'Hard work' and good pitching from veteran lifting Woodland to success

Over the past three seasons Tyler Qualls has been guiding the Woodland High School baseball program, he has obviously taught some valuable lessons to the young Cardinal athletes in terms of what it takes to succeed.

After beating a very good Scott City team 4-2 on Monday in Marble Hill, the Cardinal program has now won 41 games in less than three seasons, and you would have had to go back five-plus years of Woodland baseball to reach that figure prior to Qualls’ arrival.

“It’s been (the kids’) hard work,” Qualls said. “Those guys put in the work day in and day out.”

Woodland (11-6) has now won five of its past six outings, and it has shown an ability to win in varying ways.

In claiming the program’s first Stoddard County Athletic Association Tournament championship in “God knows how long,” the Cardinals exploded for 37 runs in three games.

In its past two wins against Elsberry and Scott City, a pair of teams with a combined 26 wins, the Cardinals needed every bit of its pitching a defense in claiming 4-3 and 4-2 victories, respectively.

“They are working their tails off,” Qualls continued on his players. “They just come to play every single day.”

Against the Rams (12-6), who have won five of their past seven games, the Cardinals’ formula for success was simple: Get off to a fast start and let senior pitcher Grainger Yurevich do his thing.

Yurevich was very solid Dexter in the recent SCAA Tournament championship game (three earned runs and six strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings), but he was even better against the Rams.

“One thing that I think Grainger could do better,” Qualls said, “is being a little more efficient early in the innings.”

Yurevich must’ve gotten that message.

He threw a complete game on Monday, allowing five hits, and no earned runs while walking one and striking out four Scott City hitters.

“We’d like to get him going a little bit longer into the game,” Qualls said of his strategy in utilizing Yurevich. “He has really thrown well, and he is a big staple in our lineup and in the field.”

Of his 102 pitches, Yurevich threw 62 strikes while hitting a couple of Ram batters and having two wild pitches.

“He can throw all three pitches (for strikes),” Qualls said, “his fastball, curveball, and changeup, all three for strikes.”

After taking a 4-0 lead in the second inning, Woodland allowed Scott City to score a run in each of the third and fourth innings, but that would be it.

The Rams committed five errors while Woodland had three.

Yurevich contributed one hit and three RBI in the victory while Josy Cook (two runs, two walks), Lane VanGennip (two hits, two runs, one walk), Seth Abernathy (one walk), Kale Landewee (one hit), and Colton Jordan (one hit) also were productive in the win.

Ram senior Colin Blaylock paced his team offensively with one hit while Kobe Watson (one RBI), Luke Umfleet (one hit), Gavin Venable (one run), Joseph Young (one hit), Dalyn Littlepage (one hit), and Luke Holder (one double, one run, one walk) also contributed for the Rams.

Watson worked four innings in the start. He allowed four hits and three earned runs while walking four and striking out three.

Freshman pitcher Jackson Gloth closed the game for Scott City. He threw the final two innings and didn’t allow a run while giving up just one hit.

Gloth, who threw 18 strikes in 21 pitches, also struck out one Cardinal batter while not walking any.

Scott City will visit South Pemiscot (11-5) today at 4:30 p.m.

Woodland will host Meadow Heights (7-6) today at 4:30 p.m.