pratt said. “But we’ve got some immaturity here, and we have guys hitting at a level that they haven’t hit at and competed at.

“I do think that we are getting better.”

The game was scoreless through 4 ½ innings, as Pedigo was having perhaps the best outing of his young career.

He ultimately threw five innings and allowed just three hits, no runs, one walk, and a strikeout.

“Trey is pitching well,” Edwards said. “He keeps his fastball down and, in the zone well. His off-speed is really good, and we threw a lot of off-speed today because it was working.”

Pedigo helped his cause in the fifth inning, as he lined a one-out hit into right field for a single before junior Fisher Menley reached after getting hit by a Goodman throw.

Junior Hunter Larson was a pinch-runner for Pedigo and had advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Connor Hankins, and then he scored for a 1-0 margin when Bearcat junior Nolan Alford brought him home with a hit to center field.

Menley made the game 2-0 when he scored courtesy of a sacrifice fly by senior Ryan Young.

In all, Goodman only allowed two hits, and two earned runs while walking one and striking out three.

“I’ve been pleased with our pitching, minus one or two starts,” Pratt said. “Our pitchers have done exactly what I have asked them to do. They get ahead (in the count). They throw strike one. They don’t walk the house, and they challenge the hitters.”

Bulldog sophomore Peyton Mitchell was also very impressive in relief.

He worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed three hits, no earned runs, and no walks.

Carrier has enjoyed a very good season on the mound and that continued on Monday.

He closed the game with the final two innings and gave up one hit, no runs, no walks, and struck out three.

“Beau throws consistent strikes,” Edwards said. “He doesn’t throw a lot of balls, and when he does, he fixes it in a hurry.”

Alford paced the Dexter offense with a hit and an RBI while Young (one hit, one RBI), freshman Jaxon Miller (one hit), Pedigo (one hit, one walk), and Menley (one run) also contributed.

Sikeston was led by junior Barrett Stokes, who had two hits. Goodman added a double and a stolen base while junior Luke Gadberry drew a walk, and senior Colt Parker had a hit.

Sikeston will host Kennett (5-8) on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

Dexter will visit Cape Central (3-12) on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.