Republic won two more games on its mid-Missouri road swing Friday, topping Columbia Battle and Sedalia Smith-Cotton. Myles Lozano and Trace Harrington picked up wins on the mound, and Cannon Ellison earned a save.
Republic 7, Columbia Battle 3
Republic used a five-run fifth inning to pull away from Columbia Battle on Friday, winning 7-3. The Tigers fell behind 1-0 in the first but quickly tied it up in the bottom of the inning. They went ahead in the second and then put the game out of reach in the fifth.
Myles Lozano went the distance on the mound for Republic, giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out three and walking one.
In the bottom of the first, the Tigers knotted the score at 1-1 thanks to an error that allowed Trace Harrington to reach base and an RBI hit by Jackson Overstreet. Cooper Pilkinton’s sacrifice fly in the second scored Brett Hendrickson to put Republic on top.
The Tigers broke it open in the fifth. Singles by Carter Nation and Ryder Davis and a wild pitch set the stage for Garrett Lester’s two-run single. After a walk to Devon Hughes, Harrington launched a three-run homer to left field, making it 7-1.
Battle collected four consecutive singles in the sixth inning but could only muster two runs against Lozano.
Davis and Nation both had two hits for the Tigers, while Harrington drove in three runs and scored two. Lester knocked in a pair.
Republic 2, Smith-Cotton 1
Trace Harrington pitched five scoreless innings, and Republic scored two late runs in a 2-1 win over Smith-Cotton in Sedalia Friday.
Wyatt Woods broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning with a two-RBI single, after Ryder Davis and Garrett Lester had singled to open the inning. With two outs, Woods lined the ball to center field to give Republic the lead off Sedalia starter Brayden Butts.
Smith-Cotton threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning against reliever Cannon Ellison, loading the bases with one out. A sacrifice fly cut Republic’s lead to 2-1, but Ellison coaxed a groundout to shortstop Devon Hughes by Smith-Cotton’s Brady Anderson to end the game.
Harrington earned the win with five scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, walked four, and struck out seven. Ellison pitched two innings, allowing one run on two walks and a hit to pick up the save. Butts was the tough-luck loser for Smith-Cotton, striking out nine batters and allowing just five base hits in seven innings of work.
Republic has won four straight games and improved its record to 10-6 with its two-win day. The Tigers play Nevada Saturday for the tournament title and will be home against Willard next Tuesday.