Kennett shuts out New Madrid County Central

KENNETT – The Kennett baseball team didn't allow a single run while a remarkably productive third inning allowed the Indians to cruise past New Madrid County Central 14-0 at home Thursday, April 20, 2023.

Junior Ashton Williams led on the mound and allowed only two hits and three walked batters after facing 21 batters over five innings. He threw an even 100 pitches for 58 strikes and 11 strikeouts.

“Really good start by Ashton,” Kennett coach Aaron New said. “That's two in a row. He had two really good games at the start of the season, a couple bad ones, and now two good ones in a row. Hopefully we can get him rolling, because he's a big weapon for us. He's a difference maker for our club.”

Offensively, Kennett connected on nine hits for 13 RBIs in scoring their 14 runs. The Indians' offense was started in the bottom of the first as Tanner Pierce crossed home for the first time after Trey Gardner made it to first with a fly ball to third base.

Still leading 1-0 entering the bottom of the third inning, Kennett went on a 13-run streak as Brooks Nigut, Trey Gardner, Hayden Gilmore, Caleb Duncan, Peyton Branum, Matthew Gardner, Tanner Pierce and John Poole all scored.

“We made some good adjustments there,” New said. “They had somewhat of a soft-throwing guy, and we were out in front of it in the first couple innings. Then we made some adjustments in the fourth and we had a really big inning. We hit good up and down the lineup.”

Kennett's Peyton Branum connects with the ball in the fourth inning of a game against NMCC Thursday, April 20, 2023.Christian Johnson, Delta Dunklin Democrat

Nigut, Gilmore, Duncan, Branum and Trey Gardner all scored once more by the end of the inning as well.

The fourth inning went scoreless by both teams, and the game ended after the Eagles failed to score in the top of the fifth inning.

In total, NMCC tested three different pitchers on the mound during the contest. Cash McSpadden took the loss after pitching for the first 2.2 innings. He faced 24 batters and threw 80 pitches and 35 strikes but zero strikeouts. McSpadden allowed 13 earned runs, eight hits and six walked batters.

Ayden McCanless relieved him for 0.1 innings, throwing 15 pitches and 10 strikes but allowing a hit and a run. He was in turn relieved by freshman Brandon Waters for the final inning in his pitching debut.

Waters' first time on the mound was productive, and despite facing only four batters he threw 19 pitches and 10 strikes for two strikeouts and didn't allow a single hit.

Clay Cope managed both of the Eagles' two hits on three at-bats.

Kennett's win comes a day after an 8-11 loss to Notre Dame snapped a five game winning streak.

“It's not as consistent as we'd like,” New said. “That's the key for this team. We won seven in a row, then lost four in a row, then won five in a row and had a rough day yesterday. As the season goes on I just hope we find more and more consistency out of everyone day in and day out.”

Kennett (13-5) now travels to Poplar Bluff Friday at 4:30 p.m., and travels to Valley View High School Saturday to play at 1 p.m. NMCC (6-11) travels to Jackson (16-5) Monday at 4:30 p.m.