Republic extended its longest baseball winning streak since 2005 to 11 consecutive games, ripping Carthage 10-0 to open the district tournament. The Tigers’ 21st win ties a program record for a single season, set in 2021.
Myles Lozano pitched five innings of shutout ball to earn the win, improving to a team-best 8-1. He lowered his earned run average to 1.74.
Gavyn Beckner had two base hits, giving him 42 for the season. That breaks the old Republic single-season mark of 41, set by Harrison Waters in 2005. That’s the same season Republic won 15 games in a row, the longest program win streak on record. The Tigers lost 2-0 in the state sectionals to Webb City that season.
Tuesday at the recently renamed Sky Bacon Ballpark (previously US Ballpark) in Ozark, Republic scored most of its runs in bunches. The Tigers took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, then added five more in the fourth. They finished off the game with a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
In the second, Wyatt Woods led off with a single and went to second on a groundout by Mason Mitchell. Devon Hughes doubled him home to make the score 1-0. Andrew Schroeder reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners, and when Schroeder tried to steal second base, the throw went into center field, allowing Hughes to score. Connor Sandridge walked, and when Garrett Lester doubled into left center field, both baserunners score to put Republic ahead 4-0.
Lester got things going in the fourth inning with a leadoff single. Gunner Ellison walked, and Beckner lined an RBI single to left field to make it 5-0. With two outs, Woods walked to load the bases, and Mason Mitchell reached on an error by the left fielder to allow two more runs to score. Devon Hughes followed that up with another RBI double to make it 9-0.
Republic scored its final run of the day when Collin Myers singled and Hughes doubled him home.
Lozano allowed only two base hits, striking out eight and walking two. Landon Carter finished off the win by striking out the side in a perfect sixth inning.
