Mules take two of three in Tennessee over the weekend

BELL BUCKLE, Tennessee — The Poplar Bluff Mules baseball team played a trio of games Friday and Saturday against a pair of Tennessee schools, defeating the Webb School twice (10-9 on Friday and 7-4 on Saturday). Those two wins sandwiched around a 6-5 loss to Harpeth on Saturday.

The Mules (8-8) won the first game with the Webb School thanks two a two-run rally in the top of the sixth inning. With two runners on and the score tied at 8-8, Kolby Greenwall singled home David Durbin for a 9-8 lead, then Dylan Hall also scored when Greenwall’s hit was misplayed.

Greenwall, Durbin and Kayson King each had a pair of hits, while King drove in two runs. Durbin also tossed four strong innings of relief to earn the win, allowing three hits, two walks and no earned runs while striking out three.

It was a different story against Harpeth the next day, as Poplar Bluff scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead — only to see Harpeth do the same in the bottom of the inning to win in walkoff fashion.

Trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Durbin hit a two-run homer to give the Mules a 4-3 lead, then King later doubled home Hall to make it 5-3.

However, Harpeth turned two walks, two doubles and a base hit in the bottom of the seventh into a winning rally.

King had two hits in the contest, while Durbin and Marcus Tabanera each drove in two runs.

In the second matchup later in the day with the Webb School, the Mules scored five times in the top of the second inning to take a 6-0 lead, then held on for the win.

Leading 1-0 after one inning, Greenwall singled home Aedan Dawes and Malik Thompson to make it 3-0 in favor of Poplar Bluff, then King immediately followed that up with a double to score Noah Spain and Greenwall and make it 5-0. Kaleb Dover then singled home King to make it 6-0 and cap the rally.

Greenwall finished with three hits in the game, while King added two. King drove in three runs and Greenwall drove in a pair.

Cameron Settle started and earned the win on the mound, while Hall and Tabanera combined on 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to preserve the win — including Tabanera earning the save.

The Mules take on Greenville Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Strenfel Field.