Chandler Coates struck out a career-high 14 batters, including the last seven he faced, to lead Republic to a 6-3 win over Carthage in a Central Ozark Conference game Tuesday. Republic fell behind 3-0 after two innings, but chipped away at the lead, tied the game in the 4th, and took the lead for good with a three-run rally in the fifth.
Coates faced 27 batters and threw first-pitch strikes to 22 of them. After walking three and allowing three hits in the first two innings, he settled down and allowed just one baserunner the rest of the way. That was a two-out walk in the 5th inning.
Trailing 3-0, Alex Reynolds got the Tigers on the board in the top of the 3rd when he singled to lead off the inning and came around to score.
In the top of the 4th, Gage Morris walked, Reynolds singled again, Parker Nelson walked, and Austin Atkins tied the game with a two-run single.
In the 5th, Jake Smith and Regan Butterworth walked to start the inning and Ryan Cape singled to load the bases. Morris followed that with a two-run single, and Parker Nelson plated the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.
Reynolds and Cape each had two hits for Republic. Reynolds scored two runs. Morris and Atkins each drove in two.
Republic improves to 9-3 overall. The Tigers are 1-2 in the Central Ozark Conference. They host Willard Thursday.