Mustangs Take Third At Mantle Tournament
COOPER, HANKE HELP MCDONALD COUNTY REBOUND FROM OPENING-ROUND LOSS
Stellar pitching performances by Grant Cooper and Jaime Hanke allowed the McDonald County Mustangs to bounce back from an opening-round loss to take third place in the 2017 Mickey Mantle Wood Bat Tournament held last week in Commerce, Okla.
Stellar pitching performances by Grant Cooper and Jaime Hanke allowed the McDonald County Mustangs to bounce back from an opening-round loss to take third place in the 2017 Mickey Mantle Wood Bat Tournament held last week in Commerce, Okla.
Cooper tossed a three-hit shutout to lead McDonald County to a 12-0 win over Locust Grove on April 6 to give the Mustangs a split of their two pool games.
Cooper struck out five and walked two in six innings. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second with a ground out and allowed a runner to reach second base just one other time.
“Grant threw very well,” said coach Nick Martin. “He has been very consistent all season. He changed speed and threw strikes. The defense played well behind him. James King came in and played third base for the first time this year and made several good plays.”
McDonald County scored all the runs it would need with a three-run first. Jordan Platter, Jamie Hanke and Tyler Stoutsenberger singled to load the bases with one out. Oakley Roessler walked to drive in a run before Boston Dowd drove in the final two runs with a two-out single.
McDonald County added a run in the second, three in the fifth and then ended the game early with a five-run sixth. Roessler had a two-run double in the fifth and Jon Martin, Dowd, James King, Emanuel Baisch and Ty Shaver each drove a run in the sixth.
“We are starting to swing the bats a little better,” Martin said. “We have won three of our last four games and scored 32 runs in the three wins. Our younger guys are getting some experience and gaining confidence at the plate.”
Hanke finished with three hits