Republic scored two runs in the 1st inning and never looked back in a 4-0 win over Cassville at home Monday. Chandler Coates pitched a three-hit, complete-game shutout. Landin Sigman was 3-for-3 at the plate for the Tigers, who have won three straight games after dropping their first three.
Republic struck early when Ryan Cape started a 1st-inning rally with a two-out single. Regan Butterworth reached on an error and Gage Morris singled through the right side to score Cape. Landin Sigman followed that with an RBI single of his own to make the score 2-0.
Republic scored a single run in the 3rd on a triple by Butterworth and a sacrifice fly by Morris.
In the 6th, Republic added one more insurance run. Sigman led off with a single and Coates was hit by a pitch. Josh Gentry walked to load the bases, and after Cameron Beck flied out to left field, Austin Atkins drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-0.
On the mound, Coates was cruising. He threw 98 pitches — 67 of them for strikes. He struck out seven and walked just one. Coates’ earned run average is 1.17, and he has struck out 19 batters in 18 innings pitched this season.
Republic improved to 3-3. The JV Tigers also won, 13-0. Blake Messier had three runs batted in and Cameron Beck struck out eight batters in three innings.