Gavyn Beckner needed only 61 pitches to breeze through the McDonald County lineup and lead Republic to a 3-0 win on the road Thursday. The Tigers closed their regular season with a 10-game winning streak. Their 20 regular-season wins are the most on record.
Beckner pitched his best game of what’s already been a great season. He threw 48 strikes and only 13 balls in seven innings of work. The Mustangs had one infield hit, one walk, and struck out seven times.
The Tigers took the lead in the top of the third inning when Garrett Lester walked, stole second and third, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Beckner.
Republic added two more runs in the third. Collin Myers reached on an outfield error that put him on second base. He scored on another error to make the score 2-0. An RBI single by Garrett Lester made the score 3-0.
Beckner picked up the win to improve to 6-1. He faced only 23 batters — two more than the minimum — and lowered his earned run average to 1.99.
Republic had only two base hits, but took advantage of four errors by McDonald County.
The Tigers have won ten games in a row. Before the current winning streak, they hadn’t done that since 2008. The 2008 team finished the regular season with 19 wins.
Republic won 14 straight games in 2005 — the longest winning streak I’ve been able to find in the records. That team finished 17-7, losing to Webb City in the state sectionals.
Republic begins district play next week.