Scott City reaches Class 2 title game with rout of Hallsville

SPRINGFIELD -- The big blow in Scott City's 10-0 thumping of Hallsville in the Class 2 state semifinal?

It was a bunt.

Clayton Hall's perfectly placed bases-loaded suicide squeeze in the third inning brought in the game's first run and sparked a seven-run rally Wednesday afternoon at Meador Park that lifted the Rams into the championship game.

"I was just trying to get a hold of it," Hall said. "I'm pretty sure that's where it was supposed to go."

The bunt went down the first-base line, bringing home Shae Simmons from third and allowing Hall to reach safely when no one covered first base.

"Clayton's squeeze just got everybody fired up and ready to go," said Josh Henson, who reached base safely with his perfect sacrifice bunt earlier in the inning.

"Clayton came up huge for us today. That breaks the ice," said Lance Amick, Scott City's second-year coach who has the Rams in their first title appearance since 1978 and third in school history.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Scott City scored seven runs during the third inning en route to a 10-0 win over Hallsville in the Class 2 semifinals Wednesday at Meador Park in Springfield.

Scott City never has won a state baseball championship. The Rams (22-1) will face Barstow (18-1) 4 p.m. today for the title.

Ryan Modglin pitched a two-hitter in the contest, which ended in the bottom of the fifth inning when Scott City tacked on its final two runs.

Modglin, Henson and Simmons each had two hits, but five other Scott City players had RBI hits. Cody Page blasted a three-run double in the third inning.

"We've stressed it all year long with the bottom of our order," Amick said. "They may not hit home runs, doubles or triples, but they get a lot of singles, they bunt, they steal, they squeeze. A lot of guys can handle the bat well, and I'm not afraid to gamble a little bit."

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Scott City's Austin Raines watched his bunt Wednesday, May 28, 2008, in the Class 2 Semifinal at Meador Park in Springfield.

Amick especially enjoys running leadoff hitter Simmons around the bases. And he doesn't mind bunting with Hall, his No. 5 hitter and a 5-foot-11, 190-pound first baseman.

"Cody's a good bunter," Amick said. "He's got great skills in a bigger guy's body. He's got great hand-eye coordination and can do a lot of things with the bat. He doesn't have the wheels, but he's not slow."

Hall, who said he woke up with his stomach in knots due to nerves -- "Who wouldn't be nervous?" he said -- didn't have to beat anybody to first base as Hallsville was stymied by a bunt for the second time in the inning.

"Those were good basehit bunts," Hallsville coach Barry Koeneke said. "It sure looked like something they work on, and when the opportunity presents itself, they can execute it."

Scott City's Austin Raines watched his bunt during Wednesday's semifinal game.

The opportunities came in the third inning, as Scott City began its second trip through the lineup against Hallsville lefty Austin Church.

Simmons walked on a 3-2 pitch, then took third on Henson's bunt for a hit between the mound and first base.

"Josh loves to bunt," Amick said. "A lot of times he comes up in a sacrifice situation with his eyes wide open."

Modglin then blooped a single into left field, but Simmons was held at third, unsure whether to tag up or score.

"I made a boo-boo," Amick said, "but if that kid makes a diving catch and Shae doesn't get back, we run ourselves out of the inning."

After cleanup hitter Cody Carlyle fouled out, Hall made sure Scott City got on the board with his bunt. The next hitter, Austin Raines, was unsuccessful in his suicide squeeze try, but singled into right field to bring in Henson.

"That's a huge hit for a freshman," Amick said. "He's had just huge at-bats in every game; it's been a great postseason for the kid."

Page also has had some timely hits, including the bases-clearing double over the center fielder's head that pushed Scott City's lead to 5-0, past the Rams' magic number.

"Three," Amick said. "We thought if we could get three runs, we'd win."

Page's hit came on an 0-1 pitch after he let by a hanging breaking ball.

"I don't like that first-pitch curveball," Page said. "I like to wait for my fastball down the middle.

"It's a hit right there you dream of."

The Rams kept plugging, as Skylar Cobb singled to bring home Page, and Simmons decked a triple to right that brought in Cobb with the seventh run.

Scott City added one in the fourth when Carlyle singled home Modglin, and they put the game away in the fifth, keeping Modglin available perhaps for an appearance today.

With two outs and Jake Campbell on second base, Simmons walked. Amick, smelling a chance to end it, sent Simmons on a steal. The throw by Hallsville catcher Tony McGee went to third base, struck Campbell as he retreated and went into left field. Campbell scored and Simmons took third.

Henson singled to right to end the game.

"It was good for me because I got out of my slump," Henson said, "but it was better for our pitching because it saves Ryan's arm in case Shae gets in trouble."

Modglin threw 68 pitches, setting down the final nine batters he faced after a leadoff double by No. 9 hitter Ryan Crane in the third inning.

"A lot of time when Ryan gives up a hit, he focuses more," Amick said. "You see that a lot. We responded well to that hit. That was the important thing."

Modglin prevented Hallsville from breaking through first after Crane's double by catching a popout over his shoulder, recording a strikeout and retiring No. 3 batter Eric Milliam on a foulout to Hall.

Hallsville never had a chance after Scott City's half of the third.

"I don't like losing," Koeneke said, "and I don't like losing that big, but they're a good team."