NEOSHO, Mo. — In a lopsided 18-0 Wildcats baseball win, Neosho High School starter Jack Combs and reliever Eligh Qualls struck out eight of nine batters they faced Tuesday in a three-inning run-rule shortened game against Parkview High School (1-13) at Neosho.
While the weather in Neosho may have been frigid Tuesday, Neosho bats were hot.
Neosho (17-11) plated 17 of its 18 runs in the bottom of the opening frame. Gage Harvel scored on a Parkview Vikings error, Colton Harvel stole home and Cooper Charlton made it 3-0 when he plated Logan Hurn with a single to right field.
Jaiden Fisher drove in Drake Jennings with a single to center, Charlton scored when Combs was hit by a pitch with bases loaded and Gage Harvel made it a 6-0 game when he drove in Shayne Rabauliman with a line drive to center.
Fisher later scored on a Colton Harvel single, Tevin Beaver plated Wyatt Woodward with a sacrifice fly, Jennings drove in Gage Harvel with a line drive to left field and Colton Harvel made it 10-0 when he sprinted home on a wild pitch.
But the Wildcats were not finished at the plate. Rabauliman plated Jennings with a single to center, Combs swatted a liner to left that scored Charlton and Rabauliman scored when Qualls was hit by a pitch with the bases full to make it 13-0.
Neosho plated four more runs before the end of the inning. Gage Harvel drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Fisher, Woodward scored when Colton Harvel was hit by a pitch with bags full, Qualls scored on a Beaver single to left and Gage Harvel made it 17-0 when he scored on a Vikings error.
Combs struck out the side in the top of the second, and Neosho scored its final run in the bottom of the frame when Gage Harvel drove in Fisher.
Qualls came in to relieve Combs in the bottom of the third and struck out the side to secure the 18-0 win. Neosho needed just 38 pitches to seal the win. Combs finished with five strikeouts and no walks, while Qualls struck out three and walked none.
Fisher led the Wildcats at the plate, finishing 3 for 3 with three runs and an RBI. Gage Harvel went was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and three runs. Beaver and Combs both went 2 for 2 with two RBIs each. Neosho’s 13 hits were all singles, save one double by Combs.
Neosho will have a tougher test at 4:30 p.m. Thursday when the Wildcats travel to face Webb City High School (22-4).