Cole Iles pitched a complete game, striking out six and scattering seven base hits to lead Republic to a six-inning 13-3 win against Rolla in the opener of a double-header at Columbia Saturday. The Tigers lost the error-plagued second game to the host team, Rock Bridge, 10-0.
In the opener, Republic banged out 11 hits to go along with seven walks and two hit batters. The Tigers scored two in the first and three in the second to grab a 5-0 lead early. After Rolla scored two runs in the top of the third, Republic responded with five in the bottom of the inning to make the score 10-2. Another single tally in the fourth made it 11-3, and after Rolla scored once in the fifth inning, the Tigers finished off the Bulldogs by scoring two in the bottom of the fifth.
Gunner Ellison and Garrett Lester each scored three times and stole two bases. Connor Sandridge, Gavyn Beckner, Trace Harrington, and Andrew Schroeder contributed two hits apiece in the win. Devon Hughes was on base three times with a single and two walks. He also scored two runs.
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In the second game, Republic’s bats went silent and its gloves went cold. the Tigers committed four errors behind starting pitcher Gavyn Beckner, who took the loss. Rock Bridge scored single runs in the first and second innings before breaking the game open with four in the third. They added four more in the fifth against reliever Ace McWatters to finish the game in five innings.
The Tigers got just two base hits: an infield single by Sandridge to lead off the game, and a double by Iles in the bottom of the fourth.
Despite suffering the loss, Beckner allowed just three base hits in four innings of work. He walked four batters, three of them in the four-run fourth.
Republic finishes the weekend with a 2-1 record.