Sophomore Creed Smiley was 3-for-3 with a walk, scored two runs, and drove in a run to help power Republic past Carthage 5-0 in a COC game at home.
Junior Nathan Strobel pitched a complete game shutout for the Tigers, and allowed just five hits. Republic also played ones of its best games of the year defensively. The Tigers didn’t make an error in the field.
Republic scored in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead when Austin Beckner drove home Smiley. In the bottom of the fourth, Cole Hurst tripled, Riley Norris drove him in with a double, and Smiley singled home Norris to make the score 3-0.
The Tigers extended their lead when a single by Dustin Eby in the bottom of the fifth drove home Strobel. A Garrett Woods RBI single in the sixth scored Smiley, making the score 5-0.
Republic improves to 11-5 overall, 3-2 in the COC. Carthage is 8-7, 2-3.